M. Emmet Walsh Biography

M. Emmet Walsh was a remarkably busy movie character actor in the late 20th century, appearing in dozens of movies and TV shows. Walsh’s best-known role may be that of Bryant, the cynical head cop who strong-arms Harrison Ford in the sci-fi classic Blade Runner (1982).

Shambling and classically rumpled, Walsh was frequently cast as a corrupt cop, a shady neer-do-well or a lovable redneck of sorts. In 1984’s Blood Simple, the first film by the Coen brothers, Walsh stood out as a particularly unsavory private eye.

After an early turn in the film Alice’s Restaurant in 1969, Walsh stayed a working actor, often appearing in six movies per year. (the Internet Movie Database has listed more than 200 titles in his filmography.)

In the 21st century, M. Emmet Walsh continued to play character parts and supporting roles, though not with his earlier frequency.

His other films include Twilight (1998, starring Paul Newman and Susan Sarandon), Snow Dogs (2002, with Cuba Gooding, Jr), Chasing 3000 (2008), and The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012, with Jennifer Garner).