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Photo of M. Emmet Walsh

M. Emmet Walsh

Actor, Producer
Born March 22, 1935Died March 19, 2024 (88 years)
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).

Movies & Shows on Plex

  • Big Stan
  • Critters
  • Back to School
  • Wildcats
  • Bonanza
  • White Sands
  • The Best of Times
  • Arthur Newman
  • The Immaculate Room
  • Chairman of the Board
  • Raise the Titanic
  • Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat
  • Don McKay
  • Faith, Hope & Love
  • Night Visions
  • Chasing 3000
  • Change in the Air
  • Me and Will
  • Broken Vows
  • From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
  • Shifting Gears
  • Greener Mountains
  • Sam Steele and the Junior Detective Agency
  • Dotty & Soul

Known For

  • Blade Runner
  • Wild Wild West
  • Blood Simple
  • The Iron Giant
  • My Best Friend's Wedding
  • Critters
  • Youth in Revolt
  • Christmas with the Kranks
  • Ordinary People
  • Calvary
  • Missing in Action
  • Fletch
  • The Jerk
  • Big Stan
  • Snow Dogs
  • Harry and the Hendersons
  • Red Scorpion
  • The Odd Life of Timothy Green
  • Back to School
  • Racing Stripes
  • Reds
  • Brothers
  • Straight Time
  • Narrow Margin

Featured Videos

  • M. Emmet Walsh On His Character And His Relationship With Father James
    M. Emmet Walsh On His Character And His Relationship With Father JamesCalvaryBehind the Scenes
  • The Odd Life Of Timothy Green: Aunt Mel And Uncle Bub
    The Odd Life Of Timothy Green: Aunt Mel And Uncle BubThe Odd Life of Timothy GreenScene

