Michael Parks, a character actor best known for his roles in Quentin Tarantino movie Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 and Kevin Smith film Tusk, died Tuesday at age 77. No cause of death was announced.
Smith himself shared the news of Parks’ passing on his Instagram account, which was then confirmed by his agent. Smith called Parks his “cinematic muse.”
“Michael was, and will likely forever remain, the best actor I’ve ever known,” wrote Smith. “I was so f**king blessed to have worked with this bonafide genius. But really, I was just lucky to have known him at all.”
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Born in Corona, Calif., Parks’ career onscreen began in 1961 with a small role in TV sitcom The Real McCoys. From there, he built a hearty résumé over several decades, appearing in movies like From Dusk Till Dawn and The Return of Josey Wales; his TV roles were plentiful, and he showed up in some notable productions including Twin Peaks, Walker, Texas Ranger, Gunsmoke and many, many others.
As with many character actors, Parks enjoyed a resurgence in popularity as he got older, appearing in Tarantino’s Kill Bill movies and co-venture with Robert Rodriguez, Grindhouse. He had parts in Smith’s disturbing Tusk and Red State. Parks tended to gravitate to “weird” roles, and that often meant he’d show up in movies of the horror genre. He frequently played the villain as well.
In addition to acting, Parks was also an accomplished singer, releasing eight albums over his 40-year career.
Directors and fans alike flooded Twitter with condolences.
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Parks leaves behind his wife of 20 years, Oriana, and a son, James.
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