I’m sad to report that esteemed character actor Michael Parks has passed away today.
While never a household name, Parks has had a long and storied acting career in both TV and film. He’s probably best known now for his lead roles in Kevin Smith‘s two horror films, RED STATE and TUSK, but he had been in the entertainment business long before that, starting in 1958 on ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS. Since then he was a prominent role on the original TWIN PEAKS, a recurring character in the “Tarantino-verse” as Texas Ranger Earl McGraw (appearing in FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, both GRINDHOUSE segments, and both KILL BILLS), and even played Jack Kirby in Ben Affleck‘s Oscar-winning ARGO.
Kevin Smith, who worked with Parks on two of his more memorable late-period lead roles in RED STATE and TUSK had this to say about him:
I hate to report that my cinematic muse Michael Parks has passed away. Michael was, and will likely forever remain, the best actor I’ve ever known…He was, hands-down, the most incredible thespian I ever had the pleasure to watch perform.
Parks is survived by his wife, Oriana, and his son James.
R.I.P. Michael Parks (1940-2017)