M. Emmet Walsh | |
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![]() Walsh in 2007 | |
Born | Michael Emmet Walsh (1935-03-22)March 22, 1935 |
Died | March 19, 2024(2024-03-19) (aged 88) |
Resting place | Holy Cross Cemetery, Saint Albans, Vermont, US |
Alma mater | Clarkson University, B.A. 1958 |
Occupation(s) | Actor, comedian |
Years active | 1968–2024 |
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 inStraight Time (1978), the Madman inThe Jerk (1979), Captain Bryant inBlade Runner (1982), Harv inCritters (1986), and Walt Scheel inChristmas with the Kranks (2004). He starred as private detective Loren Visser inBlood Simple (1984), theCoen brothers' first film, for which he won theIndependent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead.
Walsh's other numerous film appearances includeLittle 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),Missing in Action (1984),Fletch (1985),Back to School (1986),Raising Arizona (1987),Romeo + Juliet (1996),My Best Friend's Wedding (1997),The Iron Giant (1999),Calvary (2014), andKnives Out (2019). Over five decades as acharacter actor, he credited roles in more than 220 films and television shows.[1]
Michael Emmet Walsh was born on March 22, 1935, inOgdensburg, New York,[2] the son of Agnes Katharine (née Sullivan) and Harry Maurice Walsh Sr., who was acustoms agent, as were his grandfather and brother.[3] He was ofIrish descent, and was raised in ruralSwanton, Vermont, where he underwent amastoid operation at age 3, which left Walsh deaf in his left ear.[4]
Walsh graduated fromClarkson University in 1958 (B.A., Business Administration), where he dabbled in stage productions.[5] Encouraged by a faculty advisor, he moved to New York City to study at theAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Walsh performed in regional theater in the 1960s, first as a prop man.[5] He made hisBroadway debut in 1969, withAl Pacino, inDoes a Tiger Wear a Necktie?.[4] Many years later, in 2004, Walsh appeared in the London production ofSam Shepard'sBuried Child.[4]
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 doShaw andShakespeare andMolière — 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. His first appearance in films was uncredited inMidnight Cowboy (1969),[5][1] followed byAlice'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), andAirport '77 (1977),[7] Walsh came to prominence in the iconic 1977 hockey comedy filmSlap Shot, in which he played the cynical small town sportswriter Dickie Dunn,[1][2][9] and the 1978 crime filmStraight 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 theSteve Martin comedyThe Jerk (1979),[1][2] followed by roles in the drama filmsBrubaker (1980),[2]Ordinary People (1980),[2] andReds (1981).[12][13]
One of his best-known roles was Captain Harry Bryant inRidley Scott'sscience fictioncult filmBlade Runner (1982).[1][14] He characterizedBlade Runner as being especially difficult and tiresome to make, given directorRidley 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 asBlade Runner was filmed, and did not have any idea where it was going.[14][7]
In 1983, Walsh appeared inMike Nichols' biographical filmSilkwood. In 1984, he was cast as a crooked Texas private eye in thefilm noirBlood Simple, which was theCoen brothers' first film[1] and resulted in Walsh winning the firstIndependent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead.[16]Pauline Kael praised Walsh's performance: "his broad buffoonery helps to ground the picture, to keep it jaundiced and low-down."[17] He then reteamed with the Coen brothers forRaising Arizona as a memorable "yakking machine shop worker".[7]
Other film roles include a prostate examining doctor in theChevy Chase filmFletch (1985),[1][16] a college diving coach in theRodney Dangerfield filmBack to School (1986), a police chief in the horror filmCritters (1986),John Lithgow’s father in theBigfoot comedyHarry and the Hendersons (1987),[1] theapothecary inBaz Luhrmann'sRomeo + Juliet (1996),[1] father of the groom in the romantic comedyMy Best Friend's Wedding (1997),[1] the voice of Earl Stutz in animated filmThe Iron Giant (1999),[1] the adventure filmSnow Dogs (2002), and the Christmas comedy filmChristmas with the Kranks (2004), where he played one of the Kranks' neighbors.[1] In 1992, he appeared as a US senator inDavid Winning's Canadian filmKiller Image. He later appeared as a writer in the Irish comedy-drama filmCalvary (2014),[1][18] and a security guard in the mystery filmKnives Out (2019).[1][6]
