Joe Turkel, The Shining and Blade Runner Actor, Dead at 94
Joe Turkel, a character actor best known for his appearances in The Shining and Blade Runner, passed away earlier this week. Variety reports that Turkel passed at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California on Monday, June 27. Details of his cause of death were not confirmed but the actor was 94 at the time of his death. His survived by two sons (Craig and Robert), two daughter-in-laws and his brother, David Turkel, according to the outlet. They also report that prior to his death, Turkel completed a memoir, titled "The Misery of Success," which will be published later this year by his family.
Genre fans likely best recognize Turkel for his role in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, playing The Gold Room bartender Lloyd who shares a pivotal scene with Jack Nicholson's Jack Torrence. Turkel also appeared in two other movies directed by Kubrick, 1956's The Killing and 1957's Paths of Glory. Much like his key appearance in The Shining, Turkel is also well known for playing the role of Dr. Eldon Tyrell in the original Blade Runner movie. The owner and operator of the Tyrell Corporation that created the film's replicants, Turkel would reprise the role for the 1997 Blade Runner video game, technically his final credit.
In addition to multiple feature film credits, which also included the likes of King Rat, The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, The Dark Side of the Moon, and three movies with filmmaker Bert I. Gordon, Turkel also had an extensive television career including appearances in Tales from the Darkside, The Lone Ranger, SWAT, Ironside, The Andy Griffith Show, Miami Vice, The Untouchables, and many more. Overall his acting career spanned over six decades, beginning in 1949 after serving in the army during World War II and concluding in the late 1990s when he retired.
Our thoughts go out to Joe Turkel's family during this difficult time.
