The term “character actor” is one lined with pitfalls and potentially negative connotations. After all, aren’t all actors playing characters? Even if, like Tom Cruise (no offense intended in the slightest) they are often playing a version of a particular character repeatedly?
The phrase is further complicated because it’s often meant to refer to supporting actors—you know, the ones who can’t cut it as leads, but can add some spice and variety to the production. At the same time, if one thinks of leading actors like Denzel, Blanchett, Nicholson, Streep, DeNiro, Pacino (I could do this for a while), are those folks not insanely flexible thespians? Ones who add significant spice and variety over the bulk of their careers? I would say “yes” without hesitation.
But the kind of “character actor” I’m writing about today, is that first kind: the one who rarely gets the lead, but as soon as they show up on screen, you can feel the level of the project instantly lift. Maybe it’s their eccentricities and peculiarities that cinch the deal. They are the ultimate in the “hey, I liked that guy in that one movie” type of actor. I’m speaking of folks like the late great JT Walsh, the departed Tom Sizemore, Diana Venora, Tom Noonan, Michael Gaston, Julie-Anne Emery, and a host of others whose names might not be instantly familiar, but their work sticks to your ribs, even when you can’t exactly place them perfectly.
Which brings me to a sort of king in the history of the “character actor”: M. Emmet Walsh. Walsh always had a peculiar way about him. He had a soft, somewhat high voice that could seem gentle, but there was a shiftyness in both his phrasing and his gaze that often made who he was playing a person of questionable trust. He’s also one of those actors that were afflicted with what I call “Burgess Meredith” disease. It’s as if they were born at 50–skipping over puberty, adolescence, and going straight to wizened adulthood (Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman are also good examples). That instant quality of age and experience coupled with a semi-charming duplicity were Walsh’s stock and trade, and few ever did it better.
Walsh’s six decade career started in 1968-69. Walsh gave a couple of one episode performances on TV and was “bus passenger” in Midnight Cowboy. Over the next 55 years, Walsh worked relentlessly (as his 233 film and TV credits will attest). He showed up in small parts in movies memorable for both good reasons and less so.
Walsh’s pure volume of credits are breathtaking to consider, but looking at the plus side of the ledger will make your head spin:
Alice’s Restaurant
Little Big Man
What’s Up Doc?
Serpico
The Gambler
Bound for Glory
Mikey and Nicky
Slap Shot
Straight Time
The Jerk
Ordinary People (in which he played a swim coach)
Reds
Blade Runner
Silkwood
The Pope of Greenwich Village
Fletch
Back to School (in which he played a swim coach again!)
Raising Arizona
Clean and Sober
The Music of Chance
The Glass Shield
A Time to Kill
Romeo + Juliet
My Best Friend’s Wedding
Knives Out
All films of sizable significance. And even though in many of them, Walsh may have only had a single scene or just a few lines, what he added in those brief moments was a feeling of authenticity.
I also loved him in more lightly regarded fare like the Willem Dafoe thriller White Sands, the just waiting to be discovered island detective mystery The Mighty Quinn starring Denzel Washington, Wildcats—the silly Goldie Hawn high school football movie (that also featured a pre-White Men Can’t Jump Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson), The Best of Times (another football comedy, this one with Robin Williams and Kurt Russell), or a personal favorite of mine—the wonderfully goofy astrology meets pro basketball film starring Julius “Dr. J” Erving, The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh.
He could also liven up trash like nobody’s business either. The Rambo-like cheapie Missing in Action starring Chuck Norris, or the incredibly seedy Fast-Walking with James Woods were greatly aided by his presence. As good as Walsh was in high class films, he was often even more essential to the lesser films he was in. His quiet-voiced malevolence, that slow almost whispery drawl, and that sense that he was always a bit behind on his hygiene made even the worst films he was associated with (Airport ‘77, At Long Last Love, Red Scorpion) a little more tolerable—at least while he was in front of the camera doing M. Emmet Walsh things.
Being a heavy man, with a rapidly declining hairline, and a voice that lent itself to scurrilous types, Walsh almost never got a lead role—with one very notable exception: The Coen Brothers masterful debut, the great modern film noir, Blood Simple.
While Walsh may not have quite been the lead on Blood Simple, I hazard to guess that he never had another part quite so large or meaningful as the morally flexible private eye Loren Visser, a man charged with uncovering whether a bar owner’s (played Dan Hedaya) wife (Frances McDormand in her breakout role) is carrying on with the help (played by Jon Getz). Once Visser confirms the affair with his client, the bar owner eventually hires Visser to kill his wife and her lover.
