Michael Emmet Walsh (March 22, 1935 - March 19, 2024) was an American character actor who has appeared in over 200 films and television series, including supporting roles in dozens of major studio features of the 1970s and 1980s. He starred in Blood Simple (1984), the Coen Brothers' first film for which he won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead. He also appeared in Carl Reiner's comedy The Jerk (1979), Robert Redford's drama Ordinary People (1980), Ridley Scott's science fiction film Blade Runner (1982), Barry Sonnenfeld's steampunk western Wild Wild West (1999) and Brad Bird's animated film The Iron Giant (1999).
Known For
Blade Runner
(1982)
Bryant
Knives Out
(2019)
Mr. Proofroc
Silkwood
(1983)
Walt Yarborough
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
(1971)
Aide
The Iron Giant
(1999)
Earl Stutz (voice)
Big Stan
(2007)
Lew Popper
Romeo + Juliet
(1996)
Apothecary
Critters
(1986)
Harv
A Time to Kill
(1996)
Willard Tyrell Bass (uncredited)
Midnight Cowboy
(1969)
Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Random Hearts
(1999)
Billy (uncredited)
Snow Dogs
(2002)
George
Wild Wild West
(1999)
Coleman
Serpico
(1973)
Gallagher
Racing Stripes
(2005)
Woodzie
Christmas with the Kranks
(2004)
Walt Scheel
Full Filmography
Acting
Alice's Restaurant
(1969)
Group W Sergeant
Midnight Cowboy
(1969)
Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Stiletto
(1969)
Racing Partner (uncredited)
The Traveling Executioner
(1970)
Warden Brodski
Little Big Man
(1970)
Shotgun Guard
End of the Road
(1970)
Crab Man / Tutu Man
They Might Be Giants
(1971)
1st Sanitation Man
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
(1971)
Aide
Cold Turkey
(1971)
Art
What's Up, Doc?
(1972)
Arresting Officer
Get to Know Your Rabbit
(1972)
Mr. Wendel
Serpico
(1973)
Gallagher
Kid Blue
(1973)
Barber
The Gambler
(1974)
Las Vegas gambler
The Prisoner of Second Avenue
(1975)
Doorman
Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic
(1975)
Mr. Peterson
Crime Club
(1975)
Jack Doyle
At Long Last Love
(1975)
Harold
Mikey and Nicky
(1976)
Bus Driver
The Invasion of Johnson County
(1976)
Irvine
Bound for Glory
(1976)
Husband
Nickelodeon
(1976)
"Father" Logan
Slap Shot
(1977)
Dickie Dunn
Red Alert
(1977)
Sheriff Sweeney
Airport '77
(1977)
Dr. Williams
Straight Time
(1978)
Earl Frank
A Question of Guilt
(1978)
Inspector McCartney
Superdome
(1978)
Whitley
The Jerk
(1979)
Madman
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
(1979)
Wally Cantrell
The Gift
(1979)
Legion Commander
Dear Detective
(1979)
Capt. Gorcey
No Other Love
(1979)
DeFranco
Brubaker
(1980)
C.P. Woodward
Raise the Titanic
(1980)
Master Chief Vinnie Walker
Ordinary People
(1980)
Swim Coach
City in Fear
(1980)
Sheldon Lewis
High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane
(1980)
Harold Patton
Skag
(1980)
Moran
Back Roads
(1981)
Arthur
Reds
(1981)
Speaker at Liberal Club
Hellinger's Law
(1981)
Mr. Graebner
Blade Runner
(1982)
Bryant
Cannery Row
(1982)
Mack
Fast-Walking
(1982)
Sergeant Sanger
The Escape Artist
(1982)
Fritz
Silkwood
(1983)
Walt Yarborough
The Woman Who Willed a Miracle
(1983)
Joe Lemke
Night Partners
(1983)
Joe Kirby
Missing in Action
(1984)
Tuck
Grandview, U.S.A.
(1984)
Mr. Clark
Scandalous
(1984)
Simon Reynolds
The Pope of Greenwich Village
(1984)
Burns
Courage
(1984)
Colonel Crouse
The Outlaws
(1984)
Warden MacDonald
Blood Simple
(1985)
Loren Visser
Fletch
(1985)
Dr. Joseph Dolan
Critters
(1986)
Harv
The Best of Times
(1986)
Charlie
Back to School
(1986)
Coach Turnbull
The Deliberate Stranger
(1986)
Det. Sam Davies
Wildcats
(1986)
Walt Coes
The Right of the People
(1986)
Sindaco
Resting Place
(1986)
Sarge
Harry and the Hendersons
(1987)
George Henderson Sr.