On television, in September 1971, Walsh appeared in Season 2, Episode 1 ofAll in the Family and also appeared as Alex Lembeck, a motorcycle cop who appointed himself as Sandy Stockton's chaperone and protector onThe Sandy Duncan Show in 1972.[19] He appeared in an episode of theNBC drama seriesGibbsville in 1976 andLittle House on the Prairie in 1981.[18] Walsh also made occasional guest appearances onHome Improvement as Tim Taylor's father-in-law in 1994. Other appearances includedEarly Edition,The X-Files,Ed, andFrasier.[1] He also appeared as Dr. Joseph Krofft, a medical examiner with a grudge against Andy Sipowicz, on an episode ofNYPD Blue.[20] Later appearances included the seriesSneaky Pete[21] andThe Righteous Gemstones.[3]
He was a member of theScreen Actors Guild,Actors Equity, theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, andThe Television Academy.[5]
In 1998, theClarkson Alumni Association presented Walsh with its Golden Knight Award.[5]
Critic Nicolas Rapold called Walsh "a consummate old pro of the second-banana business", while movie criticRoger Ebert hailed him as "the poet of sleaze".[4] Ebert also fabricated his "Stanton-Walsh Rule": "No movie featuring eitherHarry 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 theCharacter Actor Hall of Fame by hisBlade Runner co-starHarrison Ford. Later in the same ceremony, he received the Chairman's Lifetime Achievement Award.[4]
Walsh established the Blarney Fund Education Trust in 1979 to provide scholarships for college to needy high school graduates in the Swanton, Vermont, area.[2]
Walsh had a reputation for generosity and wry wit. He habitually distributedtwo-dollar bills to the set's crew, with some advice: "Don't spend it, and you'll never be broke."[11]
Walsh died of cardiac arrest atNorthwestern Medical Center inSt. Albans, Vermont, on March 19, 2024, three days before his 89th birthday.[2][6][7]
Year | Title | Role | Notes | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
1968 | The Doctors | Jason Randall | Soap opera | |
1969 | N.Y.P.D. | Freibisch | Episode: "Who's Got the Bundle?" | |
1970 | Arnie | Cliff | Episode: "To Buy or Not to Buy?" | |
1971 | Julia | Gus Anderson | 2 episodes | [52] |
All in the Family | Billy Hartfield | Episode: "The Saga of Cousin Oscar" | [2] | |
The Jimmy Stewart Show | Lionel Atkins | Episode: "Another Day, Another Scholar" | [53] | |
Ironside | Telegraph Clerk | Episode: "Dear Fran..." | [2][21] | |
Bonanza | Mattheson | Episode: "Warbonnet" | [2][21] | |
1971–1972 | Nichols | Gabe McCutcheon | 5 episodes | [54] |
1972 | The Don Rickles Show | Arthur Kingston | Episode #1.4 | [55] |
The Bob Newhart Show | Jack Hoover | Episode: "P-I-L-O-T" | [2][18] | |
The Sandy Duncan Show | Alex Lembeck | 11 episodes | [19] | |
1974 | McMillan & Wife | Officer Ames | Episode: "Buried Alive" | [2] |
Amy Prentiss | Tom | Episode: "Baptism of Fire" | [56] | |
1975 | The Rockford Files | Edgar Burch | Episode: "Counter Gambit" | [2][21] |
Sarah T. – Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic | Mr. Peterson | Television film | [18] | |
The Waltons | David Fletcher | Episode: "The Venture" | [2][21] | |
1976 | Gibbsville | Yostie | Episode: "Afternoon Waltz" | [18] |
1976–1978 | Starsky and Hutch | Freddie / Lloyd Herman Eckworth | 2 episodes | [1][2] |
1977 | Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman | Officer Malloy | [2] | |
Red Alert | Sheriff Sweeney | Television film | [18] | |
1978 | Superdome | Whitley | [18] | |
James at 15 | Coach Federson | Episode: "Queen of the Silver Dollar" | [2][57] | |
1979 | Dear Detective | Captain Gorcey | Episode: "Pilot" | [58] |
No Other Love | DeFranco | Television film | [59] | |
The Gift | Commander | [60] | ||
1980 | City in Fear | Sheldon Lewis | [18] | |
Skag | Moran | Episode: "Pilot" | [61] | |
High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane | Harold Patton | Television film | [18] | |
1981 | East of Eden | Sheriff Horace Quinn | 3 episodes | [62] |
