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