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Famous Tree Dies

BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS, NC—The tree best known for portraying an eastern hemlock in the 1978 film The Deer Hunter passed away Monday morning on the steep, north-facing slope it called home.

After shooting to stardom in the late 1970s with its scene-stealing turn as a stately old-growth conifer in The Deer Hunter, the tree soon cemented its reputation as one of Hollywood's most dependable character actors.

According to its publicist, the woody plant and beloved fixture of nearly 40 feature films died of complications relating to adelgid beetles and lightning.

"It will be missed," Deer Hunter costar Robert De Niro said. "We took a shine to each other immediately. That tree taught me a lot about acting and about life."


Sometimes we can't see the wood for the trees. So you'd think chopping a few down might help. But that would be cruel. What's that saying? Trees are people too. And all trees are equal, although some are more equal than others.

To read more about the life of this famous tree with movie star looks, and that certaine je ne sais quoi that fans pine for, follow this link to The Onion, gossip gateway to the stars.

To get the local angle, the link from Chainsaw Massacre has been repaired, so go grab the low hanging fruit and twig to Contra Celsum's arboreal apocalypse.

Related Link: Tree featured in 'The Deerhunter' dies

Contra Celsum: The roar of chainsaws

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