M. Emmet Walsh, famed for his roles in Blade Runner and Knives Out, has sadly passed away aged 88.
Confirmed by his longtime manager, Sandy Joseph, to The New York Post, Walsh died due to a cardiac arrest on Tuesday at Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans, Vermont.
Reflecting on his illustrious career, Walsh once remarked, as per Joseph’s release: "I approach each job thinking it might be my last so it better be the best work possible. I want to be remembered as a working actor. I’m being paid for what I’d do for nothing."
The release further highlighted Walsh's remarkable contributions, stating: "Walsh’s tremendous body of work includes 119 feature films and more than 250 television productions."
Throughout a career spanning six decades, Walsh left a lasting mark on theater, television, and cinema.
His debut in the movie industry began with Alice’s Restaurant in 1969, paving the way for a series of acclaimed performances alongside Hollywood giants.
From sharing the screen with stars like Paul Newman in Slap Shot (1977) to Harrison Ford in Blade Runner (1982), Walsh's versatility meant that he was always gainfully employed.
He demonstrated his acting prowess alongside a number of Hollywood greats including Ryan O’Neal, Barbra Streisand, Dustin Hoffman, Steve Martin, and Frances McDormand.
In addition to his cinematic achievements, Walsh appeared in television shows like The Righteous Gemstones, Sneaky Pete, and The Mind of the Married Man.
His guest appearances on classics like Frasier, The X-Files, and The Waltons further solidified his status as a versatile performer.
"I don’t want to play the same type of character 10 times," Walsh once expressed to USA Today in 2015. "I want to be a garbage collector in one film and a governor in the next."
Walsh's pragmatic approach to finances, influenced by his background in business administration and marketing from Clarkson University in New York, had a big impact on keeping him grounded while rubbing shoulders with Hollywood’s elite.
"That background taught me to live modestly when you’re working so you can survive on your savings when things aren’t going so well," he shared. "I’ve had actor friends who made 10 times the money I did, but they have nothing now. I knew what to do with a dollar."
Our thoughts are with Walsh’s fans and loved ones during this difficult time.
