Person

M. Emmet Walsh

Acting · 1935–2024 · Ogdensburg, New York, USA

Biography

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 The Jerk (1979), Ordinary People (1980), Blade Runner (1982), Wild Wild West (1999), and The Iron Giant (1999). His final films included Knives Out (2019) and Brothers (2024).

Known for

Filmography

2025Green and GoldScotty
2024BrothersJudge Farful
2024Outlaw PosseCatfish
2023Dotty and SoulHarold Eichelbaum
2023A Little White LieArthur Baldwin
2022American GigoloColeman
2022The Immaculate RoomKate's Father
2021The MimicThe Director
2019Knives OutMr. Proofroc
2019The Righteous GemstonesRoy Gemstone
2019South of BixGrandpa
2019Raising BuchananLarry Kiesling
2019Faith, Hope & LoveFr. John
2019Sorry, Not SorryHarry's Father
2018Change in the AirWalter Lemke
2018TotoToto
2018Shifting GearsHank
2015Boiling PotDean Marison
2015Sneaky PeteTex Hopkins
2015The Scorpion King 4: Quest for PowerGorak
2015EmpireHarold Blakeley
2014Tim and Eric's Bedtime StoriesDetective
2014CalvaryThe Writer
2012Love Sick LoveEd
2012Arthur NewmanZazek
2012The Odd Life of Timothy GreenUncle Bub
2011Sam Steele and the Junior Detective AgencyChief Van Owen
2010Pound PuppiesOlaf (voice)
2010Chasing 3000Chuck Ireland
2010The AssignmentMr. Beudreaux
2010Adventure TimeCosmic Owl (voice)
2009Youth in RevoltMr. Saunders
2009Don McKaySamuel
2008Haunted EchoesNeil
2008Your Name HereKroger
2008A True CharacterSelf
2007Dangerous Days: Making Blade RunnerSelf
2007Big StanLew Popper
2007DamagesLyle Hewes
2007Army WivesBernie Wallacheck
2007Man in the ChairMickey Hopkins
2006'Til DeathUncle Rudolph
2005Greener MountainsMuggs
2005Racing StripesWoodzie
2004Christmas with the KranksWalt Scheel
2003Tracey Ullman in the Trailer TalesWally Westland
2003Charlie LawrenceCubby
2003BaggageSandy Westphall
2002What's New, Scooby-Doo?Jeb (voice)
2002Snow DogsGeorge
2001The GuardianEzra Pence
2001Night VisionsGus (segment "Reunion")
2001Eyeball EddieCoach Cook
2001Christmas in the CloudsStu O'Malley
2000Poor White TrashJudge Pike
2000Jack of HeartsComissioner Menlo Boyce
2000EdMayor Wally Kendricks
2000On the Edge of 'Blade Runner'Self
1999Random HeartsBilly (uncredited)
1999The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy RobotMack (voice)
1999Monster!Lloyd Reeves
1999The Iron GiantEarl Stutz (voice)
1999Me and WillDean
1999Wild Wild WestColeman
1998The Wild ThornberrysGemsbok #1 (voice)
1998Nightmare in Big Sky CountryMarshal Jim Phillips
1998Men in WhiteStanley
1998Erasable YouRalph Worth
1998Chairman of the BoardFreemont
1998TwilightLester Ivar
1997My Best Friend's WeddingJoe O'Neal
1997The Killing JarSheriff Foley
1997RetroactiveSam
1997Albino AlligatorDino
1996Romeo + JulietApothecary
1996The LotteryChief Davis
1996Early EditionSanta
1996The WestSelf (voice)
1996A Time to KillWillard Tyrell Bass (uncredited)
1996Portraits of a KillerRaymond Garrison
1996Criminal HeartsMartin
1996Tracey Takes On...
1995Free Willy 2: The Adventure HomeBill Wilcox
1995From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. FrankweilerMorris
1995PantherDorsett
1995Dead BadgeSergeant Miller Hoskins
1995The Outer LimitsSanford Vallé
1994Relative FearEarl Ladelle
1994Probable CauseSadler
1994Baseball(voice)
1994The Glass ShieldDet. Jesse Hall
1994Camp NowhereT.R. Polk
1994Cops & RobbersonsCaptain Ted Corbett (uncredited)
1994Madness of MethodRudolph Thorndyke
1993Bitter HarvestSheriff Bob
1993NYPD BlueJoe Kroft
1993FrasierRich Koechner
1993The X-FilesArthur Dales
1993Wilder NapalmFire Chief
1993The Music of ChanceCalvin Murks
1992Four Eyes and Six-GunsMayor Thornbush
1992The Naked TruthGarcia / Gesundheim
1992EquinoxPete Petosa
1992Wild CardMose
1992White SandsBert Gibson
1992Killer ImageJohn Kane
1991Sundown: The Vampire in RetreatMort
1991Home ImprovementColonel
1991SilverfoxCharles Blankenship
