M. Emmet Walsh
Mar 22, 1935 - Mar 19, 2024 (88 years old) in Ogdensburg, New York, USA
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
Frasier
Rich Koechner
Bonanza
Mattheson
The X-Files
Arthur Dales
Adventure Time
Cosmic Owl
Little House on the Prairie
Callahan
Sneaky Pete
Tex Hopkins
Ironside
Telegraph Clerk
The Rockford Files
Edgar Burch
NYPD Blue
Joe Kroft
Knives Out
Mr. Proofroc
Credits
-
Green and Gold 2025Scotty★ 6.8 -
Brothers 2024Judge Farful★ 6 -
Outlaw Posse 2024Catfish★ 5.3 -
Dotty and Soul 2023Harold Eichelbaum★ 3.4 -
A Little White Lie 2023Arthur Baldwin★ 5.7 -
American Gigolo 2022Coleman★ 6.8 -
The Immaculate Room 2022Kate's Father★ 5.3 -
The Mimic 2021The Director★ 4.1 -
Knives Out 2019Mr. Proofroc★ 7.8 -
Roy Gemstone★ 7.4 -
South of Bix 2019Grandpa★ NR -
Raising Buchanan 2019Larry Kiesling★ 5.7 -
Faith, Hope & Love 2019Fr. John★ 7.5 -
Sorry, Not Sorry 2019Harry's Father★ 6 -
Change in the Air 2018Walter Lemke★ 5.7 -
Toto 2018Toto★ NR -
Shifting Gears 2018Hank★ 6.5 -
Boiling Pot 2015Dean Marison★ 5.2 -
Sneaky Pete 2015Tex Hopkins★ 7.5 -
Gorak★ 5.1 -
Empire 2015Harold Blakeley★ 7.1 -
Detective★ 7.4 -
Calvary 2014The Writer★ 7.1 -
Love Sick Love 2012Ed★ 5.2 -
Arthur Newman 2012Zazek★ 5.7 -
Uncle Bub★ 7 -
Chief Van Owen★ 4.8 -
Pound Puppies 2010Olaf (voice)★ 5.2 -
Chasing 3000 2010Chuck Ireland★ 6 -
The Assignment 2010Mr. Beudreaux★ 6.5 -
Adventure Time 2010Cosmic Owl★ 8.5 -
Youth in Revolt 2009Mr. Saunders★ 6.2 -
Don McKay 2009Samuel★ 4.9 -
Haunted Echoes 2008Neil★ 4.2 -
Your Name Here 2008Kroger★ 3.3 -
A True Character 2008Self★ NR -
Self★ 7.9 -
Big Stan 2007Lew Popper★ 6.6 -
Damages 2007Lyle Hewes★ 7.5 -
Man in the Chair 2007Mickey Hopkins★ 6.4 -
Greener Mountains 2005Muggs★ 5.2 -
Racing Stripes 2005Woodzie★ 5.9 -
Walt Scheel★ 6.1 -
Wally Westland★ 7.2 -
Charlie Lawrence 2003Cubby★ 7
-
Baggage 2003Sandy Westphall★ NR -
Jeb (voice)★ 7.9 -
Snow Dogs 2002George★ 5.6 -
The Guardian 2001Ezra Pence★ 6.8 -
Night Visions 2001Gus (segment "Reunion")★ 7.2 -
Eyeball Eddie 2001Coach Cook★ 6 -
Stu O'Malley★ 6.1 -
Poor White Trash 2000Judge Pike★ 4.3 -
Jack of Hearts 2000Comissioner Menlo Boyce★ 1.5 -
Ed 2000Mayor Wally Kendricks★ 7.7 -
Self★ 7.2 -
Random Hearts 1999Billy (uncredited)★ 5.5 -
Mack (voice)★ 7.2 -
Monster! 1999Lloyd Reeves★ 4.7 -
The Iron Giant 1999Earl Stutz (voice)★ 8 -
Me and Will 1999Dean★ 5.5 -
Wild Wild West 1999Coleman★ 5.3 -
The Wild Thornberrys 1998Gemsbok #1 (voice)★ 6.9 -
Marshal Jim Phillips★ NR -
Men in White 1998Stanley★ 3.4 -
Erasable You 1998Ralph Worth★ NR
