Timothy Agoglia Carey (March 11, 1929 – May 11, 1994) was an American film and television

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

. Carey was best known for portraying manic or violent characters who are driven to extremes.

Career

He made his screen debut with a minor role in

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Holl ...

's 1951 movie ''Ace in the Hole'' (alternately titled ''The Big Carnival''). One of Carey's most recognized early roles is in the 1956

Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...

film '' The Killing'', in which he portrays a gunman hired to shoot a racehorse as a diversion from a

racetrack A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also u ...

robbery. Kubrick then cast him in his next film, the World War I drama ''

Paths of Glory ''Paths of Glory'' is a 1957 American anti-war film co-written and directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on the novel of the same name by Humphrey Cobb. Set during World War I, the film stars Kirk Douglas as Colonel Dax, the commanding officer of ...

'' (1957), as one of three soldiers accused of cowardice. During the filming of ''Paths of Glory'', Carey was reportedly disruptive and tried to draw more attention to his character. Due to this behavior, a scene in which Carey and the other actors were served a duck dinner as a final meal before execution took 57 takes to complete. Carey then faked his own kidnapping to generate personal publicity, which prompted Kubrick and producer

James B. Harris James B. Harris (born August 3, 1928) is an American film screenwriter, producer, and director. Born in New York City, he attended the Juilliard School before entering the film industry. He worked with film director Stanley Kubrick as a produ ...

to fire him. As a result, the film does not depict the three condemned soldiers during the battle scene, and a

double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * Th ...

was used during a scene in which a priest hears Carey's character's confession. The scene was filmed with the double's back to the camera. The 1957 film ''

Bayou In usage in the Southern United States, a bayou () is a body of water typically found in a flat, low-lying area. It may refer to an extremely slow-moving stream, river (often with a poorly defined shoreline), marshy lake, wetland, or creek. They ...

'' (later retitled ''Poor White Trash'') features one of Carey's few leading roles, as a demented Cajun shopkeeper named Ulysses. Carey also has roles in '' East of Eden'', ''

The Wild One ''The Wild One'' is a 1953 American crime film directed by László Benedek and produced by Stanley Kramer. The picture is most noted for the character of Johnny Strabler, portrayed by Marlon Brando, whose persona became a cultural icon of the 1 ...

'', ''

One-Eyed Jacks ''One-Eyed Jacks'' is a 1961 American Western film directed by and starring Marlon Brando, his only directorial credit. Brando portrays the lead character Rio, and Karl Malden plays his partner, "Dad" Longworth. The supporting cast features Pin ...

'', ''

The Boy and the Pirates ''The Boy and the Pirates'' is a 1960 American adventure film directed by Bert I. Gordon, known as a master of giant monster films. It stars a popular child star Charles Herbert and Gordon's daughter Susan. The storyline concerns a boy and girl t ...

'', ''

Bikini Beach ''Bikini Beach'' is a 1964 American teen film directed by William Asher and starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. The film belongs to the beach party genre of movies, popular in the 1960s. This is the third in the series of seven films ...

'', ''

Beach Blanket Bingo ''Beach Blanket Bingo'' is a 1965 American beach party film directed by William Asher. It is the fifth film in the Beach Party film series. The film stars Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Linda Evans, Deborah Walley, Paul Lynde, and Don Rickl ...

'' and the

John Cassavetes John Nicholas Cassavetes ( ; December 9, 1929 – February 3, 1989) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. First known as a television and film actor, Cassavetes also helped pioneer American independent cinema, writing and dire ...

–directed films ''

Minnie and Moskowitz ''Minnie and Moskowitz'' is a 1971 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by John Cassavetes and starring his wife Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel in the title roles of Minnie and Moskowitz, respectively. Plot Seymour Moskow ...

'' and ''

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie ''The Killing of a Chinese Bookie'' is a 1976 American neo-noir crime film written and directed by John Cassavetes and starring Ben Gazzara. A rough and gritty film, this is the second of their three collaborations, following ''Husbands'' and pre ...

''.

Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five A ...

was eager to cast Carey as Luca Brasi in ''

The Godfather ''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same title. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, ...

'', but Carey turned down the part so he could film a television pilot called "Tweet’s Ladies of Pasadena", which was never sold or broadcast. The proposed TV show starred Carey as a character named Tweet Twig, who could bring animals back from the dead. He plays a minor role as the Angel of Death in the comedy film ''

D.C. Cab ''D.C. Cab'' (also known as ''Street Fleet'') is a 1983 American comedy film written and directed by Joel Schumacher, based on a story by Topper Carew and Schumacher, and starring Max Gail, Adam Baldwin, Mr. T, Charlie Barnett, Gary Busey, Mar ...

'', and appears in the

Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conce ...

self-parody musical comedy ''

Head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may ...