Little House on the Prairie | Callahan | Episode: "Chicago" | [18] | |
1983 | ABC Afterschool Special | Joe Lempke | Episode: "The Woman Who Willed a Miracle" | [63] |
Night Partners | Joe Kirby | Television film | [18] | |
1984 | The Outlaws | Warden MacDonald | Television film | [64] |
1985 | ABC Weekend Special | Rocco | Episode: "The Adventures of Con Sawyer and Hucklemary Finn" | [65] |
The Twilight Zone | Peter | Episode: "Dealer's Choice" | [66] | |
1986 | The Hitchhiker | Detective Underhill | Episode: "Ghostwriter" | [67] |
The Right of the People | Mayor | Television film | [68] | |
Resting Place | Sergeant | [69] | ||
The Disney Sunday Movie | General Presser | Episode: "Hero in the Family" | [70] | |
The Deliberate Stranger | Detective Sam Davies | Television film | [71] | |
Amazing Stories | Grandpa | Episode: "Magic Saturday" | [72] | |
1987 | Broken Vows | Detective Mulligan | Television film | [73][74] |
The Abduction of Kari Swenson | Don Nichols | [18] | ||
Murder Ordained | Vern Humphrey | Miniseries | [18] | |
1989 | Brotherhood of the Rose | Hardy | 2 episodes | [18] |
Unsub | Ned Platt | 8 episodes | [75] | |
Tales from the Crypt | Jonas | Episode: "Collection Completed" | [21][76] | |
1990 | True Betrayal | Clyde Wilson | Television film | [18] |
The Civil War | Various roles | Voice, 9 episodes | [2] | |
The Flash | Henry Allen | 2 episodes | [18] | |
1991 | Deadly Identity | Harry | Television film | [18] |
Silverfox | Charles Blankenship | [77] | ||
1992 | Wild Card | Mose | [78][79] | |
1993 | The Jackie Thomas Show | Arlen Thomas | Episode: "Aloha, Io-wahu" | [80] |
1994 | Home Improvement | Colonel Fred Patterson | 2 episodes | [1] |
Probable Cause | Sadler | Television film | [21] | |
1995 | From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler | Morris | [81] | |
1996 | The Outer Limits | Sanford Vallé | Episode: "The Refuge" | [18] |
Early Edition | Santa Claus | Episode: "Christmas" | [82][83] | |
1998 | Tracey Takes On... | Jimmy Duff | Episode: "Sports" | [2] |
Men in White | Stanley Snyder | Television film | [84] | |
1999 | The X-Files | Arthur Dales | Episode: "The Unnatural" | [18] |
The Wild Thornberrys | Gemsbok #1 | Voice, episode: "Rain Dance" | [44][2] | |
Monster! | Lloyd | Television film | [18] | |
1999–2001 | Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot | Mack | Voice, 26 episodes | [2][21] |
2000 | NYPD Blue | Joe Kroft | Episode: "Roll Out the Barrel" | [18] |
Gideon's Crossing | Dr. George Matthews | Episode: "A Routine Case" | [18] | |
2001 | Night Visions | Gus | Episode: "Reunion" | [85][86] |
The Mind of the Married Man | Randall Evans | 5 episodes | [87] | |
Frasier | Rich Koechner | Episode: "Bully for Martin" | [1] | |
2002 | What's New, Scooby-Doo? | Jeb | Voice, episode: "Scooby-Doo Christmas" | [21][88] |
2003 | Charlie Lawrence | Cubby | Episode: "New Kid in School" | [89][90] |
Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales | Wally Westland | Television special | [91] | |
The Guardian | Ezra Pence | Episode: "Big Coal" | [92] | |
2006 | The X's | Stanley (voice) | Episode: "In-Law Enforcement" | [44] |
2010 | 'Til Death | Uncle Rudolph | Episode: "Let's Go" | [93][21] |
2010–2013 | Pound Puppies | Olaf | Voice, 46 episodes | [44] |
2012 | Army Wives | Bernie Wallacheck | Episode: "Battle Scars" | [18] |
Damages | Lyle Hewes | 3 episodes | [94] | |
2012–2015 | Adventure Time | Cosmic Owl | Voice, 4 episodes | [1][44][2] |
2014 | Tim and Eric's Bedtime Stories | Detective | Episode: "Toes" | [95] |
2019 | Sneaky Pete | "Tex" Hopkins | 7 episodes | [21] |
2019–2022 | The Righteous Gemstones | Grandaddy Roy Gemstone | 2 episodes | [1] |
2022 | American Gigolo | Coleman | Episode: "Sunday Girl" | [4] |
The Spirit Award winner, adept at comedy as well as drama, also was memorable in 'The Jerk,' 'Slap Shot,' 'Brubaker' and 'Critters.'
The unforgettable actor appeared in innumerable features including Blade Runner, Blood Simple, Knives Out, and My Best Friend's Wedding(subscription required)
M. Emmet Walsh, who played Capt. Harry Bryant, also says postproduction was held up due to a $10 bet.
Shannon gushed, "I couldn't believe I was sitting on a park bench improvising with M. Emmet Walsh."