-
Freemont★ 3.6 -
Twilight 1998Lester Ivar★ 6.1 -
Joe O'Neal★ 6.6 -
The Killing Jar 1997Sheriff Foley★ 4 -
Retroactive 1997Sam★ 6.1 -
Albino Alligator 1997Dino★ 5.7 -
Romeo + Juliet 1996Apothecary★ 6.8 -
The Lottery 1996Chief Davis★ 5.4 -
Early Edition 1996Santa★ 7.3 -
The West 1996Self (voice)★ 8.4 -
A Time to Kill 1996Willard Tyrell Bass (uncredited)★ 7.4 -
Raymond Garrison★ 2.3 -
Criminal Hearts 1996Martin★ 4.8 -
Tracey Takes On... 1996★ 8.5 -
Relative Fear 1995Earl Ladelle★ 4.3 -
Bill Wilcox★ 5.9 -
Morris★ 7 -
Panther 1995Dorsett★ 6.2 -
Dead Badge 1995Sergeant Miller Hoskins★ 6.8 -
The Outer Limits 1995Sanford Vallé★ 7.7 -
Probable Cause 1994Sadler★ 4.8 -
Baseball 1994(voice)★ 7.3 -
The Glass Shield 1994Det. Jesse Hall★ 4.9 -
Camp Nowhere 1994T.R. Polk★ 5.9 -
Cops & Robbersons 1994Captain Ted Corbett (uncredited)★ 5.1 -
Madness of Method 1994Rudolph Thorndyke★ NR
-
Bitter Harvest 1993Sheriff Bob★ 4.7 -
NYPD Blue 1993Joe Kroft★ 7 -
Frasier 1993Rich Koechner★ 7.7 -
The X-Files 1993Arthur Dales★ 8.4 -
Wilder Napalm 1993Fire Chief★ 5.5 -
The Music of Chance 1993Calvin Murks★ 6.5 -
Mayor Thornbush★ 2.5 -
The Naked Truth 1992Garcia / Gesundheim★ 2.6 -
Equinox 1992Pete Petosa★ 5.6 -
Wild Card 1992Mose★ 4 -
White Sands 1992Bert Gibson★ 5.9 -
Killer Image 1992John Kane★ 4.3 -
Home Improvement 1991Colonel★ 7.4 -
Silverfox 1991Charles Blankenship★ NR
-
Fourth Story 1991Harry★ 5.6 -
The Flash 1990Henry Allen★ 6.5 -
The Civil War 1990Various★ 8 -
Narrow Margin 1990Sergeant Dominick Benti★ 6.4 -
Chattahoochee 1990Morris★ 5.7 -
Love and Lies 1990Clyde Wilson★ NR -
Johnny Phatmun★ 5.1 -
Thunderground 1989Wedge★ 2.3 -
Tales from the Crypt 1989Jonas★ 8 -
Mort★ 6.1 -
The Mighty Quinn 1989Fred Miller★ 6.1 -
Unsub 1989Ned Platt★ 7.5 -
Hardy★ 6.7 -
Red Scorpion 1988Dewey Ferguson★ 5.9 -
War Party 1988Colin Ditweiler★ 6.2 -
Clean and Sober 1988Richard Dirks★ 6.3 -
Sunset 1988Chief Marvin Dibner★ 5.7 -
Governor★ 6.4 -
No Man's Land 1987Captain Haun★ 5.9 -
George Henderson Sr.★ 6.1 -
Murder Ordained 1987Vern Humphrey★ 5 -
Raising Arizona 1987Machine Shop Ear-Bender★ 7.1 -
Abduction 1987Don Nichols★ 5.5 -
Broken Vows 1987Detective Mulligan★ 5 -
Hero in the Family 1986General Presser★ 6.1 -
Back to School 1986Coach Turnbull★ 6.3 -
Det. Sam Davies★ 6.2 -
Resting Place 1986Sarge★ 6.1 -
Critters 1986Harv★ 6.5 -
Wildcats 1986Walt Coes★ 6.3 -
The Best of Times 1986Charlie★ 5.6 -
Sindaco★ 4 -
Amazing Stories 1985Grandpa★ 7.5 -
The Twilight Zone 1985Peter (segment "Dealer's Choice")★ 7.7 -
Rocco★ NR -
