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M. Emmet Walsh

Michael Emmet Walsh (March 22, 1935 – March 19, 2024) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 films and television series, including supporting roles as Earl Frank in Straight Time (1978), the Madman in The Jerk (1979), Captain Bryant in Blade Runner (1982), Harv in Critters (1986), and Walt Scheel in Christmas with the Kranks (2004). He starred as private detective Loren Visser in Blood Simple (1984), the Coen brothers' first film, for which he won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead.

M. Emmet Walsh
Walsh at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival
Born
Michael Emmet Walsh

(1935-03-22)March 22, 1935
Ogdensburg, New York, U.S.
DiedMarch 19, 2024(2024-03-19) (aged 88)
St. Albans, Vermont, U.S.
Alma materClarkson University, B.A. 1958
OccupationActor
Years active1968–2024

Walsh's other numerous film appearances include Midnight Cowboy (1969), Little Big Man (1970), What's Up, Doc? (1972), Serpico (1973), The Gambler (1974), Bound for Glory (1976), Slap Shot (1977), Airport '77 (1977), Brubaker (1980), Ordinary People (1980), Reds (1981), Silkwood (1983), Fletch (1985), Back to School (1986), Raising Arizona (1987), Romeo + Juliet (1996), My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), The Iron Giant (1999), Calvary (2014), and Knives Out (2019). Over seven decades as a character actor, he credited roles in more than 220 films and television shows.[1]

Early life

Michael Emmet Walsh was born on March 22, 1935, in Ogdensburg, New York,[2] the son of Agnes Katharine (née Sullivan) and Harry Maurice Walsh Sr., who was a customs agent, as were his grandfather and brother.[3] He was of Irish descent, and was raised in rural Swanton, Vermont, where he underwent a mastoid operation at age 3, which left Walsh deaf in his left ear.[4]

He graduated from Clarkson University in 1958 (B.A., Business Administration), and in 1998, the Clarkson Alumni Association presented Walsh with the Golden Knight Award.[5] At Clarkson, Walsh had also dabbled in stage productions, and soon after being encouraged by a faculty advisor, he moved to New York City to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He went on to perform in regional theater for the next decade before making his Broadway debut in 1969, with Al Pacino, in Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?.[4]

Career

According to his manager, Sandy Joseph, "Walsh's tremendous body of work includes 119 feature films and more than 250 television productions."[6] Being partially deaf in one ear and with an accent harkening from Vermont made it clear to Walsh: "I wasn't going to do Shaw and Shakespeare and Molière — my speech was simply too bad."[4] His persona was a "mesmerising everyman and an indelible gargoyle" who featured "poached-egg eyes."[1]

Walsh specialized in playing villains who were blissfully oblivious to their villainy.[7] He brought a "delightfully menacing presence" to his characters.[8] He was a no-nonsense worker bee in the film industry. Walsh characterized himself as approaching "each job thinking it might be my last, so it better be the best work possible. I want to be remembered as a working actor. I'm being paid for what I'd do for nothing."[2]

Walsh spent years honing his craft in movie bit parts and on stage. After appearances in the films Midnight Cowboy (1969),[1] Alice's Restaurant (1969),[1][2] Little Big Man (1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), They Might Be Giants (1971),[2] What's Up, Doc? (1972),[2] Serpico (1973),[2] The Gambler (1974), Bound for Glory (1976), and Airport '77 (1977),[7] Walsh came to prominence in the iconic 1977 hockey comedy film Slap Shot, in which he played the cynical small town sportswriter Dickie Dunn,[1][2][9] and the 1978 crime film Straight Time, in which he played a vicious parole officer opposite Dustin Hoffman.[1][2] USA Today film critic Mike Clark wrote that the film character who was "a cesspool in a flowered shirt" was typically Walsh.[10][11] He also had a small but memorable role as a crazed sniper in the Steve Martin comedy The Jerk (1979),[1][2] followed by roles in the drama films Brubaker (1980),[2] Ordinary People (1980),[2] and Reds (1981).[12][13]

