Blade Runner’s M. Emmet Walsh Dead at 88

M. Emmet Walsh has died. The veteran character actor, known for appearing in films such as Blade Runner, Critters, and My Best Friend’s Wedding, passed away at a Vermont hospital of cardiac arrest on Tuesday according to a new report from Entertainment Tonight. He was 88.

Walsh’s career spanned 60-some years after his debut in 1969’s Alice’s Restaurant. Typically playing rough-and-tumble, blue-collar characters, Walsh earned series regular credits on Sneaky Pete and The Mind of a Married Man, and further recurring credits on Home Improvement, Frasier, The X-Files, and The Twilight Zone amongst others.

Born on March 22, 1935, Walsh was raised in rural Vermont before earning a B.A. from Clarkson University. His extensive resume includes over 119 films and 250 television credits.

Michael Shannon worked with the actor in 2022’s A Little White Lie, calling his time working with the actor one of the best moments of his career.

“That was kind of a dream come true. I’ve been watching him for years, and much like when I got the opportunity to work with Christopher Plummer in Knives Out, it’s just…,” Shannon told Collider in 2022. “You know, getting an opportunity to work with someone with decades of experience and someone so firmly etched into the cinema landscape, you know. I couldn’t believe I was sitting on a park bench improvising with M. Emmet Walsh. It’s definitely one of those pinch-me moments. ‘Pinch me, I must be dreaming.”

Walsh is survived by his niece Meagan Walsh, nephew, Kevin Walsh, and grandnephews, Emmet and Elliot. The actor was preceded in death by his father Harry Maurice Walsh Sr., his mother Agnes, and his brother, Harry Maurice Walsh, Jr.

Our thoughts are with Walsh’s friends and families during this time.