M. Emmet Walsh Filmography

2025
Green and Gold · as Scotty
2024
Brothers · as Judge Farful
2024
Outlaw Posse · as Catfish
2023
A Little White Lie · as Arthur Baldwin
2022
Dotty & Soul · as Harold Eichelbaum
2022
American Gigolo (TV Series) · as Coleman
2022
The Immaculate Room · as Kate's Father
2020
The Mimic · as The Director
2019
Knives Out · as Mr. Proofroc
2019
The Righteous Gemstones (TV Series) · as Roy Gemstone
2019
South of Bix · as Grandpa
2019
Raising Buchanan · as Larry Kiesling
2019
2018
Change in the Air · as Walter Lemke
2018
2015
Boiling Pot · as Dean Marison
2015
Sneaky Pete (TV Series) · as Tex Hopkins
2015
Empire (2015) (TV Series) · as Harold Blakeley
2015
2014
Calvary · as The Writer
2013
Tim and Eric's Bedtime Stories (TV Series) · as Detective
2012
2012
2012
2010
Pound Puppies (2010) (TV Series) · as Olaf (voice)
2010
Chasing 3000 · as Chuck Ireland
2010
The Assignment · as Mr. Beudreaux
2010
Adventure Time (TV Series) · as Cosmic Owl
2009
2009
Youth in Revolt · as Mr. Saunders
2009
Don McKay · as Samuel
2008
Haunted Echoes · as Neil
2008
5-Second Films (TV Series) · as Soup Eating Man
2008
Your Name Here · as Kroger
2008
Sherman's Way · as Hoyt
2007
2007
Big Stan · as Lew Popper
2007
Damages (TV Series) · as Lyle Hewes
2007
Army Wives (TV Series) · as Bernie Wallacheck
2007
Man in the Chair · as Mickey Hopkins
2006
'Til Death (TV Series) · as Uncle Rudolph
2005
The X's (TV Series) · as Stanley
2005
2005
Racing Stripes · as Woodzie
2004
Christmas with the Kranks · as Walt Scheel
2003
2003
Baggage · as Sandy Westphall
2002
What's New Scooby-Doo? (TV Series) · as Jeb (voice)
2002
Snow Dogs · as George
2001
The Guardian (TV Series) · as Ezra Pence
2001
The Mind of the Married Man (TV Series) · as Randall Evans
2001
Night Visions (TV Series) · as Gus (segment "reunion")
2001
Christmas in the Clouds · as Stu O'malley
2000
Poor White Trash · as Judge Pike
2000
Gideon's Crossing (TV Series) · as Dr. Matthews
2000
Ed (TV Series) · as Mayor Wally Kendricks
2000
1999
Jack of Hearts · as Comissioner Menlo Boyce
1999
Monster! · as Lloyd Reeves
1999
Random Hearts · as Billy (uncredited)
1999
Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (TV Series) · as Mack (voice)
1999
The Iron Giant · as Earl Stutz (voice)
1999
1999
Wild Wild West · as Coleman
1998
The Wild Thornberrys (TV Series) · as Gemsbok #1 (voice)
1998
Nightmare in Big Sky Country · as Marshal Jim Phillips
1998
Men in White · as Stanley
1998
Erasable You · as Ralph Worth
1998
Twilight · as Lester Ivar
1997
1997
My Best Friend's Wedding · as Joe O'neal
1997
The Killing Jar · as Sheriff Foley
1997
Retroactive · as Sam
1996
Romeo + Juliet · as Apothecary
1996
The Lottery · as Chief Davis
1996
Early Edition (TV Series) · as Santa
1996
Albino Alligator · as Dino
1996
A Time to Kill · as Willard Tyrell Bass (uncredited)
1996
Portraits of a Killer · as Raymond Garrison
1996
Criminal Hearts · as Martin
1996
Tracey Takes On... (TV Series)
1995
1995
1995
The Way West · as Voice
1995
Panther · as Dorsett
1995
Dead Badge · as Sergeant Miller Hoskins
1995
The Outer Limits (1995) (TV Series) · as Sanford Vallé
1994
Relative Fear · as Earl Ladelle
1994
Probable Cause · as Sadler
1994
Baseball (TV Series) · as (voice)
1994
The Glass Shield · as Det. Jesse Hall
1994
Camp Nowhere · as T.r. Polk
1994
Cops and Robbersons · as Captain Ted Corbett (uncredited)
1994
Madness of Method · as Rudolph Thorndyke
1993
Bitter Harvest · as Sheriff Bob
1993
NYPD Blue (TV Series) · as Joe Kroft
1993
Frasier (TV Series) · as Rich Koechner
1993
The X-Files (TV Series) · as Arthur Dales
1993
Wilder Napalm · as Fire Chief
1993
The Music of Chance · as Calvin Murks
1992
Four Eyes and Six-Guns · as Mayor Thornbush
1992
The Jackie Thomas Show (TV Series) · as Arlen Thomas
1992
The Naked Truth · as Garcia / Gesundheim
1992
Wild Card · as Mose
1992
Equinox · as Pete Petosa
1992
White Sands · as Bert Gibson
1992
Killer Image · as John Kane
1991
Home Improvement (TV Series) · as Colonel
1991
Silverfox · as Charles Blankenship
1991
Fourth Story · as Harry
1990
The Flash · as Henry Allen
1990
The Civil War (TV Series) · as Various
1990
Narrow Margin · as Sergeant Dominick Benti
1990
The Flash (TV Series) · as Henry Allen
1990
Love and Lies · as Clyde Wilson
1989
Catch Me If You Can · as Johnny Phatmun
1989
Chattahoochee · as Morris
1989
1989
