M. Emmet Walsh, character actor from ‘Blood Simple’ and ‘Blade Runner,’ dies at 88. M. Emmet Walsh, a famous actor known for his unique face and roles in movies like “Blood Simple” and “Blade Runner,” has passed away at 88. He died from cardiac arrest on Tuesday in a Vermont hospital.
Walsh often played characters with sinister motives, like a corrupt detective in the Coen brothers’ “Blood Simple,” a role that won him the first Film Independent Spirit Award for best male lead.
Critics and fans loved seeing Walsh on screen, with Roger Ebert once saying that any movie with him or Harry Dean Stanton in a supporting role couldn’t be bad.
He appeared in various films, such as playing a crazy sniper in “The Jerk” and a doctor in “Fletch.” In “Blade Runner,” he portrayed a tough police captain.
Although his characters often seemed Southern, Walsh was actually from Vermont, raised near the U.S.-Canadian border. He went to a small high school and then studied acting in New York City.
Walsh began acting on stage and eventually started appearing in films in 1969. His big break came with “Straight Time” in 1978, playing Dustin Hoffman’s parole officer.
In 1982, while filming “Silkwood,” he got the offer for “Blood Simple,” which became a hit. Walsh was impressed by the Coen brothers’ talent despite their limited budget.
His role in “Blood Simple” as Loren Visser, a detective with a dark side, earned him praise for his Texas drawl and memorable lines.
Walsh continued acting into his late 80s, appearing in TV shows like “The Righteous Gemstones” and films like “Knives Out.”
Director Rian Johnson praised Walsh’s professionalism and kindness, remembering how he would give crew members two-dollar bills, saying, “‘Don’t spend it and you’ll never be broke.’ Absolute legend.”
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