Fletch 1985Dr. Joseph Dolan★ 6.7 -
Missing in Action 1984Tuck★ 5.9 -
Courage 1984Colonel Crouse★ 5.4 -
Grandview, U.S.A. 1984Mr. Clark★ 5.8 -
The Outlaws 1984Warden MacDonald★ NR -
Burns★ 6.3 -
Blood Simple 1984Private Detective★ 7.2 -
Scandalous 1984Simon Reynolds★ 2.5 -
Silkwood 1983Walt Yarborough★ 6.9 -
The Hitchhiker 1983Detective Underhill★ 6.2 -
Night Partners 1983Joe Kirby★ 7 -
AfterMASH 1983Reverend Horn★ 5.1 -
Joe Lemke★ 10 -
Blade Runner 1982Bryant★ 7.9 -
The Escape Artist 1982Fritz★ 6.2 -
Fast-Walking 1982Sergeant Sanger★ 5.9 -
Cannery Row 1982Mack★ 5.9 -
Reds 1981Speaker at Liberal Club★ 6.9 -
Back Roads 1981Arthur★ 5.5 -
Hellinger's Law 1981Mr. Graebner★ 7.5 -
East of Eden 1981Sheriff Horace Quinn★ 7.3 -
Harold Patton★ 4.2 -
Ordinary People 1980Swim Coach★ 7.5 -
Raise the Titanic 1980Master Chief Vinnie Walker★ 5.3 -
Brubaker 1980C.P. Woodward★ 7.1 -
City in Fear 1980Sheldon Lewis★ 5.1 -
Skag 1980Moran★ NR -
The Gift 1979Legion Commander★ NR -
The Jerk 1979Madman★ 6.9 -
Harry★ 7 -
Wally Cantrell★ 5.6 -
Dear Detective 1979Capt. Gorcey★ NR -
No Other Love 1979DeFranco★ 7 -
Straight Time 1978Earl Frank★ 7.1 -
A Question of Guilt 1978Inspector McCartney★ 6.2 -
Superdome 1978Whitley★ 4.1 -
Red Alert 1977Sheriff Sweeney★ 4 -
Airport '77 1977Dr. Williams★ 5.6 -
Slap Shot 1977Dickie Dunn★ 6.8 -
Nickelodeon 1976"Father" Logan★ 6.1 -
Mikey and Nicky 1976Bus Driver★ 6.9 -
Bound for Glory 1976Husband★ 6.9 -
Gibbsville 1976Yostie★ NR -
Irvine★ 6.5 -
Starsky & Hutch 1975Freddie★ 7.2 -
Crime Club 1975Jack Doyle★ NR -
Doorman★ 6.7 -
At Long Last Love 1975Harold★ 5.2 -
Mr. Peterson★ 5.3 -
Baretta 1975★ 6.4 -
The Gambler 1974Las Vegas Gambler★ 6.7 -
The Rockford Files 1974Edgar Burch★ 7.6 -
Callahan★ 7.9 -
Serpico 1973Gallagher★ 7.5 -
Kid Blue 1973Barber★ 6.9 -
★ NR
-
The Bob Newhart Show 1972Jack Hoover★ 7.5 -
The Waltons 1972David Fletcher★ 7.1 -
Mr. Wendel★ 5.1 -
What's Up, Doc? 1972Arresting Officer★ 7.4 -
McMillan & Wife 1971Officer Ames★ 6.9 -
Nichols 1971Gabe McCutcheon★ 5 -
They Might Be Giants 19711st Sanitation Man★ 7 -
Aide★ 6.4 -
Cold Turkey 1971Art★ 6.2 -
All in the Family 1971Billy Hartfield★ 7.8 -
Little Big Man 1970Shotgun Guard★ 7.5 -
Warden Brodski★ 5.9 -
Arnie 1970★ 3 -
End of the Road 1970Crab Man / Tutu Man★ 4.6 -
Alice's Restaurant 1969Group W Sergeant★ 6.3 -
Stiletto 1969Racing Partner (uncredited)★ 5 -
Midnight Cowboy 1969Bus Passenger (uncredited)★ 7.5 -
Ironside 1967Telegraph Clerk★ 6.8 -
Bonanza 1959Mattheson★ 7.5 -
General Presser★ 7.8 -
Sarge★ 8.6
Images