''. His final appearance is in the 1986 movie ''

Echo Park Echo Park is a neighborhood in the east-central region of Los Angeles, California. Located to the northwest of Downtown, it is bordered by Silver Lake to the west and Chinatown to the east. The culturally diverse neighborhood has become known fo ...

''. Carey also did a select amount of acting on television from the 1950s through the 1980s. According to director

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, Black comedy, dark humor, Nonlinear narrative, non-lin ...

, Carey auditioned for the role of Joe Cabot in Tarantino's ''

Reservoir Dogs ''Reservoir Dogs'' is a 1992 American crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino in his feature-length debut. It stars Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen, Tarantino, and Edward Bunke ...

''. Although Carey did not get the role, the screenplay is dedicated to him, among others. Carey's face (from the movie ''The Killing'') is positioned behind

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...

on the cover of

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

album '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. Although Carey's image does not appear on the commercially released version of the cover, it can be seen on outtake photos from the ''Sgt. Pepper'' session. Carey also portrays the character Charles Buster Rilla, a deranged gunman, in the 1966 episode “Quaker Girl” (S12E12) on the long-running

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

''. He has a minor role as well as Bert in "Ransom for a Dead Man", a

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

for the series ''

Columbo ''Columbo'' () is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originally aired on NBC f ...

'', which guest-stars

Lee Grant Lee Grant (born Lyova Haskell Rosenthal; October 31, during the mid-1920s) is an American actress, documentarian, and director. She made her film debut in 1951 as a young shoplifter in William Wyler's ''Detective Story'', co-starring Kirk Dougl ...

and originally aired on March 1, 1971. Carey reprised that role in the Columbo episode "Dead Weight", which guest-stars

Eddie Albert Edward Albert Heimberger (April 22, 1906 – May 26, 2005) was an American actor and activist. He was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor; the first nomination came in 1954 for his performance in ''Roman Holiday'', ...

and

Suzanne Pleshette Suzanne Pleshette (January 31, 1937 – January 19, 2008) was an American theatre, film, television, and voice actress. Pleshette started her career in the theatre and began appearing in films in the late 1950s and later appeared in prominent ...

and was first broadcast on October 27, 1971.

''The World's Greatest Sinner''

Carey wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the 1962 feature ''

The World's Greatest Sinner ''The World's Greatest Sinner'' is a 1962 American drama film written, directed, and produced by, and starring Timothy Carey. Narrated by voice actor Paul Frees, the film focuses on a frustrated atheist named Clarence Hilliard (later God Hilliard) ...

'', whose music soundtrack was scored by a young, pre-

Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as The Mothers) was an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B band c ...

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...

. Although it did not have wide commercial release, the film achieved cult status through repeated screenings at the "midnight movies" in Los Angeles in the 1960s. During a 1963 appearance on ''

The Steve Allen Show ''The Steve Allen Show'' was an American variety show hosted by Steve Allen from June 1956 to June 1960 on NBC, from September 1961 to December 1961 on American Broadcasting Company, ABC,

'' during which he generated musical sounds on bicycles, Zappa talked about scoring the soundtrack for ''The World's Greatest Sinner'', which he called "the world's worst movie." The movie was featured as a midnight show at the TCM Festival in Hollywood in April 2018. His son Romeo Carey introduced the film.

Personal life

Carey was born in

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Bay Ridge is a neighborhood in the southwest corner of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bounded by Sunset Park to the north, Dyker Heights to the east, the Narrows and the Belt Parkway to the west, and Fort Hamilton Army Base and ...

to a family of Italian and Irish descent. Carey and his wife Doris had six children: Romeo, Mario, Velencia, Silvana, Dagmar, and Germain. Carey died of a

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

in 1994 at the age of 65 in Los Angeles."Timothy Carey, 65, A Character Actor,"
obituary, ''The New York Times'', May 17, 1994 His body is

interred Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...

Rose Hills Memorial Park Rose Hills Memorial Park is located in Whittier, California. It is currently owned and operated by Service Corporation International (formerly, Loewen Group). It claims to be the largest cemetery in North America. Sites ; Mausoleums * Whittier ...

Whittier, California Whittier () is a city in Southern California in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, part of the Gateway Cities. The city had 87,306 residents as of the 2020 United States census, an increase of 1,975 from the 2010 United States ...

Partial filmography

* '' Ace in the Hole'' (a.k.a. ''The Big Carnival'') (1951) * '' Across the Wide Missouri'' (1951) – Baptiste DuNord (uncredited) * '' Hellgate'' (1952) – Wyand (uncredited) * '' Bloodhounds of Broadway'' (1952) – Crockett Pace (uncredited) * ''

White Witch Doctor ''White Witch Doctor'' is a 1953 Technicolor adventure film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Susan Hayward, Robert Mitchum, and Walter Slezak. Made by 20th Century Fox, it was produced by Otto Lang (film producer), Otto Lang from a screenp ...