Bigger roles

One of his best-known roles was Captain Harry Bryant in Ridley Scott's cult film Blade Runner (1982).[1][14] He characterized Blade Runner as being especially difficult and tiresome to make, given director Ridley Scott's insistence on perfection. As a hard-bitten police commander, Walsh's character brings Deckard (Harrison Ford) out of retirement to "retire" cyborgs,[15] telling Deckard, "I need your magic."[7] Walsh allowed that he was completely confused as Blade Runner was filmed, and did not have any idea where it was going.[14][7]

In 1983, Walsh appeared in Mike Nichols' biographical film Silkwood. In 1984, he was cast as a crooked Texas private eye in the film noir Blood Simple, which was the Coen brothers' first film[1] and resulted in Walsh winning the first Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead.[16] Pauline Kael, a film critic for The New Yorker, praised Walsh's portrayal in her film review, stating "his broad buffoonery helps to ground the picture, to keep it jaundiced and low-down."[17] He then reteamed with the Coen brothers for Raising Arizona as a memorable "yakking machine shop worker".[7]

Other prominent film roles include a prostate examining doctor in the Chevy Chase film Fletch (1985),[1][16] a college diving coach in the Rodney Dangerfield film Back to School (1986), a police chief in the horror film Critters (1986), the apothecary in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (1996),[1] father of the groom in the romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding (1997),[1] the voice of Earl Stutz in animated film The Iron Giant (1999),[1] the adventure film Snow Dogs (2002), and the Christmas comedy film Christmas with the Kranks (2004), where he played one of the Kranks' neighbors.[1] In 1992, he appeared as a powerful U.S. Senator in David Winning's Killer Image. He later appeared as a writer in the Irish comedy-drama film Calvary (2014),[1][18] and a security guard in the mystery film Knives Out (2019).[1][6]

Television and stage

Walsh (top left) as Alex Lembeck on The Sandy Duncan Show in 1972

On television, Walsh appeared as Alex Lembeck, a motorcycle cop who appointed himself as Sandy Stockton's chaperone and protector on The Sandy Duncan Show in 1972.[19] He appeared in an episode of the NBC drama series Gibbsville in 1976 and Little House on the Prairie in 1981.[18] Walsh also made occasional guest appearances on Home Improvement as Tim Taylor's father-in-law in 1994. Other appearances included Early Edition, The X-Files, Ed, and Frasier.[1] He also appeared as Dr. Joseph Krofft, a medical examiner with a grudge against Andy Sipowicz, on an episode of NYPD Blue.[20] Later appearances included the series Sneaky Pete,[21] and The Righteous Gemstones.[3]

On stage, in 2004, Walsh appeared in the London production of Sam Shepard's Buried Child.[4]

Legacy and accolades

Critic Nicolas Rapold called Walsh "a consummate old pro of the second-banana business", while Roger Ebert hailed him as "the poet of sleaze".[4] Ebert also fabricated his "Stanton-Walsh Rule": "No movie featuring either Harry Dean Stanton or M. Emmet Walsh in a supporting role can be altogether bad."[1] Walsh was "ham-faced, heavyset" and "often played good old boys with bad intentions".[22]

In 2018, Walsh was inducted into the Character Actor Hall of Fame by his Blade Runner co-star Harrison Ford. Later in the same ceremony he received the Chairman's Lifetime Achievement award.[4]

Walsh had a reputation for generosity and wry wit. He habitually distributed two-dollar bills to the set's crew, with some advice: "Don't spend it, and you'll never be broke."[11]

