A “beloved” soul ponders his death

It isn’t easy to face questions about your imminent death – even a fictional death.
Still, Lance Barber did that with his usual ease. In February, the Television Critics Association asked about the possible passing of his his “Young Sheldon” character, Sheldon’s dad George (shown here).
“I had fingers crossed from the beginning. (hoping) I would make it to the end,” he said.
Then he almost did. Last Thursday (May 9), a week before the show ends its seven-year run, viewers received a jolt: In the final minute, two friends arrived to say George had died of a heart attack.
Now that consumes the show’s finale. After reruns (including the pilot film) at 8 and 8:30 p.m. Monday, the last episodes are 8 and 8:30 p.m. Thursday (May 16). One focuses on the funeral, the other on the aftermath. Both manage a rare feat – being deeply and subtly moving, while also including humor.
Since this is a prequel to “The Big Bamg Theory,” viewers already knew a few things:
Sheldon had grown up in Texas with his parents and a brother and sister. “We knew that Sheldon’s mom Mary was very religious,” said producer Steve Holland. “That just felt like it was really baked into” 1980s Texas.
They also knew that George would die early, but there were no specifics. “I had the luxury of being emotionally prepared for this from Day One,” Barber said.
Along the way, he could savor the chance to play someone who is “somewhat beloved – or enjoyed, at the very least.”
We’ll go with “beloved,” as George’s easygoing persona dominates the final episodes, via flashbacks and memories. He was a football coach who could view human quirks with a “whatever” shrug. In many ways he was the classic blue-collar Texan.
The blue-collar part came easily. Barber’s grandparents worked the line at the Kellogg cereal factory; his dad was a military policeman who died in Korea, leaving a widow and a 1-year-old son.
The Texas part was more of a stretch. “I’ve always had a drawl,” he said.
He grew up 1,100 miles north of Dallas, in Battle Cree. Nearby was the Augusta Barn Theatre, a summer spot that keeps producing stars. “I was 8 years old when I saw ‘Grease’ there,” he said. “I wanted to be onstage.”
He did shows at Pennfield High School (in suburban Battle Creek) and Kellogg Community College, where he was Oscar in “The Odd Couple” and Pontius Pilate in “Jesus Christ Superstar” He also landed a spot at the Augusta Barn Theatre.
That was 1993, the same year that Jennifer Garner was there. She did one summer, with a lead role in one show (“Nunsense”) and supporting ones in the others; two years later, she was busy on TV. He did two summers, with small roles in seven shows, then took a while to reach TV. There was touring with the Top Hat improv troupe … five years in Chicago (including Second City) … and then moving to Los Angeles in 2000.
Oddly, his best roles were negative ones – a low-brow comedy writer in Lisa Kudrow’s “The Comeback” … a cruel philanderer in 11 episodes of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” … Leonard’s boyhood bully in a “Big Bang” episode.
And then came opposite – a decent dad who (fans knew) might die at any time. “I knew that when and if it did come, it would be done in a a beautiful way.” It was.