'' (1953) – Jarrett * '' Crime Wave'' (1953) – Johnny Haslett (uncredited) * ''

'' (1953) – Chino's Boy #1 (uncredited) * ''

Alaska Seas ''Alaska Seas'' is a 1954 American crime film noir directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Robert Ryan and Brian Keith. The supporting cast features Jan Sterling, Gene Barry and Aaron Spelling. The picture is a loose remake of the 1938 film ''Spawn ...

'' (1954) – Wycoff * '' East of Eden'' (1955) – Joe (uncredited) * ''

Finger Man ''Finger Man'' is a 1955 American crime film noir directed by Harold D. Schuster starring Frank Lovejoy, Forrest Tucker and Peggie Castle .. Plot Ex-convict Casey Martin (Lovejoy) is caught heisting a truck shipment. After he discovers the de ...

'' (1955) – Lou Terpe * ''

Francis in the Navy ''Francis in the Navy'' is a 1955 American black-and-white comedy film from Universal-International, produced by Stanley Rubin and directed by Arthur Lubin. The film stars Donald O'Connor and Martha Hyer, and marked the first credited film role of ...

'' (1955) – Auctioneer's Helper (uncredited) * ''

I'll Cry Tomorrow ''I'll Cry Tomorrow'' (1955) is a biopic that tells the story of Lillian Roth, a Broadway star who rebels against the pressure of her domineering mother and struggles with alcoholism after the death of her fiancé. It stars Susan Hayward, Richard ...

'' (1955) – Derelict (uncredited) * '' The Killing'' (1956) – Nikki Arcane * ''

Francis in the Haunted House ''Francis in the Haunted House'' is a 1956 American comedy film from Universal-International, produced by Robert Arthur, directed by Charles Lamont, that stars Mickey Rooney and Virginia Welles. This is the seventh and final film in Universal-In ...

'' (1956) – Hugo * '' The Last Wagon'' (1956) – Cole Harper (uncredited) * ''

Flight to Hong Kong ''Flight to Hong Kong'' is a 1956 American crime film noir directed by Joseph M. Newman and starring Rory Calhoun, Barbara Rush, Dolores Donlon. The film was co-produced by Newman's Sabre Productions and was the first of Rory Calhoun's Rorvic ...

'' (1956) – Lagarto * ''

Rumble on the Docks ''Rumble on the Docks'' is a 1956 American crime film noir directed by Fred F. Sears and starring James Darren. Plot Jimmy Smigelski, living near the docks of Brooklyn, is quick to help when a neighborhood girl, Della, and her little brother are ...

'' (1956) – Frank Mangus * ''

'' (a.k.a. ''Poor White Trash'') (1957) – Ulysses * '' House of Numbers'' (1957) – Frenchy – Arnie's Cell Mate (uncredited) * ''

'' (1957) – Private Maurice Ferol * ''

Unwed Mother A single parent is a person who has a child or children but does not have a spouse or live-in partner to assist in the upbringing or support of the child. Reasons for becoming a single parent include divorce, break-up, abandonment, becoming wid ...

'' (1958) – Doctor * ''

Revolt in the Big House ''Revolt in the Big House'' is a 1958 American film noir directed by R. G. Springsteen and starring Gene Evans, Robert Blake and Timothy Carey. Portions of the film were shot on location at Folsom State Prison in California. Blacklisted screen ...

'' (1958) – Ed 'Bugsy' Kyle * ''

The Gunfight at Dodge City ''The Gunfight at Dodge City'' is a 1959 DeLuxe Color Western (genre), Western CinemaScope film. It was produced by the Mirisch Company, directed by Joseph M. Newman, co-written by Martin Goldsmith (screenwriter), Martin Goldsmith and Daniel B. ...

'' (1959) – Forbes, Regan's Deputy (uncredited) * ''

'' (1960) – Morgan * ''

'' (1961) – Howard Tetley * '' The Second Time Around'' (1961) – Bonner * ''

'' (1962) – Clarence Hilliard * ''

Mermaids of Tiburon ''Mermaids of Tiburon'' (in a modified version also known as ''Aqua Sex'' ...

'' (1962) – Milo Sangster * ''

Convicts 4 ''Convicts 4'', also known as ''Reprieve,'' is a 1962 prison film drama starring Ben Gazzara and directed by Millard Kaufman. The film is a fictionalized version of the life of death row convict John Resko, who wrote his autobiography: ''Reprieve ...

'' (1962) – Nick * ''

Shock Treatment ''Shock Treatment'' is a 1981 American musical comedy film directed by Jim Sharman, and co-written by Sharman and Richard O'Brien. It is a follow-up to the 1975 film ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show''. While not an outright sequel, the film doe ...