Death

Walsh died of cardiac arrest at Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans, Vermont, on March 19, 2024, at the age of 88.[2][6][7]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesReferences
1969Alice's RestaurantGroup W Sergeant[1][23][2]
Midnight CowboyBus PassengerUncredited[1]
StilettoUnknown[24]
1970End of the RoadCrab Man / Tutu Man[18]
The Traveling ExecutionerWarden Brodski[18]
Little Big ManShotgun Guard[25][2]
1971Cold TurkeyArt[26]
Escape from the Planet of the ApesAide to General Winthrop[18][2]
They Might Be Giants1st Sanitation Man[1][2]
1972What's Up, Doc?Arresting Officer[2][18]
Get to Know Your RabbitMr. Wendel[21]
1973Kid BlueBarber[21]
SerpicoChief Gallagher[18][2]
1974The GamblerLas Vegas Gambler[18]
1975At Long Last LoveHarold[18]
Crime ClubLieutenant Jack Doyle[18]
The Prisoner of Second AvenueJoe[27]
1976Bound for GloryHusband[28]
NickelodeonFather Logan[18]
The Invasion of Johnson CountyIrvine[18]
Mikey and NickyBus Driver[29]
1977Slap ShotDickie Dunn[1][2][9][18]
Airport '77Dr. Williams[18]
1978Straight TimeEarl Frank[1][2][18]
1979The Fish That Saved PittsburghWally Cantrell[30][31]
The JerkMadman[1][2][18]
1980BrubakerC.P. "Woody" Woodward[32]
Raise the TitanicMaster Chief Walker[18]
Ordinary PeopleCoach Salan[18][2]
1981Back RoadsArthur[18]
RedsSpeaker At Liberal Club[12][13]
1982Cannery RowMack[18]
The Escape ArtistFritz[18]
Blade RunnerCaptain Bryant[1][14][18]
Fast-WalkingSergeant Sanger[33]
1983SilkwoodWalt Yarborough[18]
1984Raw CourageColonel Crouse[18][34]
Missing in ActionJack "Tuck" Tucker[18]
Grandview, U.S.A.Mr. Clark[35]
Blood SimplePrivate Detective[1][18]
The Pope of Greenwich VillageBurns[18]
ScandalousSimon Reynolds[18]
1985FletchDr. Joseph Dolan[1][18]
1986WildcatsWalt Coes[18]
CrittersHarvey "Harv"[1][18]
The Best of TimesCharlie[18]
Back to SchoolCoach Turnbull[36]
1987Harry and the HendersonsGeorge Henderson Sr.[1]
No Man's LandCaptain Haun[18]
Raising ArizonaMachine Shop Ear-Bender[1][18]
1988The Milagro Beanfield WarGovernor[18]
Clean and SoberRichard Dirk[1][18]
SunsetChief Marvin Dibner[18]
War PartyColin Ditwelier[18]
Red ScorpionDewey Ferguson[18]
1989The Mighty QuinnCIA Agent Fred Miller[18]
Catch Me If You CanJohnny Phatmun[18]
ChattahoocheeMorris[18]
Sundown: The Vampire in RetreatMort[18]
ThundergroundWedge[37]
1990Narrow MarginSergeant Dominick Benti[18]
1992The Naked TruthGarcia/Gesundheim[38]
Killer ImageJohn Kane[18]
White SandsBert Gibson[18][39]
EquinoxPete Petosa[18]
Four Eyes and Six GunsMayor Thornbush[40]
1993Bitter HarvestSheriff Bob[18]
The Music of ChanceCalvin Murks[18]
Wilder NapalmFire Chief[18]
1994Dead BadgeSergeant Miller Hoskins[18]
Relative FearEarl Ladelle[18]
Camp NowhereT.R. Polk[41]
The Glass ShieldHal[18]
Cops & RobbersonsUnknownUncredited[42]
1995Criminal HeartsMartin[18]
Free Willy 2: The Adventure HomeWilcox[18]
PantherDorsett[18]
1996Portraits of a KillerRaymond Garrison[43]
Albino AlligatorDino[18]
A Time to KillDr. Willard Tyrell BassUncredited[18]
William Shakespeare's Romeo + JulietApothecary[1]
1997The Killing JarSheriff Foley[18]