No Man's Land
(1987)
Captain Haun
Broken Vows
(1987)
Detective Mulligan
Abduction
(1987)
Don Nichols
Murder Ordained
(1987)
Vern Humphrey
Raising Arizona
(1987)
Machine Shop Ear-Bender
Red Scorpion
(1988)
Dewey Ferguson
Sunset
(1988)
Chief Marvin Dibner
Clean and Sober
(1988)
Richard Dirks
The Milagro Beanfield War
(1988)
Governor
War Party
(1988)
Colin Ditweiler
Catch Me If You Can
(1989)
Johnny Phatmun
Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat
(1989)
Mort
Thunderground
(1989)
Wedge
The Mighty Quinn
(1989)
Fred Miller
Narrow Margin
(1990)
Sergeant Dominick Benti
Chattahoochee
(1990)
Morris
Love and Lies
(1990)
Clyde Wilson
The Flash
(1990)
Henry Allen
The Flash
(1990)
Henry Allen
Fourth Story
(1991)
Harry
Killer Image
(1992)
John Kane
White Sands
(1992)
Bert Gibson
The Naked Truth
(1992)
Garcia / Gesundheim
Four Eyes and Six-Guns
(1992)
Wild Card
(1992)
Mose
Equinox
(1992)
Pete Petosa
The Music of Chance
(1993)
Calvin Murks
Bitter Harvest
(1993)
Sheriff Bob
Wilder Napalm
(1993)
Fire Chief
Camp Nowhere
(1994)
T.R. Polk
The Glass Shield
(1994)
Det. Jesse Hall
Cops & Robbersons
(1994)
Captain Ted Corbett (uncredited)
Probable Cause
(1994)
Sadler
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
(1995)
Morris
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
(1995)
Bill Wilcox
Relative Fear
(1995)
Earl Ladelle
Panther
(1995)
Dorsett
Dead Badge
(1995)
Sergeant Miller Hoskins
A Time to Kill
(1996)
Willard Tyrell Bass (uncredited)
Criminal Hearts
(1996)
Martin
Albino Alligator
(1996)
Dino
Portraits of a Killer
(1996)
Raymond Garrison
The Lottery
(1996)
Chief Davis
Romeo + Juliet
(1996)
Apothecary
My Best Friend's Wedding
(1997)
Joe O'Neal
Retroactive
(1997)
Sam
The Killing Jar
(1997)
Chairman of the Board
(1998)
Freemont
Twilight
(1998)
Lester Ivar
Erasable You
(1998)
Ralph Worth
Men in White
(1998)
Stanley
Nightmare in Big Sky Country
(1998)
Marshal Jim Phillips
The Iron Giant
(1999)
Earl Stutz (voice)
Wild Wild West
(1999)
Coleman
Me and Will
(1999)
Dean
Monster!
(1999)
Lloyd Reeves
Random Hearts
(1999)
Billy (uncredited)
Poor White Trash
(2000)
Judge Pike
Jack of Hearts
(2000)
Comissioner Menlo Boyce
On the Edge of 'Blade Runner'
(2000)
Self
Christmas in the Clouds
(2001)
Stu O'Malley
Eyeball Eddie
(2001)
Coach Cook
Snow Dogs
(2002)
George
Baggage
(2003)
Sandy Westphall
Christmas with the Kranks
(2004)
Walt Scheel
Racing Stripes
(2005)
Woodzie
Greener Mountains
(2005)
Muggs
Big Stan
(2007)
Lew Popper
Man in the Chair
(2007)
Mickey Hopkins
Dangerous Days: Making 'Blade Runner'
(2007)
Self
Your Name Here
(2008)
Kroger
Haunted Echoes
(2008)
Neil
Don McKay
(2009)
Samuel
Youth in Revolt
(2009)
Mr. Saunders
The Assignment
(2010)
Mr. Beudreaux
Chasing 3000
(2010)
Chuck Ireland
Sam Steele and the Junior Detective Agency
(2011)
Chief Van Owen
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
(2012)
Uncle Bub
Love Sick Love
(2012)
Ed
Arthur Newman
(2012)
Zazek
Calvary
(2014)
The Writer
The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power
(2015)
Gorak
Boiling Pot
(2015)
Dean Marison
Change in the Air
(2018)
Walter Lemke
Shifting Gears
(2018)
Hank
Toto
(2018)
Toto
Faith, Hope & Love
(2019)
Fr. John
Knives Out
(2019)
Mr. Proofroc
Raising Buchanan
(2019)
Larry Kiesling
Sorry, Not Sorry
(2019)
Harry's Father
South of Bix
(2019)
Grandpa
The Mimic
(2021)
The Director
The Immaculate Room
(2022)
Kate's Father
A Little White Lie
(2023)
Arthur Baldwin
Outlaw Posse
(2024)
Catfish