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M. Emmet Walsh

Actor

M. Emmet Walsh

Born March 22, 1935 in Ogdensburg, New York, USADied March 19, 2024165 films

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).

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The best way into M. Emmet Walsh's work
The Iron Giant posterFirst watchThe Iron Giant19998.0as Earl Stutz (voice)In the small town of Rockwell, Maine in October 1957, a giant metal machine befriends a nine-year-old boy and ultimately finds its humanity by unselfishly saving people from their own…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Blade Runner poster7.9Blade Runner1982Knives Out poster7.8Knives Out2019A Time to Kill poster7.4A Time to Kill1996Romeo + Juliet poster6.8Romeo + Juliet1996Serpico poster7.5Serpico1973Midnight Cowboy poster7.5Midnight Cowboy1969Raising Arizona poster7.1Raising Arizona1987Blood Simple poster7.2Blood Simple1985

Filmography

165 films as actor
  1. 2025Green and GoldScotty
  2. 2024BrothersJudge Farful
  3. 2024Outlaw PosseCatfish
  4. 2023Dotty and SoulHarold Eichelbaum
  5. 2023A Little White LieArthur Baldwin
  6. 2022The Immaculate RoomKate's Father
  7. 2021The MimicThe Director
  8. 2019Knives OutMr. Proofroc
  9. 2019South of BixGrandpa
  10. 2019Raising BuchananLarry Kiesling
  11. 2019Faith, Hope & LoveFr. John
  12. 2019Sorry, Not SorryHarry's Father
  13. 2018Change in the AirWalter Lemke
  14. 2018TotoToto
  15. 2018Shifting GearsHank
  16. 2015Boiling PotDean Marison
  17. 2015The Scorpion King 4: Quest for PowerGorak
  18. 2014CalvaryThe Writer
  19. 2012Love Sick LoveEd
  20. 2012Arthur NewmanZazek
  21. 2012The Odd Life of Timothy GreenUncle Bub
  22. 2011Sam Steele and the Junior Detective AgencyChief Van Owen
  23. 2010Chasing 3000Chuck Ireland
  24. 2010The AssignmentMr. Beudreaux
  25. 2009Youth in RevoltMr. Saunders
  26. 2009Don McKaySamuel
  27. 2008Haunted EchoesNeil
  28. 2008Your Name HereKroger
  29. 2007Big StanLew Popper
  30. 2007Man in the ChairMickey Hopkins
  31. 2005Greener MountainsMuggs
  32. 2005Racing StripesWoodzie
  33. 2004Christmas with the KranksWalt Scheel
  34. 2003Tracey Ullman in the Trailer TalesWally Westland
  35. 2003BaggageSandy Westphall
  36. 2002Snow DogsGeorge
  37. 2001Eyeball EddieCoach Cook
  38. 2001Christmas in the CloudsStu O'Malley
  39. 2000Poor White TrashJudge Pike
  40. 2000Jack of HeartsComissioner Menlo Boyce
  41. 1999Random HeartsBilly (uncredited)
  42. 1999Monster!Lloyd Reeves
  43. 1999The Iron GiantEarl Stutz (voice)
  44. 1999Me and WillDean
  45. 1999Wild Wild WestColeman
  46. 1998Nightmare in Big Sky CountryMarshal Jim Phillips
  47. 1998Men in WhiteStanley
  48. 1998Erasable YouRalph Worth
  49. 1998Chairman of the BoardFreemont
  50. 1998TwilightLester Ivar
  51. 1997My Best Friend's WeddingJoe O'Neal
  52. 1997The Killing JarSheriff Foley
  53. 1997RetroactiveSam
  54. 1997Albino AlligatorDino
  55. 1996Romeo + JulietApothecary
  56. 1996The LotteryChief Davis
  57. 1996A Time to KillWillard Tyrell Bass (uncredited)
  58. 1996Portraits of a KillerRaymond Garrison
  59. 1996Criminal HeartsMartin
  60. 1995Free Willy 2: The Adventure HomeBill Wilcox
  61. 1995From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. FrankweilerMorris
  62. 1995PantherDorsett
  63. 1995Dead BadgeSergeant Miller Hoskins
  64. 1994Relative FearEarl Ladelle
  65. 1994Probable CauseSadler
  66. 1994The Glass ShieldDet. Jesse Hall
  67. 1994Camp NowhereT.R. Polk
  68. 1994Cops & RobbersonsCaptain Ted Corbett (uncredited)
  69. 1994Madness of MethodRudolph Thorndyke
  70. 1993Bitter HarvestSheriff Bob
  71. 1993Wilder NapalmFire Chief
  72. 1993The Music of ChanceCalvin Murks
  73. 1992Four Eyes and Six-GunsMayor Thornbush
  74. 1992The Naked TruthGarcia / Gesundheim
  75. 1992EquinoxPete Petosa
  76. 1992Wild CardMose
  77. 1992White SandsBert Gibson
  78. 1992Killer ImageJohn Kane
  79. 1991Sundown: The Vampire in RetreatMort
  80. 1991SilverfoxCharles Blankenship
  81. 1991Fourth StoryHarry
  82. 1990The FlashHenry Allen
  83. 1990Narrow MarginSergeant Dominick Benti
  84. 1990ChattahoocheeMorris
  85. 1990Love and LiesClyde Wilson
  86. 1989Catch Me... If You CanJohnny Phatmun
  87. 1989ThundergroundWedge
  88. 1989The Mighty QuinnFred Miller
  89. 1988Red ScorpionDewey Ferguson
  90. 1988War PartyColin Ditweiler
  91. 1988Clean and SoberRichard Dirks
  92. 1988SunsetChief Marvin Dibner
  93. 1988The Milagro Beanfield WarGovernor
  94. 1987No Man's LandCaptain Haun
  95. 1987Harry and the HendersonsGeorge Henderson Sr.
  96. 1987Murder OrdainedVern Humphrey
  97. 1987Raising ArizonaMachine Shop Ear-Bender
  98. 1987The Abduction of Kari SwensonDon Nichols
  99. 1987Broken VowsDetective Mulligan
  100. 1986Hero in the FamilyGeneral Presser
  101. 1986Back to SchoolCoach Turnbull
  102. 1986The Deliberate StrangerDet. Sam Davies
  103. 1986Resting PlaceSarge
  104. 1986CrittersHarv
  105. 1986WildcatsWalt Coes
  106. 1986The Best of TimesCharlie
  107. 1986The Right of the PeopleSindaco
  108. 1985The Adventures of Con Sawyer and Hucklemary FinnRocco
  109. 1985FletchDr. Joseph Dolan
  110. 1985Blood SimplePrivate Detective
  111. 1984Missing in ActionTuck
  112. 1984CourageColonel Crouse
  113. 1984Grandview, U.S.A.Mr. Clark
  114. 1984The OutlawsWarden MacDonald
  115. 1984The Pope of Greenwich VillageBurns
  116. 1984ScandalousSimon Reynolds
  117. 1983SilkwoodWalt Yarborough
  118. 1983Night PartnersJoe Kirby
  119. 1983The Woman Who Willed a MiracleJoe Lemke
  120. 1982Blade RunnerBryant