A series of missteps and misunderstandings leads to one of the great film noir climaxes in recent history between Walsh and McDormand’s characters. No fair saying more to those who have not seen it, but let’s just say that Walsh’s final blood-soaked, dark-humored line isn’t just beautifully written, but perfectly delivered.
Earlier in the movie there is another line of dialogue that Walsh speaks like it was meant only for him. As the bar owner and Walsh’s private dick are discussing venturing into dangerous territory, their back and forth goes like so:
Visser: “Well, if the pay’s right, and it’s legal, I’ll do it.”
Bar owner: “It ain’t exactly legal.”
Visser: “Well, if the pay’s right, I’ll do it.”
Thinking back on those words makes me smile and chuckle a bit. The line is brilliantly delivered (as all Walsh lines were), but it also struck me as a solid summation of Walsh’s career. He was a working actor. If “the pay was right,” he’d do it. And when he did it, he did it like no other.
- Emmet Walsh died on March 19, 2024. He was 88 years old.
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“find rest in a point were it located on your head. You are incoherent, and sure use a lot of words for someone what barely makes any sense.”
First part u sentence makes 0 sense to me I disaapp8nted and hurt I may add that after 20+ yrs I been member here for u only interested in replying to me to criticise me what deal with that? I emphasise again I done right thing always ALWAYS take ownership on rare occassion i make error judgement to post in an unrelated topic just cos u upset I made honest mistake I admit was careless why only now after all time I Bern here u reply ? Just to criticise I hardly EVER do that mate in majority time I Bern here can u see how that way harsh how make me feel ??
I have done considered insightful posts in my time here make sense I have my difficulty at times esp over long time I been here ..can’t u understsnd that ? I in turn accept that I can be incoherent SOMETIMES but bottom line is MAJORITYtime i don’t disrupt u glowing wonderful tribute u 5hink u try appct my humility admission here ?
That is really harsh mate.. no need to gang up on me I did pay tribute to u wonderful words as u usually do for late actors and actresses… but no need for you to gang up on me history cos I made a mistake we only human u know ? If someone admits to mistake ( don’t presume to judge pls what go on in my head as I would not others) – in fact if you cared to you might as I do care read admire your thoughtful considered pieces wirh tributes you do..but u might want reconsider u harsh ‘ one size fits all ‘ assumption given I been open I have shared CLEARLY if u cared to see that rather than assume me not ever making sense… I have in fact shared boyt as u dub ‘ what goes in my head ‘ now thwt is condescending something I NEVER Been to you at all.. don’t presume esp if u don’t bother reading things I share boyt myself what others go through thst MOST unfair..
I believe this post is about M. Emmet Walsh.
Let me join in then. Your often incomprehensible posts counts find rest in a point were it located on your head. You are incoherent, and sure use a lot of words for someone what barely makes any sense.
May? Wow I didn’t know … but again rather than cursing me why didn’t u answer my questions ? Once again u encyclopaedia of knowledge I play catch up mate… sooo in light that I agree u point.. I wished however u answered…sooner thsn I not touched with you u think I like stoush wirh you ? Nooooo !!!
Thanx answering my questions in fairness u know number pple not known bout past history of dates as happened before I wasn’t sure ok u confirmed that I happy to m9ve on.
Now thrn ..I not post further in this topic.
Did u see my RIP tribute to Emmett?? ) few posts below?)
Wait..what? Did I? Of course I truly sincerely sorry bout that how that happen ?
Pf course I truly ALWAYS value David tribute fully acknowledge as u do Ryan when any staff does wonderful considerate tribute to now late actor we all revere .
I guilty letting my concerns excessive focus what I wanted talk bout distract me from thinking the actual topic I posted under … I apologise for that no need tell me Ryan was careless n unfair.
BTW didn’t I fo a tribute to late Emett Walsh? I hope so I always prefer strongly partake in right way to glowing tribute..
I apologise to u n David bout that strive be more mindful esp in topic of tribute to NOT post unrelated stuff u rite pull me up on that one
I hope the Writers Guild delayed their awards just to annoy you.
Hang on a minute I HAVE altered my attitude u the one recycling outdated views I have I judge views I have aren’t pple allowed change th3jr view ij u book,? U seem overlo9kwd a)
I a) i supported the strike in end understood it better
B) just cos person starts off initially being more critical than they should of Guilds doesn’t mean that that position u should assume incorrectly a person has which i DONT u notice that when through awards season business end I admitted I developed resoec5 for SAG espgicen extent they a tuslly blocked out toxicity of social media driven campaigning went back to basics AND they resisted delaying their ceremony .. so u misleading pple here misrepresenting my CURRNT view.