1991Fourth StoryHarry
1990The FlashHenry Allen
1990The Civil WarVarious (voice)
1990Narrow MarginSergeant Dominick Benti
1990The FlashHenry Allen
1990ChattahoocheeMorris
1990Love and LiesClyde Wilson
1989Catch Me... If You CanJohnny Phatmun
1989ThundergroundWedge
1989Tales from the CryptJonas
1989The Mighty QuinnFred Miller
1989UnsubNed Platt
1989Brotherhood of the RoseHardy
1988Red ScorpionDewey Ferguson
1988War PartyColin Ditweiler
1988Clean and SoberRichard Dirks
1988SunsetChief Marvin Dibner
1988The Milagro Beanfield WarGovernor
1987No Man's LandCaptain Haun
1987Harry and the HendersonsGeorge Henderson Sr.
1987Murder OrdainedVern Humphrey
1987Murder OrdainedVern Humphrey
1987Raising ArizonaMachine Shop Ear-Bender
1987The Abduction of Kari SwensonDon Nichols
1987Broken VowsDetective Mulligan
1986Hero in the FamilyGeneral Presser
1986Back to SchoolCoach Turnbull
1986The Deliberate StrangerDet. Sam Davies
1986The Deliberate StrangerDet. Sam Davies
1986Resting PlaceSarge
1986CrittersHarv
1986WildcatsWalt Coes
1986The Best of TimesCharlie
1986The Right of the PeopleSindaco
1985Amazing StoriesGrandpa
1985The Twilight ZonePeter (segment "Dealer's Choice")
1985The Adventures of Con Sawyer and Hucklemary FinnRocco
1985FletchDr. Joseph Dolan
1985Blood SimplePrivate Detective
1984Missing in ActionTuck
1984CourageColonel Crouse
1984Grandview, U.S.A.Mr. Clark
1984The OutlawsWarden MacDonald
1984The Pope of Greenwich VillageBurns
1984ScandalousSimon Reynolds
1983SilkwoodWalt Yarborough
1983The HitchhikerDetective Underhill
1983Night PartnersJoe Kirby
1983AfterMASHReverend Horn
1983The Woman Who Willed a MiracleJoe Lemke
1982Blade RunnerBryant
1982The Escape ArtistFritz
1982Fast-WalkingSergeant Sanger
1982Cannery RowMack
1981RedsSpeaker at Liberal Club
1981Back RoadsArthur
1981Hellinger's LawMr. Graebner
1981East of EdenSheriff Horace Quinn
1980High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will KaneHarold Patton
1980Ordinary PeopleSwim Coach
1980Raise the TitanicMaster Chief Vinnie Walker
1980BrubakerC.P. Woodward
1980City in FearSheldon Lewis
1980SkagMoran
1979The GiftLegion Commander
1979The JerkMadman
1979The French Atlantic AffairHarry
1979The Fish That Saved PittsburghWally Cantrell
1979Dear DetectiveCapt. Gorcey
1979No Other LoveDeFranco
1978Straight TimeEarl Frank
1978A Question of GuiltInspector McCartney
1978SuperdomeWhitley
1977Red AlertSheriff Sweeney
1977Airport '77Dr. Williams
1977Slap ShotDickie Dunn
1976Nickelodeon"Father" Logan
1976Mikey and NickyBus Driver
1976Bound for GloryHusband
1976GibbsvilleYostie
1976The Invasion of Johnson CountyIrvine
1975Starsky & HutchFreddie
1975Crime ClubJack Doyle
1975The Prisoner of Second AvenueDoorman
1975At Long Last LoveHarold
1975Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage AlcoholicMr. Peterson
1975Baretta
1974The GamblerLas Vegas Gambler
1974The Rockford FilesEdgar Burch
1974Little House on the PrairieCallahan
1973SerpicoGallagher
1973Kid BlueBarber
1972The Sandy Duncan Show
1972The Bob Newhart ShowJack Hoover
1972The WaltonsDavid Fletcher
1972Get to Know Your RabbitMr. Wendel
1972What's Up, Doc?Arresting Officer
1971McMillan & WifeOfficer Ames
1971NicholsGabe McCutcheon
1971They Might Be Giants1st Sanitation Man
1971Escape from the Planet of the ApesAide
1971Cold TurkeyArt
1971All in the FamilyBilly Hartfield
1970Little Big ManShotgun Guard
1970The Traveling ExecutionerWarden Brodski
1970Arnie
1970End of the RoadCrab Man / Tutu Man
1969Alice's RestaurantGroup W Sergeant
1969StilettoRacing Partner (uncredited)
1969Midnight CowboyBus Passenger (uncredited)
1967IronsideTelegraph Clerk
1959BonanzaMattheson
1954The Wonderful World of DisneyGeneral Presser
1951Hallmark Hall of FameSarge

Follow their work on Vescene

Rate films and shows on two axes — quality and fun — and share taste with friends.