Cory Monteith tribute: Listen to songs from Glee episode ‘The Quarterback’

The series will pay tribute Thursday to Cory Monteith, who played beloved character Finn Hudson.

By: Lynn Elber Associated Press

LOS ANGELES—Other TV series have woven a cast member’s death into an episode honouring them and their character. But Gleehas an especially sensitive task.

The Fox series will pay tribute Thursday to Cory Monteith, who was found dead in a Canadian hotel room in July of an accidental alcohol and drug overdose that ended his long, self-described fight against addiction at age 31.

Monteith’s death is especially haunting given the character he played, a handsome Big Man on Campus with a sweet smile and big heart, one whose toughest problems involved dating and chastity or whether to align with glee club outsiders or the in-crowd football team.

There’s also the uneasy knowledge that when Lea Michele’s character, Rachel, cries over boyfriend Finn, it mirrors the actress’ grief over losing her off-screen romantic partner. She dedicated her recent Teen Choice Award to Monteith, accepting with tears and wearing a necklace that spelled out “Cory.”

Some observers have suggested that the Glee episode should treat Monteith with dignity but not ignore the scourge of addiction that cut short his life — especially on a series that’s regularly delivered life lessons on big topics such as tolerance within its song-filled framework.

Glee creator Ryan Murphy has not offered detailed plans for the episode, but has said that drugs will not be the cause of Finn’s death.

However, Fox Chairman Kevin Reilly told members of the Television Critics Association last August that the episode would deal with “the incidents involved in Cory’s passing and the drug abuse in particular,” and that public service announcements involving cast members would air with it.

One such announcement is planned, Fox said Tuesday.

Mike O’Malley, who played stepdad Kurt Hummel to Monteith’s Finn,

said the episode included “the most emotional scene I’ve ever acted in my entire life,” and called Monteith “a real bright light.”