He is best known for his roles in The Shining and Blade Runner. US actor Joe Turkel has passed away.
Mourning for Joe Turkel (1927-2022): The American actor, known among other things from “The Shining” and “Blade Runner”, died on June 27 at the age of 94. His family confirmed this according to “Deadline”. Accordingly, he fell asleep peacefully last Monday at Saint John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California, surrounded by his loved ones.
The American was born Joseph Turkel in July 1927 in Brooklyn, New York. During World War II he served in the United States Navy as a sailor before moving to California in 1949 to start his acting career. It all began back then with a supporting role as a crook in the crime film “The Brood of Satan”.
More film roles followed in the 50s and 60s. However, these were often so small that his name was not mentioned in the credits. He was also given a supporting role in the 1950s in Stanley Kubrick’s (1928-1999) works The Bill Didn’t Work (1956) and Road To Fame (1957). Turkel and Kubrick were friends for many years. In 1980, Turkel landed the part of bartender Lloyd alongside Jack Nicholson (85) in his horror classic “The Shining”.
Last film and series roles in the 90s
The native New Yorker also made a name for himself with his role in Ridley Scott’s (84) “Blade Runner”. In it he played the eccentric CEO Dr. Eldon Tyrell. He also got a leading role in 1990’s “The Dark Side of the Moon”.
Over the years, Turkel has also had small appearances in television series, including “Bonanza”, “The Boss”, “Operation in Manhattan”, “Miama Vice” and most recently in 1998 in “Life and I”.
