Acting
M. Emmet Walsh
EN, NL, IT cinema · 168 credits
Born
22 March 1935
Died
19 March 2024 (aged 88)
Birthplace
Ogdensburg, New York, USA
Also known as Michael Emmet Walsh
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
Green and Gold
as Scotty
Outlaw Posse
as Catfish
Brothers
as Judge Farful
A Little White Lie
as Arthur Baldwin
Dotty and Soul
as Harold Eichelbaum
The Immaculate Room
as Kate's Father
The Mimic
as The Director
South of Bix
as Grandpa
Faith, Hope & Love
as Fr. John
Knives Out
as Mr. Proofroc
Raising Buchanan
as Larry Kiesling
Sorry, Not Sorry
as Harry's Father
Change in the Air
as Walter Lemke
Shifting Gears
as Hank
Toto
as Toto
Boiling Pot
as Dean Marison
Calvary
as The Writer
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
as Uncle Bub
Arthur Newman
as Zazek
Sam Steele and the Junior Detective Agency
as Chief Van Owen
The Assignment
as Mr. Beudreaux
Chasing 3000
as Chuck Ireland
Don McKay
as Samuel
Youth in Revolt
as Mr. Saunders
Your Name Here
as Kroger
Haunted Echoes
as Neil
Big Stan
as Lew Popper
Man in the Chair
as Mickey Hopkins
Racing Stripes
as Woodzie
Greener Mountains
as Muggs
Christmas with the Kranks
as Walt Scheel
Baggage
as Sandy Westphall
Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales
as Wally Westland
Snow Dogs
as George
Christmas in the Clouds
as Stu O'Malley
Eyeball Eddie
as Coach Cook
Poor White Trash
as Judge Pike
Jack of Hearts
as Comissioner Menlo Boyce
The Iron Giant
as Earl Stutz (voice)
Wild Wild West
as Coleman
Me and Will
as Dean
Random Hearts
as Billy (uncredited)
Monster!
as Lloyd Reeves
Chairman of the Board
as Freemont
Twilight
as Lester Ivar
Nightmare in Big Sky Country
as Marshal Jim Phillips
Erasable You
1998
Erasable You
as Ralph Worth
Men in White
as Stanley
My Best Friend's Wedding
as Joe O'Neal
Retroactive
as Sam
Albino Alligator
as Dino
The Killing Jar
as Sheriff Foley
A Time to Kill
as Willard Tyrell Bass (uncredited)
Criminal Hearts
as Martin
Portraits of a Killer
as Raymond Garrison
The Lottery
as Chief Davis
Romeo + Juliet
as Apothecary
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
as Bill Wilcox
Panther
as Dorsett
Dead Badge
as Sergeant Miller Hoskins
Cops & Robbersons
as Captain Ted Corbett (uncredited)
Camp Nowhere
as T.R. Polk
Probable Cause
as Sadler
Relative Fear
as Earl Ladelle
Madness of Method
1994
Madness of Method
as Rudolph Thorndyke
The Glass Shield
as Det. Jesse Hall
The Music of Chance
as Calvin Murks
Bitter Harvest
as Sheriff Bob
Wilder Napalm
as Fire Chief
White Sands
as Bert Gibson
Killer Image
as John Kane
The Naked Truth
as Garcia / Gesundheim
Four Eyes and Six-Guns
as Mayor Thornbush
Wild Card
as Mose
Equinox
as Pete Petosa
Fourth Story
as Harry
Silverfox
1991
Silverfox
as Charles Blankenship
Narrow Margin
as Sergeant Dominick Benti
The Flash
as Henry Allen
Chattahoochee
as Morris
Love and Lies
as Clyde Wilson
The Mighty Quinn
as Fred Miller
Catch Me... If You Can
as Johnny Phatmun
Thunderground
as Wedge
Red Scorpion
as Dewey Ferguson
War Party
as Colin Ditweiler
Sunset
as Chief Marvin Dibner
Clean and Sober
as Richard Dirks
The Milagro Beanfield War
as Governor
Harry and the Hendersons
as George Henderson Sr.
No Man's Land
as Captain Haun
Broken Vows
as Detective Mulligan
The Abduction of Kari Swenson
as Don Nichols
Murder Ordained
as Vern Humphrey
Raising Arizona
as Machine Shop Ear-Bender
Critters
as Harv
The Best of Times
as Charlie
Back to School
as Coach Turnbull
The Deliberate Stranger
as Det. Sam Davies
Resting Place
as Sarge
Wildcats
as Walt Coes
The Right of the People
as Sindaco
Hero in the Family
as General Presser
Blood Simple
as Private Detective
Fletch
as Dr. Joseph Dolan
The Outlaws
as Warden MacDonald
Grandview, U.S.A.
as Mr. Clark
Scandalous
as Simon Reynolds
Courage
as Colonel Crouse
Silkwood
as Walt Yarborough
The Woman Who Willed a Miracle
as Joe Lemke
Night Partners
as Joe Kirby
Cannery Row
as Mack
Fast-Walking
as Sergeant Sanger
Blade Runner
as Bryant
The Escape Artist
as Fritz
Back Roads
as Arthur
Reds
as Speaker at Liberal Club
Hellinger's Law
as Mr. Graebner
Brubaker
as C.P. Woodward
Raise the Titanic
as Master Chief Vinnie Walker
Ordinary People
as Swim Coach
City in Fear
as Sheldon Lewis
High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane
as Harold Patton
Skag
as Moran
The Jerk
as Madman
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
as Wally Cantrell
The Gift
as Legion Commander
Dear Detective
as Capt. Gorcey
No Other Love
as DeFranco
Straight Time
as Earl Frank
A Question of Guilt
as Inspector McCartney
Superdome
as Whitley
Slap Shot
as Dickie Dunn
Red Alert
as Sheriff Sweeney
Airport '77
as Dr. Williams
Nickelodeon
as "Father" Logan
Mikey and Nicky
as Bus Driver
Bound for Glory
as Husband
At Long Last Love
as Harold
Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic
as Mr. Peterson
Crime Club
as Jack Doyle
The Gambler
as Las Vegas Gambler
Serpico
as Gallagher
Kid Blue
as Barber
What's Up, Doc?
as Arresting Officer
Get to Know Your Rabbit
as Mr. Wendel
Cold Turkey
as Art
They Might Be Giants
as 1st Sanitation Man
The Traveling Executioner
as Warden Brodski
Little Big Man
as Shotgun Guard
End of the Road
as Crab Man / Tutu Man
Alice's Restaurant
as Group W Sergeant
Midnight Cowboy
as Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Stiletto
as Racing Partner (uncredited)