Charles Tyner (June 8, 1923 – November 8, 2017) was an American film, television and stage character actor best known, principally, for his performances in the films ''

Harold and Maude ''Harold and Maude'' is a 1971 American romantic black comedy–drama film directed by Hal Ashby and released by Paramount Pictures. It incorporates elements of dark humor and existentialist drama. The plot follows the exploits of Harold Chas ...

'' (1971), '' Emperor of the North Pole'' (1973), '' The Longest Yard'' (1974), ''

Planes, Trains and Automobiles ''Planes, Trains and Automobiles'' is a 1987 American comedy film written, produced and directed by John Hughes and starring Steve Martin and John Candy with supporting roles by Laila Robins and Michael McKean. It tells the story of a high-stru ...

'' (1987) and ''

Pulse In medicine, a pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the cardiac cycle (heartbeat) by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed near the surface of the body, such as at the n ...

'' (1988).

Early years

Tyner was a native of

Danville, Virginia Danville is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States, located in the Southside Virginia region and on the fall line of the Dan River. It was a center of tobacco production and was an area of Confederate activit ...

and served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

as a combat infantryman in Germany and France during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

Career

In 1957, Tyner made his debut on Broadway in ''

Orpheus Descending ''Orpheus Descending'' is a three-act play by Tennessee Williams. It was first presented on Broadway on March 17, 1957 but had only a brief run (68 performances) and modest success. It was revived on Broadway in 1989, directed by Peter Hall an ...

''. Two years later, he appeared with

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...

in ''

Sweet Bird of Youth ''Sweet Bird of Youth'' is a 1959 play by Tennessee Williams which tells the story of a gigolo and drifter, Chance Wayne, who returns to his home town as the companion of a faded movie star, Alexandra del Lago (travelling incognito as Princess ...

'' on Broadway. During 1959, Tyner made his film debut with an uncredited part in ''

That Kind of Woman ''That Kind of Woman'' is a 1959 American drama film directed by Sidney Lumet, who was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. It stars Sophia Loren and Tab Hunter. The screenplay by Walter Bernstein, based on ...

''. He worked with Newman again in 1967 as Boss Higgins, the sadistic prison guard in ''

Cool Hand Luke ''Cool Hand Luke'' is a 1967 American prison drama film directed by Stuart Rosenberg, starring Paul Newman and featuring George Kennedy in an Oscar-winning performance. Newman stars in the title role as Luke, a prisoner in a Florida prison ca ...

'' and became a regular character actor, appearing in films such as ''

The Reivers ''The Reivers: A Reminiscence'', published in 1962, is the last novel by the American author William Faulkner. The bestselling novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1963. Faulkner previously won this award for his book '' A Fable'' ...

'', '' Lawman'', ''

'', ''

The Cowboys ''The Cowboys'' is a 1972 American Western film starring John Wayne, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Bruce Dern, and featuring Colleen Dewhurst and Slim Pickens. It was the feature film debut of Robert Carradine. Based on the 1971 novel of the same name ...

'', '' The Outlaw Josey Wales'', and '' Emperor of the North Pole''. One of his better known roles was opposite

Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture. Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...

in the 1974 prison comedy '' The Longest Yard''. Other roles include the evil Howard Rodman in the television series ''

Father Murphy ''Father Murphy'' is an American western drama television series that aired on the NBC network from November 3, 1981, to September 18, 1983. Michael Landon created the series, was the executive producer, and directed the show in partnership wit ...

'' and Gus, the motel owner in ''

''. Tyner returned to the stage in 1977 but continued to appear in films, as well as frequently on television. Tyner's last onscreen appearance was in the 2014 independent short film ''Lucidia''. He died on November 8, 2017.

Selected filmography

*''

'' (1959) - Young Sharecropper, Father (uncredited) *''

Fail Safe In engineering, a fail-safe is a design feature or practice that in the event of a specific type of failure, inherently responds in a way that will cause minimal or no harm to other equipment, to the environment or to people. Unlike inherent safe ...