Tales from the Crypt (TV Series) · as Jonas
1989
1989
The Mighty Quinn · as Fred Miller
1989
Unsub (TV Series) · as Ned Platt
1989
Brotherhood of the Rose (TV Series) · as Hardy
1988
Red Scorpion · as Dewey Ferguson
1988
War Party · as Colin Ditweiler
1988
Clean and Sober · as Richard Dirks
1988
Sunset · as Chief Marvin Dibner
1988
1987
No Man's Land · as Captain Haun
1987
Harry and the Hendersons · as George Henderson Sr.
1987
Murder Ordained · as Vern Humphrey
1987
Murder Ordained (TV Series) · as Vern Humphrey
1987
Raising Arizona · as Machine Shop Ear-Bender
1987
1987
Broken Vows · as Detective Mulligan
1986
Vanishing America · as Earl Crockett
1986
Back to School · as Coach Turnbull
1986
The Deliberate Stranger · as Det. Sam Davies
1986
The Deliberate Stranger (TV Series) · as Det. Sam Davies
1986
Resting Place · as Sarge
1986
1986
Wildcats · as Walt Coes
1986
1986
1985
Amazing Stories (1985) (TV Series) · as Grandpa
1985
The Twilight Zone (1985) (TV Series) · as Peter (segment "dealer's Choice")
1985
Fletch · as Dr. Joseph Dolan
1984
Courage · as Colonel Crouse
1984
1984
Blood Simple · as Private Detective
1984
Grandview, U.S.A. · as Mr. Clark
1984
1984
Scandalous · as Simon Reynolds
1983
Silkwood · as Walt Yarborough
1983
The Hitchhiker (TV Series) · as Detective Underhill
1983
Night Partners · as Joe Kirby
1983
AfterMASH (TV Series) · as Reverend Horn
1982
Fast-Walking · as Sergeant Sanger
1982
Blade Runner · as Bryant
1982
The Escape Artist · as Fritz
1982
Cannery Row · as Mack
1981
Reds · as Speaker At Liberal Club
1981
Back Roads · as Arthur
1981
Hellinger's Law · as Mr. Graebner
1981
East of Eden (TV Series) · as Sheriff Horace Quinn
1980
1980
Ordinary People · as Swim Coach
1980
Raise the Titanic · as Master Chief Vinnie Walker
1980
Brubaker · as C.p. Woodward
1980
City in Fear · as Sheldon Lewis
1980
Skag (TV Series) · as Moran
1979
The Gift · as Legion Commander
1979
The Jerk · as Madman
1979
The French Atlantic Affair (TV Series) · as Harry
1979
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh · as Wally Cantrell
1979
No Other Love · as Defranco
1978
Straight Time · as Earl Frank
1978
A Question of Guilt · as Inspector Mccartney
1978
Superdome · as Whitley
1977
James at 15 (TV Series) · as Coach Federson
1977
Red Alert · as Sheriff Sweeney
1977
Airport '77 · as Dr. Williams
1977
Slap Shot · as Dickie Dunn
1977
ABC Weekend Special (TV Series) · as Rocco
1976
Mikey and Nicky · as Bus Driver
1976
Nickelodeon · as "father" Logan
1976
Bound for Glory · as Husband
1976
Gibbsville (TV Series) · as Yostie
1976
1976
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (TV Series) · as Sergeant Malloy
1975
1975
Starsky & Hutch (TV Series) · as Freddie
1975
Crime Club · as Jack Doyle
1975
At Long Last Love · as Harold
1975
1975
Baretta (TV Series)
1974
Amy Prentiss (TV Series) · as Tom
1974
The Gambler · as Las Vegas Gambler
1974
Little House on the Prairie (TV Series) · as Callahan
1974
The Rockford Files (TV Series) · as Edgar Burch
1973
Serpico · as Gallagher
1973
Kid Blue · as Barber
1972
The ABC Afterschool Special (TV Series) · as Joe Lemke
1972
1972
The Bob Newhart Show (TV Series) · as Jack Hoover
1972
The Waltons (TV Series) · as David Fletcher
1972
Get to Know Your Rabbit · as Mr. Wendel
1972
What's Up, Doc? · as Arresting Officer
1972
The Don Rickles Show (TV Series) · as Kingston
1971
The Jimmy Stewart Show (TV Series) · as Lionel Atkins
1971
McMillan and Wife (TV Series) · as Officer Ames
1971
Nichols (TV Series) · as Gabe Mccutcheon
1971
1971
They Might Be Giants · as 1st Sanitation Man
1971
Cold Turkey · as Art
1971
All in the Family (TV Series) · as Billy Hartfield
1970
Little Big Man · as Shotgun Guard
1970
The Traveling Executioner · as Warden Brodski
1970
Arnie (TV Series)
1970
End of the Road · as Crab Man / Tutu Man
1969
Alice's Restaurant · as Group W Sergeant
1969
Stiletto · as Racing Partner (uncredited)
1969
Midnight Cowboy · as Bus Passenger (uncredited)
1968
Julia (TV Series) · as Gus Anderson
1967
Ironside (TV Series) · as Telegraph Clerk
1967
N.Y.P.D. (TV Series) · as Freibisch
1963
The Doctors (TV Series) · as Jason Randall
1959
Bonanza (TV Series) · as Mattheson
1954
Disneyland (TV Series) · as General Presser
1951
Hallmark Hall Of Fame (TV Series) · as Sarge

2019
Faith, Hope & Love · as Associate Producer

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