That is that I have respect for MoST Guilds even if not my choice winning..7 notice this if u didn’t recycle outdated resentmrnt5s I got over..
You seem misconstrue a right someone have curiosity question u confusing a question with in u mind a smear which i5 is NOT.
I asked u how unprecedented or if it is Ryan that guild presen6e AFTER Oscars has it happened before ?
It one thing to lambast someone for PAST view it another entirely whrn someone asks a curiosity question do u only like curiosity question whrn worded or phrased in u narrow definition of what ‘ offensive ‘?
Now cmon now all I asking is why such long delay ? Nobody attacking Guilds only u think I am.. I Def do have resoect for Guilds no good recycling old outdated quotes just to make me a sacrificial lamb..nobody appreciates others making out past views i had what I think today so for the record so there NO misinterpretstion on u part give others wring impression I be quite clear :
I now coming from position of curiosity not criticism I wondering whether in unprecedented or odd for guild any guild to delay after award season finishes whole month after I wonder u understsnd didf between curiosity question and a smear? Do you? Cos I coming from place of curiosity whwt u have against answering simple question ? Has this happened before? If do whrn?
As early as for the record since u misleading others thing I think way I used to I admit I used to but I adapted accepted and embraced as someone creative myself mate hard work writers actors etc in film industry do I admire all of rhrm like you albeit we all have our fsvprite actors writers right ? I bring constructive here yet all u doing trying to exaggerate bile I don’t believe in anymore .
So I was wrong i regret PAST remarks on ANY guild.. I still worry bout outlook bit but I Bern lot more reassured this year not just cos they embraced mighty Oppenheimer cos they adjusted to more in touch with type performances and directors on balance that audiences have partaken in type films through tbst performances mean something to film goers… Guilds seem be turning corner key into rhat and cos that I developed more respect for SAG AFTRA..
I don’t know in truth how mich more resoect I have for the wga…but whqt I DO know is I admire hard devoted work all Guilds do… and that they pivotal core function of awards season…
Do you believe it was really necessary for writers guild to delay whole month after Oscars? Why u so annoyed bout reasonable question ,?
And I tell you once again from Spielberg landmark speech to casting of Bond , to social media u uslf agreed with I embraced not just u views ( not for first time I add ) I always open adjusting improved attitude outlook I no longer overall trash Guilds but u need understsnd I not sure u do difference between someone bring critical of limuted asoect of organisation vs full on gas bqgging no organisation is perfect nor they always right so this type criticism really shouldn’t stir u up so much think bout it…
In fact one of lessons I learnt out of u said this uslf unforgivable media- social media ” baiting ” is that I totally disendorrse any fo5m of hateful smear against any organisation ot individual so u to say I still think way u presume I do is fundamentally untrue … those days me gasbagging Guilds in past …
This awards season Bern turning point why u have such difficulty embrwcing positive of that? I Been first hand through glazer smear campaign I ashamed add fuel to but as u said ” I was blameless ” yea u right I had no idea until we all found out ugly truth of how deceitful a uneitting smear is ..
Therefore just cos i don’t agree with Guilds choice does not mean I totally bag them.
I expressed reservations thos year bout writers guild judgement to a degree but more so i confused not intended as full throated attack on them.
So it actually up to you you gone unjustly insist that now I restated this again !!! That I actually against all form of smears Inc any from myself to any guild,? We have right have constructive criticism in a democracy thighj don’t we ,? Don’t u get that?
That BIG difference ie : I very critical of mrlb city council but do I say nasty things bout thrm online,,? No!
Esp after Jewish( some not evrn all on this dummy petition ) I can assure you I not indirectly ever be associated wirh any cruel nasty smear on a guild organisation or individual in any way shape or form you csn hold me to that from now on..
Remember u don’t have agree wirh what guild does but there a world difference between asking question I call ‘ critical enquiry’ and an accusation I don’t fo that anymore … surely u get thst now?
Whole fake petition against Glazer thing ? Really opened my eyes ..
Finally again disappointing u fixate on my clearly now outdated unacceptable harsh words on certain Guilds and overlook I respmded w questions myself on u comprehensive research on role of Jewish people in Hollywood u not answered that u rather go after me on things I have corrected for the record now and in furure .