'' (1964) - Jet Fighter Pilot (voice, uncredited) *''

Lilith Lilith ( ; he, לִילִית, Līlīṯ) is a female figure in Mesopotamian and Judaic mythology, alternatively the first wife of Adam and supposedly the primordial she-demon. Lilith is cited as having been "banished" from the Garden of Ed ...

'' (1964) - Patient (uncredited) *''

'' (1967) - Boss Higgins *'' The Stalking Moon'' (1968) - Dace *''

Gaily, Gaily ''Gaily, Gaily'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''Chicago, Chicago'') is a 1969 American comedy film directed by Norman Jewison. It is a fictionalized adaptation of a 1963 memoir of the same name by Ben Hecht and stars Beau Bridges, Brian K ...

'' (1969) - Dr. Lazarus *''

'' (1969) - Edmonds *''

The Cheyenne Social Club ''The Cheyenne Social Club'' is a 1970 American Western comedy film written by James Lee Barrett, directed and produced by Gene Kelly, and starring James Stewart, Henry Fonda and Shirley Jones. The film is about an aging cowboy who inherits a ...

'' (1970) - Charlie Bannister *''

The Moonshine War ''The Moonshine War'' is a 1970 American crime comedy-drama film directed by Richard Quine, based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Elmore Leonard. It stars Patrick McGoohan, Richard Widmark, Alan Alda, and Will Geer. Plot John "Son" Mart ...

'' (1970) - Mr. McClendon *'' The Traveling Executioner'' (1970) - Virgil *'' Monte Walsh'' (1970) - Doctor *'' Sometimes a Great Notion'' (1970) - Les Gibbons *'' Lawman'' (1971) - Minister *''

'' (1971) - Uncle Victor *''

'' (1972) - Stonemason *'' Jeremiah Johnson'' (1972) - Robidoux *'' Fuzz'' (1972) - Pete Schroeder *''

Bad Company Bad Company are an English rock supergroup that was formed in 1973 by singer Paul Rodgers, guitarist Mick Ralphs, drummer Simon Kirke and bassist Boz Burrell. Bad Company ''AllMusic'' Peter Grant, who managed the rock band Led Zeppelin, a ...

'' (1972) - Egg Farmer *'' Emperor of the North Pole'' (aka ''Emperor of the North'') (1973) - Cracker *'' The Stone Killer'' (1973) - Police Psychiatrist *'' The Midnight Man'' (1974) - Ewing *'' The Longest Yard'' (1974) - Unger *''

Family Plot ''Family Plot'' is a 1976 American black comedy thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock in his final directing role. It was based on Victor Canning's 1972 novel ''The Rainbird Pattern'', which Ernest Lehman adapted for the screen. The film ...

'' (1976) - Wheeler *'' The Outlaw Josey Wales'' (1976) - Zukie Limmer *'' Pete's Dragon'' (1977) - Merle Gogan *''

The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel ''The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel'' is a 1979 American made-for-television medical drama film directed by Guy Green, starring Lindsay Wagner and Jane Wyman (credited as Miss Jane Wyman) with a supporting cast including Andrew Dugg ...

'' (1979) - Doug Slocumb *''

Evilspeak ''Evilspeak'' is a 1981 American horror film directed by Eric Weston and co-written by Weston and Joseph Garofalo. The film stars Clint Howard as an outcast cadet named Stanley Coopersmith, who frequently gets tormented by his mates and advisers ...

'' (1981) - Colonel Kincaid *''

The Incredible Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book a ...

'' (1979-1982) - Roy Darnell *'' Hamburger: The Motion Picture'' (1986) - Lyman Vunk *''

Best Seller A bestseller is a book or other media noted for its top selling status, with bestseller lists published by newspapers, magazines, and book store chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and specialties (novel, nonfiction book, cookb ...

'' (1987) - Cleve's Father *''

'' (1987) - Gus Mooney *''

'' (1988) - Old Man *''Enid Is Sleeping'' (1990) - Man at Indian Burial Site *'' Pastime'' (1990) - Arnold *'' Motorama'' (1991) - Dying Man *''Lucidia'' (2014) - Father Gordon (final film role)

References

External links

* 1925 births 2017 deaths 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors Male actors from Virginia People from Danville, Virginia United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army soldiers {{US-film-actor-1920s-stub