Oscar-nominated Michael Pollard dies at 80
American character actor and comedian Michael Pollard, best known for his role of C.W. Moss in 1967’s “Bonnie and Clyde,” for which we won an Oscar nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category, died November 20 from cardiac arrest in Los Angeles, California.
Pollard was 80.
Entertainment industry people paid their respects to the late actor on Twitter.
English screenwriter, director and producer Edgar Wright tweeted, “Farewell to the great Michael J Pollard, for whom the phrase character actor may as well have been invented. And what a character. Unforgettable (and Oscar nominated) as CW Moss in Bonnie & Clyde and a welcome presence in so many movies that you can list below. He will be missed.”
Screenwriter and producer Larry Karaszewski recalled meeting Pollard on the streets of Beverly Hills, “I met him once on the street in Beverly Hills and tried to pay him a compliment. He growled at me. I mean – literally growled at me. It was a perfect moment.”
Filmmaker Ted Geoghegan said, “[Pollard] was a huge genre fan and loved schlock horror. Remember him tonight with AMERICAN GOTHIC, SLEEPAWAY CAMP 3, SKEETER, or HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES. Rest in peace, and thank you for the fun.”
Troma Entertainment film studio co-founder Lloyd Kaufman tweeted, “toxieweeps RIP #michaeljpollard , the voice of #PSYCHO in #toxiccrusaders cartoon series !”
Pollard suggested the title for English rock band the Traffic’s song, “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys.”
“Back to the Future” trilogy lead actor Michael J. Fox, whose real middle name is Andrew, adopted the middle initial “J.” as an homage to Pollard.
Pollard’s filmography includes “Dirty Little Billy,” “Riders of the Storm,”Roxanne,” “Tango & Cash,” “Dick Tracy,” “The Arrival,” “The Odyssey” and “House of 1000 Corpses,” among others.
Pollard was born on May 30, 1939, in Passaic, New Jersey, as Michael John Pollack Jr.
