American actor M. Emmet Walsh has died aged 88.

He is best known for his roles as the LAPD boss in Ridley Scott’s ‘80s epic Blade Runner, and a private detective in Ethan Coen’s Blood Simple.

Renowned across the film industry as a fine character actor, with over two hundred film credits to his name, The New York native’s debut came in 1969, appearing in Alice’s Restaurant. In the ‘80s, he began to enjoy more prominent roles, starring in prison drama Brubaker and the Oscar-winning Ordinary People.

farewell to the legendary M. Emmet Walsh. He voiced the Cosmic Owl in multiple Adventure Time episodes. At record sessions, he passed out two-dollar bills to everyone. Kent Osborne asked him "how many of those do you have?" and he said "a lot less than when I walked in!" pic.twitter.com/0ZfBF9TLrZ

— adam muto (@MrMuto) March 21, 2024

Recently, Walsh acted alongside Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson and Matthew McConaughey in A Time To Kill. He also featured in Calvary, which starred Irishmen Brendan Gleeson and Chris O’Dowd.

During a varied career which spanned six decades, Walsh took to the stage in multiple Broadway productions, including Tenesse Williams’ Sweet Bird Of Youth and Arthur Miller’s All My Sons.

“One of the finest actors and human beings I have ever known,” said comic actor Rob Schneider on social media.

“I remember all his wonderful stories and how generous he was with the wisdom and acting knowledge he had accumulated in his 119 movies he made in his career. God bless you, my friend.”