Sure u defend the guilds but u don’t need to from me.. I still have years I be criricsl of their choices who won’t in future but I temper any criticism to not attack organisation.
No individual or organisation should be character assassinated I wholeheartedly accept that..
So Ryan were u view on other things u said u answer ? Evrn u view on Bond situation ? Spielbergs speech ,? Updates on Cillian Murphy next roll, Nolan’s potential next film. My initial observation of Dune 2?
Note: whrn comes holding people accountable anyway worry more bout holding ppe of totally questionable charcter in politics to account who don’t alter or grow up and dig bigger perception hole for themselves by insisting digging in on divisive attitudes like Donald J Trump ey? I don’t serve in public service Orr represent a constituency u know? Thry ones who past views should be challenged esp if if they don’t change my attitude has changed I hope u c 5hst now ..focus on now not the past mate… hope u underwtsnd now
Lemme give
Why are you even posting this on an obituary page?
David puts his whole heart and a big piece of his soul into writing these wonderful tributes to Hollywood legends.
Look at the disruption you’ve brought to the memorial service.
“Withdrew worrd ‘ lazy’ why u fixate on one wrong worr or expression u let that overshadow”
Because I resent your insult. The writers guild is not being lazy, and it’s just plain dumb to say so.
Why did you even write that?
I have tried to explain to you, what the fuck business is it of ours to be impatiently stomping our feet at the Writers Guild choice of date for their awards night.
Maybe they’re fucking sick of having their awards being seen as a game-piece on the dumb scorecard for Oscar predictions.
Maybe they think more highly of their own individual integrity, as a group of creative talent, than to play the game where they get called a “precursor”
Maybe the WGA respects its award and the winners more than to have them thrown into the Oscar Vitamix blender as nothing but a prediction tool.
Maybe they realize they their award has its own unique esteem and doesn’t need to get tangled up in the annual shitshow of having their winners be dragged through the Oscar factory assembly line.
But I suspect the reason is much simpler: maybe the Writers Guild simply looked at the pre-Oscar Night calendar, and saw all the good weekend dates were already booked by other events.
So they decided not schedule their prestigious awards in the middle of all the other Tuxedo and Sequins hoopla happening non-stop all over town.
And maybe they do not give the slightest shit whether people like you “lose interest” and “are ready to move on to the next year”
Maybe the very last thing on their mind is to pander to crybaby whiner desires and outsider tantrum demands.
You either care about their award, or you don’t. It should make no difference at all whether they have their awards night in January, April, or the fucking 4th of July.
Guild events and BAFTA and Oscar Night never used to need to like up line up like obedient little soldiers in the Oscar Wars.
They had their awards just whenever. The Oscars themselves, years ago, all throughout the 1960s, were always in April.
In 1966, Oscar Night was April 18th.
In 1963, the Writers Guild announced on May 7th.
There is no record of anyone shitting their britches about those dates.
You’ve been dogging the Writers Guild for months. It’s not just “one word” you wrote that bothers me.
This is not even the first time that you and I have clashed about the way you have disparaged the guilds and the Writers Guild this year.
You seem to think the guilds main purpose is to hand out awards to help predict the Oscars.
I assure you, that’s not even among the top 50 reasons the guild exists, or why it’s important to its members
It’s not “one word” you wrote to insult them. It’s your whole attitude about the writers all season long. Accusing them of being biased, elitist, performative, or having a “woke” agenda.
It’s all such bullshit, and it’s all so exhausting.
I admire and respect writers. You just want to nag and complain about them.
I thought you were done deriding them. But I guess not.
So I’m not done defending them.
You unfairly put this on me… Ryan it insulting you ONLY YOU Persist in blowing out of proportion u hone in on one word that I retracted and take ot out of proportion u seem to ( conveniently ?) For yourself completely overlook though u may not like the question some others would like to know as well… ( note: while u insist in making out falsely this is a ‘ me have. A problem only ‘ with …Sasha did say herself’ at long last ‘ regarding clarity whrn writers guild FINALLY did nominations …
Proof I not only one… that wondering why they choose b3nodd one out. Just cos you don’t like question I put does NOT mean it a smear not at all…in fact if you in fairness to me bothered to see I framed it as reasonable question…combined with fsct I. Withdrew worrd ‘ lazy’ why u fixate on one wrong worr or expression u let that overshadow ( u said uslf u answer and appreciated questions I read research bout Jewish history stuff u put time n energy in , if you tried lookn past u resentment over misused word , to look at bigger pic5ure u see I showed humility u embraced uslf positively whrn I not only saw things u way but agreed accepted / understood in good conciousness was a smear campaign against glazer)
I don’t need to justify to you my overall changed approach I definitely NOT only one that might use wrong choice of word ….out of overall paragraph… where if u cared be fair my questioned are fair of writers guild I asked in context of question…yet u mistook it AGAIN as me abusing a guild organisation.
So kindly don’t treat me as though ..give others false impression thst I accuding pr smearing a guild I ask why delay? Doesn’t make sense that Guilds are precursors nor AFTER like month AFTER the Oscars?
U csn agree me sometimes won’t hurt u pride other thsn 1 time in 50 posts or u see clear distinction between pls where I ask question fair namely ‘ is it unusual whrn was last time any guild presented their award where I thiught they supposed be aligned in Sammie time frame before Oscars but whrn was last time this happened ? Has their been?
I compliment your by keying into u more expansive knowledge if someone frames it as curiosity question why u not see bigger positive rhsn isolated minor negative u put more focus on than u should?
So what u problem with rhat? I not trying to argue only highlight how u come down more angry than u should to me.. esp whrn I asked u fair questions see?
u NOT partook I’m several topics outside award season I focused on …but these other topics are in u fantastic forum how biut answering or providing u own view of
I actually agree with this. My theory is that most of us care more about these people winning than they do. As Cillian Murphy and several before him have said (Albert Finney, Alan Arkin), Awards season is a pointless slog. Joaquin Phoenix I think made his peace with it by the time he won an Oscar.
If you actively put pressure on yourself to win awards on top of all the other pressures in Hollywood, you’ll drive yourself crazy.
I recently heard Jack Black cared about being snubbed for best song, but I’m not sure if he was joking.
Ey… I was seeking some clarity as to logic of such unprecedented guild delay I was enquiring not attacking Ryan… not at all..I altering my approach it shame ( maybe u too busy) in my other posts affer u embraced. Appreciated truly as I did I rediscovered sense of humility decency ..take fire out my I admitted this if u cared to I hope u did misdirected rewcrive rage I explained that too but this only post u reply too of mine mate,? That like ‘ ouch’ u know?
Yet u didn’t give me any clarity how often writers guild choose ne odd one out ok ‘lazy’ not best choice of word sorry bout that totally agree they creative geniuses of course… but why over a momth after Oscars when wga ended their strike I told u I supported in end ( so why u have go at me bout thst too?)
But I merely querying not attacking writers guild seek more clarity from you rather than stirring pot BTW us if organisation end strike few weeks before another one ( ie SAG) then why does writers guild take momth over after Oscars ( near unprecedented right ? Isn’t it? ) to present their awards and I asked good question of major Guilds are wga winners nowadays accu5eate precursor as friricsl as dga or pga to Oscars?
Pls try keep perspective here mate where I coming from I withdraw word ‘ lazy’ ok?
Also u not answered my question bout other stuff I know things don’t revolve round oscar my friend but… let face it cos of wga looong delay ( was that necessary be thst long whrn they ended their strike n their membership smaller compared to SAG? That not smear at all it fair question ey?) Sooo techn8cally Guilds not finished yet therefore awards season not finished yet … see?
Prepare yourself for this shock:
Not everything in this life revolves around the Oscars.
Not even everything in Hollywood revolves around the Oscars.
Another shocking revelation:
The Writers Guild — and every guild — serves dozens of purposes with hundreds of services for its thousands of members.
The awards are not the reason the guilds exist.
The awards are an infinitesimally small part of what the Writers Guild does for its hardworking members.
The strike was exponentially more important to the members than the awards.
There are hundreds of reasons why people want to work in the film industry.
Money, naturally.
But the very best and #1 reason should be to make art. Entertaining art, mainstream art, controversial art, popcorn art, profound art, or esoteric art. They all have value.
The very worst and stupidest reason to make movies is to crave to win an award for them.
It’s nice when it happens.
But I would be ashamed and appalled at any filmmaker whose goal is to win a trophy.
Just as I would be embarrassed for any movielover who only watches movies as a game to guess who might win the trophy.
I deeply resent and roll my eyes at the idea the Writers Guild members and its administrators are “lazy.”
These are the brilliant creative people who make movies possible. Without writers, there’s nothing.
I respect and defend writers, and I am happy to go along with whatever they choose to do. Whenever they chose to do it.
So I wish you would please quit bitching about the delay.
Their reasons are their own. As it should be.