'' (1964) – Hulking Patient (uncredited) * ''

'' (1964) – South Dakota Slim * ''

Rio Conchos The Río Conchos (Conchos River) is a large river in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It joins the Río Bravo del Norte (known in the United States as the Rio Grande) at the town of Ojinaga, Chihuahua. Description The Rio Conchos is the main rive ...

'' (1964) – Chico (uncredited) * ''

'' (1965) – South Dakota Slim * ''

Duel at Diablo ''Duel at Diablo'' is a 1966 American Western film starring James Garner in his first Western after leaving the long-running tv series ''Maverick'', as well as Sidney Poitier in his first ever Western. Based on Marvin H. Albert's 1957 novel '' ...

'' (1966) – Deputy Clem (uncredited) * ''

A Time for Killing ''A Time for Killing'' is a 1967 Western film directed originally by Roger Corman but finished by Phil Karlson. Filmed in Panavision and Pathécolor, it stars Glenn Ford, George Hamilton, Inger Stevens, and Harrison Ford (credited as Harriso ...

'' (1967) – Billy Cat * ''

Waterhole No. 3 ''Waterhole #3'' is a 1967 Western comedy film directed by William A. Graham. It is considered to be a comic remake of ''The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly''. The film stars James Coburn, Carroll O'Connor and Margaret Blye. The cast also include ...

'' (1967) – Hilb * ''

'' (1968) – Lord High 'n Low * ''

Change of Habit ''Change of Habit'' is a 1969 American crime drama musical film directed by William A. Graham and starring Elvis Presley and Mary Tyler Moore. Written by James Lee, S.S. Schweitzer, and Eric Bercovici, based on a story by John Joseph and Richar ...

'' (1969) – Ajax Market Manager (uncredited) * ''

Tweet's Ladies of Pasadena ''Tweet's Ladies of Pasadena'' is a 1970 cult film written, produced, directed and starring Timothy Carey. The film was originally shot as a pilot for a potential television series. Premise A man, Tweet, is a member of a roller skating Ro ...

'' (1970) – Tweet Twig * ''

What's the Matter with Helen? ''What's the Matter With Helen?'' is a 1971 American exploitation horror film directed by Curtis Harrington and starring Debbie Reynolds and Shelley Winters. Plot Leonard Hill and Wesley Bruckner are seen being loaded into a paddy wagon to face ...

'' (1971) – The Tramp * ''

'' (1971) – Morgan Morgan * ''

Get to Know Your Rabbit ''Get to Know Your Rabbit'' is a 1972 American comedy film written by Jordan Crittenden and directed by Brian De Palma. Plot Corporate executive Donald Beeman, fed up with the rat race, impulsively quits his job and takes to the road as a traveli ...

'' (1972) – Policeman (uncredited) * '' The Outfit'' (1973) – Jake Menner * '' Peeper'' (1976) – Sid * ''

'' (1976) – Flo * ''

Chesty Anderson, USN ''Chesty Anderson, U.S. Navy'' is a 1976 R-rated comedy film featuring Shari Eubank as Chesty Anderson, a WAVE (Woman Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) in the U.S. Navy. When one of her friends goes missing, Chesty and several fellow WAV ...

'' (1976) – Vincent * ''

Speedtrap Speed limits are enforced on most public roadways by authorities, with the purpose to improve driver compliance with speed limits. Methods used include roadside speed traps set up and operated by the police and automated roadside 'speed camera' ...

'' (1977) – Loomis * '' Hard Knocks'' (1979) * ''

Fast-Walking ''Fast-Walking'' is a 1982 American prison drama film directed, produced, and written by James B. Harris, based on Ernest Brawley's 1974 novel ''The Rap''. The film stars James Woods, Tim McIntire, Kay Lenz, Robert Hooks, and M. Emmet Walsh. ...

'' (1982) – Bullet * ''

'' (1983) – Angel Of Death * ''

'' (1985) – Vinnie

References

External links

* *
''Psychotronic Video Magazine'' 1990 interview with Timothy Carey

''Cashiers du Cinemart'' profile

"The Brooklyn Cajun: Timothy Carey in ''Poor White Trash''"
by

Jim Knipfel Jim Knipfel (pronounced Kah-nipfel; born June 2, 1965) is an American novelist, autobiographer, and journalist. A native of Wisconsin, Knipfel, who suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, is the author of three memoirs, ''Slackjaw'', ''Quitting the N ...

, at ''The Chiseler'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Carey, Timothy 1929 births 1994 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male television actors American people of Irish descent American people of Italian descent Burials at Rose Hills Memorial Park Male actors from Los Angeles Male actors from New York City People from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn