M. Emmet Walsh
Acting
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).
Born: March 22, 1935 · Ogdensburg, New York, USA
Filmography (175)
Green and Gold
2025
Actor: Scotty
Brothers
2024
Actor: Judge Farful
Outlaw Posse
2024
Actor: Catfish
Dotty and Soul
2023
Actor: Harold Eichelbaum
A Little White Lie
2023
Actor: Arthur Baldwin
TV
American Gigolo
2022
Actor: Coleman
The Immaculate Room
2022
Actor: Kate's Father
The Mimic
2021
Actor: The Director
Knives Out
2019
Actor: Mr. Proofroc
TV
The Righteous Gemstones
2019
Actor: Roy Gemstone
Faith, Hope & Love
2019
Actor: Fr. John
Change in the Air
2018
Actor: Walter Lemke
Shifting Gears
2018
Actor: Hank
TV
Sneaky Pete
2015
Actor: Tex Hopkins
The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power
2015
Actor: Gorak
TV
Empire
2015
Actor: Harold Blakeley
TV
Tim and Eric's Bedtime Stories
2014
Actor: Detective
Calvary
2014
Actor: The Writer
Love Sick Love
2012
Actor: Ed
Arthur Newman
2012
Actor: Zazek
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
2012
Actor: Uncle Bub
TV
Pound Puppies
2010
Actor: Olaf (voice)
Chasing 3000
2010
Actor: Chuck Ireland
TV
Adventure Time
2010
Actor: Cosmic Owl (voice)
Youth in Revolt
2009
Actor: Mr. Saunders
Don McKay
2009
Actor: Samuel
Haunted Echoes
2008
Actor: Neil
Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner
2007
Actor
Big Stan
2007
Actor: Lew Popper
TV
Damages
2007
Actor: Lyle Hewes
TV
Army Wives
2007
Actor: Bernie Wallacheck
Man in the Chair
2007
Actor: Mickey Hopkins
TV
'Til Death
2006
Actor: Uncle Rudolph
Greener Mountains
2005
Actor: Muggs
Racing Stripes
2005
Actor: Woodzie
Christmas with the Kranks
2004
Actor: Walt Scheel
TV
What's New, Scooby-Doo?
2002
Actor: Jeb (voice)
Snow Dogs
2002
Actor: George
TV
The Guardian
2001
Actor: Ezra Pence
TV
Night Visions
2001
Actor: Gus (segment "Reun…
Christmas in the Clouds
2001
Actor: Stu O'Malley
Poor White Trash
2000
Actor: Judge Pike
TV
Ed
2000
Actor: Mayor Wally Kendri…
On the Edge of 'Blade Runner'
2000
Actor
Random Hearts
1999
Actor: Billy (uncredited)
TV
The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot
1999
Actor: Mack (voice)
Monster!
1999
Actor: Lloyd Reeves
The Iron Giant
1999
Actor: Earl Stutz (voice)
Me and Will
1999
Actor: Dean
Wild Wild West
1999
Actor: Coleman
TV
The Wild Thornberrys
1998
Actor: Gemsbok #1 (voice)
Men in White
1998
Actor: Stanley
Chairman of the Board
1998
Actor: Freemont
Twilight
1998
Actor: Lester Ivar
My Best Friend's Wedding
1997
Actor: Joe O'Neal
The Killing Jar
1997
Actor: Sheriff Foley
Retroactive
1997
Actor: Sam
Albino Alligator
1997
Actor: Dino
Romeo + Juliet
1996
Actor: Apothecary
The Lottery
1996
Actor: Chief Davis
TV
Early Edition
1996
Actor: Santa
TV
The West
1996
Actor: Self (voice)
A Time to Kill
1996
Actor: Willard Tyrell Bas…
Criminal Hearts
1996
Actor: Martin
TV
Tracey Takes On...