RetroactiveSam[18]
My Best Friend's WeddingJoe O'Neal[1][18]
1998Chairman of the BoardFreemont[18]
TwilightLester Ivar[18]
Erasable YouRalph Worth[18]
Nightmare in Big Sky CountryUS Marshal Phillips[18]
1999Wild Wild WestTrain Engineer Coleman[18]
The Iron GiantEarl StutzVoice[18][44]
Random HeartsBillyUncredited[45]
Me and WillDean[18]
Jack of HeartsCommissioner Menlo Boyce[18]
2000Poor White TrashJudge Pike[18]
2001Eyeball EddieCoach CookShort film[18]
Christmas in the CloudsStu O'Malley[18]
2002Snow DogsGeorge[18]
2003BaggageSandy Westphall[46]
2004Christmas with the KranksWalt Scheel[18]
2005Greener MountainMuggs[18]
Racing StripesWoodzie[18]
2007Man in the ChairMickey Hopkins[18]
Big StanLew Popper[18]
2008Sherman's WayHoyt[18]
Your Name HereKroger[18]
Haunted EchoesNeil[18]
2009Don McKaySamuel[18]
Sam Steele and the Jr. Detective AgencyChief Van Owen[18]
Youth in RevoltMr. Saunders[47]
2010Chasing 3000Chuck Ireland[18]
2012The Odd Life of Timothy GreenUncle Bub[48]
Arthur NewmanZazek[49]
Love Sick LoveEd[18]
2014CalvaryOld Man[1][18]
2015Boiling PotDean Marison[18]
The Scorpion King 4: Quest for PowerGorak[50]
2018Shifting GearsHank[18]
Change in the AirWalter Lemke[18]
2019Raising BuchananLarry Kiesling[18]
Faith, Hope & LoveMr. John[18]
Knives OutMr. Proofroc[1]
South of BixGrandpaShort film[18]
2020The MimicThe Director[18]
2022A Little White LieProfessor Arthur Baldwin[39]
Dotty & SoulHarold Eichelbaum[18]
The Immaculate RoomHarry Frith[51]
2024Outlaw PosseCatfish[1][18]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesReferences
1968The DoctorsJason RandallSoap opera
1969N.Y.P.D.FreibischEpisode: "Who's Got the Bundle?"
1970ArnieCliffEpisode: "To Buy or Not to Buy?"
1971JuliaGus Anderson2 episodes[52]
All in the FamilyBilly HartfieldEpisode: "The Saga of Cousin Oscar"[2]
The Jimmy Stewart ShowLionel AtkinsEpisode: "Another Day, Another Scholar"[53]
IronsideTelegraph ClerkEpisode: "Dear Fran..."[2][21]
BonanzaMatthesonEpisode: "Warbonnet"[2][21]
1971–1972NicholsGabe McCutcheon5 episodes[54]
1972The Don Rickles ShowArthur KingstonEpisode #1.4[55]
The Bob Newhart ShowJack HooverEpisode: "P-I-L-O-T"[2][18]
The Sandy Duncan ShowAlex Lembeck11 episodes[19]
1974McMillan & WifeOfficer AmesEpisode: "Buried Alive"[2]
Amy PrentissTomEpisode: "Baptism of Fire"[56]
1975The Rockford FilesEdgar BurchEpisode: "Counter Gambit"[2][21]
Sarah T. – Portrait of a Teenage AlcoholicMr. PetersonTelevision film[18]
The WaltonsDavid FletcherEpisode: "The Venture"[2][21]
1976GibbsvilleYostieEpisode: "Afternoon Waltz"[18]
1976–1978Starsky and HutchFreddie / Lloyd Herman Eckworth2 episodes[1][2]
1977Mary Hartman, Mary HartmanOfficer Malloy[2]
Red AlertSheriff SweeneyTelevision film[18]
1978SuperdomeWhitley[18]
James at 15Coach FedersonEpisode: "Queen of the Silver Dollar"[2][57]
1979Dear DetectiveCaptain GorceyEpisode: "Pilot"[58]
No Other LoveDeFrancoTelevision film[59]
The GiftCommander[60]
1980City in FearSheldon Lewis[18]
SkagMoranEpisode: "Pilot"[61]
High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will KaneHarold PattonTelevision film[18]
1981East of EdenSheriff Horace Quinn3 episodes[62]
Little House on the PrairieCallahanEpisode: "Chicago"[18]
1983ABC Afterschool SpecialJoe LempkeEpisode: "The Woman Who Willed a Miracle"[63]
Night PartnersJoe KirbyTelevision film[18]
1984The OutlawsWarden MacDonaldTelevision film[64]
1985ABC Weekend SpecialRoccoEpisode: "The Adventures of Con Sawyer and Hucklemary Finn"[65]
The Twilight ZonePeterEpisode: "Dealer's Choice"[66]
1986The HitchhikerDetective UnderhillEpisode: "Ghostwriter"[67]
The Right of the PeopleMayorTelevision film[68]
Resting PlaceSergeant[69]
The Disney Sunday MovieGeneral PresserEpisode: "Hero in the Family"[70]
The Deliberate StrangerDetective Sam DaviesTelevision film[71]
Amazing StoriesGrandpaEpisode: "Magic Saturday"[72]
1987Broken VowsDetective MulliganTelevision film[73][74]
The Abduction of Kari SwensonDon Nichols[18]
Murder OrdainedVern HumphreyMiniseries[18]
1989Brotherhood of the RoseHardy2 episodes[18]
UnsubNed Platt8 episodes[75]
Tales from the CryptJonasEpisode: "Collection Completed"[21][76]
1990True BetrayalClyde WilsonTelevision film[18]
The Civil WarVarious rolesVoice, 9 episodes[2]
The FlashHenry Allen2 episodes[18]
1991Deadly IdentityHarryTelevision film[18]
SilverfoxCharles Blankenship[77]
1992Wild CardMose[78][79]
1993The Jackie Thomas ShowArlen ThomasEpisode: "Aloha, Io-wahu"[80]
1994Home ImprovementColonel Fred Patterson2 episodes[1]
Probable CauseSadlerTelevision film[21]
1995From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. FrankweilerMorris[81]
1996The Outer LimitsSanford ValléEpisode: "The Refuge"[18]
Early EditionSanta ClausEpisode: "Christmas"[82][83]
1998Tracey Takes On...Jimmy DuffEpisode: "Sports"[2]
Men in WhiteStanley SnyderTelevision film[84]
1999The X-FilesArthur DalesEpisode: "The Unnatural"[18]
The Wild ThornberrysGemsbok #1Voice, episode: "Rain Dance"[44][2]
Monster!LloydTelevision film[18]
1999–2001Big Guy and Rusty the Boy RobotMackVoice, 26 episodes[2][21]
2000NYPD BlueJoe KroftEpisode: "Roll Out the Barrel"[18]
Gideon's CrossingDr. George MatthewsEpisode: "A Routine Case"[18]
2001Night VisionsGusEpisode: "Reunion"[85][86]
The Mind of the Married ManRandall Evans5 episodes[87]
FrasierRich KoechnerEpisode: "Bully for Martin"[1]
2002What's New, Scooby-Doo?JebVoice, episode: "Scooby-Doo Christmas"[21][88]
2003Charlie LawrenceCubbyEpisode: "New Kid in School"[89][90]
Tracey Ullman in the Trailer TalesWally WestlandTelevision special[91]
The GuardianEzra PenceEpisode: "Big Coal"[92]
2010'Til DeathUncle RudolphEpisode: "Let's Go"[93][21]
2010–2013Pound PuppiesOlafVoice, 46 episodes[44]
2012Army WivesBernie WallacheckEpisode: "Battle Scars"[18]
DamagesLyle Hewes3 episodes[94]
2012–2015Adventure TimeCosmic OwlVoice, 4 episodes[1][44][2]
2014Tim and Eric's Bedtime StoriesDetectiveEpisode: "Toes"[95]
2019Sneaky Pete"Tex" Hopkins7 episodes[21]
2019–2022The Righteous GemstonesGrandaddy Roy Gemstone2 episodes[1]
2022American GigoloColemanEpisode: "Sunday Girl"[4]

References

External links

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