Some actors never become household names, but without their talent and dedication to their craft, many iconic movies wouldn’t be the same. Joe Turkel is one of those actors.
Turkel, who was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1951, was best known for his roles in movies including “The Shining” and “Blade Runner.” He acting credits also including roles on “Miami Vice,” “S.W.A.T,” “Fantasy Island,” “Tales from the Dark Side,” “Kojak,” “The Andy Griffith Show,” “The Untouchables,” and “Bonanza,” just to name a few. During his career, he acted in over 100 different projects.
He was a favorite of Stanley Kubrick who cast him in three films, “The Killing,” “Paths of Glory” and “The Shining.” In 2014, Turkel remarked that “Paths of Glory” was his favorite film that he acted in.
Before starting his acting career, Turkel joined the army at the age of 17. He fought in Europe during World War II.
When Turkel returned home, he started his acting career and kept acting for more than four decades.
Turkel retired from acting in 1998. Recently, he wrote a memoir titled “The Misery of Success.” The memoir is scheduled to be released later this year, but he will never get to see it’s release. He finished the memoir shortly before he died.
Turkel passed away at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, on June 27, 2022. Cause of death was liver failure. He was 94 years old.
His family describes him as “a gifted teller of tales from his long and colorful life; from boyhood in the Great Depression, to wartime experiences as a teenage soldier, to his long and productive career onscreen and those he worked with.” In his obituary, his family explains, “Friends and neighbors knew Joe as fun and easy to get along with. He loved laughter and never shied away from signing autographs for fans.” In addition, “He had a knack for running into people he knew, no matter where he traveled. His warmth and magnetic personality made him a beloved, familiar figure in Santa Monica where he made his home since the early 90s.”
Do you remember Turkel’s iconic roles in “The Shining” and “Blade Runner”? What’s your favorite movie or TV show that Turkel acted in? Are you going to read his memoir when it’s released?