1996
Actor
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
1995
Actor: Bill Wilcox
Panther
1995
Actor: Dorsett
TV
The Outer Limits
1995
Actor: Sanford Vallé
Relative Fear
1994
Actor: Earl Ladelle
Probable Cause
1994
Actor: Sadler
TV
Baseball
1994
Actor: (voice)
The Glass Shield
1994
Actor: Det. Jesse Hall
Camp Nowhere
1994
Actor: T.R. Polk
Cops & Robbersons
1994
Actor: Captain Ted Corbet…
Bitter Harvest
1993
Actor: Sheriff Bob
TV
NYPD Blue
1993
Actor: Joe Kroft
TV
Frasier
1993
Actor: Rich Koechner
TV
The X-Files
1993
Actor: Arthur Dales
Wilder Napalm
1993
Actor: Fire Chief
The Music of Chance
1993
Actor: Calvin Murks
The Naked Truth
1992
Actor: Garcia / Gesundhei…
Equinox
1992
Actor: Pete Petosa
White Sands
1992
Actor: Bert Gibson
Killer Image
1992
Actor: John Kane
Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat
1991
Actor: Mort
TV
Home Improvement
1991
Actor: Colonel
Fourth Story
1991
Actor: Harry
The Flash
1990
Actor: Henry Allen
TV
The Civil War
1990
Actor: Various
Narrow Margin
1990
Actor: Sergeant Dominick …
TV
The Flash
1990
Actor: Henry Allen
Chattahoochee
1990
Actor: Morris
Catch Me... If You Can
1989
Actor: Johnny Phatmun
TV
Tales from the Crypt
1989
Actor: Jonas
The Mighty Quinn
1989
Actor: Fred Miller
TV
Brotherhood of the Rose
1989
Actor: Hardy
Red Scorpion
1988
Actor: Dewey Ferguson
Clean and Sober
1988
Actor: Richard Dirks
Sunset
1988
Actor: Chief Marvin Dibne…
The Milagro Beanfield War
1988
Actor: Governor
No Man's Land
1987
Actor: Captain Haun
Harry and the Hendersons
1987
Actor: George Henderson S…
TV
Murder Ordained
1987
Actor: Vern Humphrey
Raising Arizona
1987
Actor: Machine Shop Ear-B…
Broken Vows
1987
Actor: Detective Mulligan
Back to School
1986
Actor: Coach Turnbull
The Deliberate Stranger
1986
Actor: Det. Sam Davies
Resting Place
1986
Actor: Sarge
Critters
1986
Actor: Harv
Wildcats
1986
Actor: Walt Coes
The Best of Times
1986
Actor: Charlie
TV
Amazing Stories
1985
Actor: Grandpa
TV
The Twilight Zone
1985
Actor: Peter (segment "De…
Fletch
1985
Actor: Dr. Joseph Dolan
Blood Simple
1985
Actor: Private Detective
Missing in Action
1984
Actor: Tuck
Courage
1984
Actor: Colonel Crouse
Grandview, U.S.A.
1984
Actor: Mr. Clark
The Pope of Greenwich Village
1984
Actor: Burns
Silkwood
1983
Actor: Walt Yarborough
TV
The Hitchhiker
1983
Actor: Detective Underhil…
TV
AfterMASH
1983
Actor: Reverend Horn
Blade Runner
1982
Actor: Bryant
The Escape Artist
1982
Actor: Fritz
Fast-Walking
1982
Actor: Sergeant Sanger
Cannery Row
1982
Actor: Mack
Reds
1981
Actor: Speaker at Liberal…
Back Roads
1981
Actor: Arthur
TV
East of Eden
1981
Actor: Sheriff Horace Qui…
High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane
1980
Actor: Harold Patton
Ordinary People
1980
Actor: Swim Coach
Raise the Titanic
1980
Actor: Master Chief Vinni…
Brubaker
1980
Actor: C.P. Woodward
City in Fear
1980
Actor: Sheldon Lewis
The Jerk
1979
Actor: Madman
TV
The French Atlantic Affair
1979
Actor: Harry
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
1979
Actor: Wally Cantrell
Straight Time
1978
Actor: Earl Frank
Superdome
1978
Actor: Whitley
Airport '77
1977
Actor: Dr. Williams
Slap Shot
1977
Actor: Dickie Dunn
Nickelodeon
1976
Actor: "Father" Logan
Mikey and Nicky
1976
Actor: Bus Driver
Bound for Glory
1976
Actor: Husband
TV
Starsky & Hutch
1975
Actor: FreddieActor: Lloyd Herman Eckwo…
The Prisoner of Second Avenue
1975
Actor: Doorman
At Long Last Love
1975
Actor: Harold
Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic
1975
Actor: Mr. Peterson
TV
Baretta
1975
Actor
The Gambler
1974
Actor: Las Vegas Gambler
TV
The Rockford Files
1974
Actor: Edgar Burch
TV
Little House on the Prairie
1974
Actor: Callahan
Serpico
1973
Actor: Gallagher
Kid Blue
1973
Actor: Barber
TV
The Bob Newhart Show
1972
Actor: Jack Hoover
TV
The Waltons
1972
Actor: David Fletcher
Get to Know Your Rabbit
1972
Actor: Mr. Wendel
What's Up, Doc?
1972
Actor: Arresting Officer
TV
McMillan & Wife
1971
Actor: Officer Ames
TV
Nichols
1971
Actor: Gabe McCutcheon
They Might Be Giants
1971
Actor: 1st Sanitation Man
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
1971
Actor: Aide
Cold Turkey
1971
Actor: Art
TV
All in the Family
1971
Actor: Billy Hartfield
Little Big Man
1970
Actor: Shotgun Guard
The Traveling Executioner
1970
Actor: Warden Brodski
TV
Arnie
1970
Actor
End of the Road
1970
Actor: Crab Man / Tutu Ma…
Alice's Restaurant
1969
Actor: Group W Sergeant
Stiletto
1969
Actor: Racing Partner (un…
Midnight Cowboy
1969
Actor: Bus Passenger (unc…
TV
Ironside
1967
Actor: Telegraph Clerk
TV
Bonanza
1959
Actor: Mattheson
TV
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954
Actor: General Presser
TV
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Actor: Sarge