Sad news has come in as Joe Turkel has passed away. The character actor, whose work includes Paths of Glory, The Shining, and Blade Runner, died peacefully at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California, with sons Craig and Robert by his side. Turkel passed away on Monday, June 27, though his death has just been announced to the public. He was 94 years old.
"Friends and neighbors knew Joe as fun and easy to get along with," a statement from the family reads. "He loved laughter and never shied away from signing autographs for fans. 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. He could be spotted at various restaurants and businesses around town including Fromin’s Deli, Izzy’s, Bagel Nosh, Marmalade, Rosti, Spumonis, Aero Theater, and Pavilions."
The statement added, "Joe was 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. He had a lifelong love affair with baseball and the New York Yankees. He brought his passion for the game to the West LA Little League grandstands where he watched his sons play, then Santa Monica Little League to cheer for his grandson. Until his health prevented him from driving long distance, he loved watching horse races and the pageantry of thoroughbred racing at Santa Anita Park with many of his Hollywood Star friends."
Joe Turkel Had Many Memorable Roles Over the Years
Born in Brooklyn, New York, on July 15, 1927, Turkel had served in the United States Army before moving to California in 1947 in pursuit of an acting career. He made his feature film debut the next year in City Across the River. This would be followed by many other roles in the coming decades, including a memorable role as the ghostly bartender in the Stanley Kubrick classic The Shining; this followed Turkel previously appearing in Kubrick's first major feature The Killing.
Other popular roles in include parts in Ridley Scott's Blade Runner as well as King Rat, The Sand Pebbles, The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, The Dark Side of the Moon, and Bert I. Gordon's The Boy and The Pirates and Tormented. Also a presence on the small screen, Turkel's television work includes The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Sky King, Frontier Doctor, Bat Masterson, The Asphalt Jungle, Mackenzie's Raiders, Kojak, Tales from the Darkside, The Lone Ranger, S.W.A.T., Adam-12, Ironside, The Andy Griffith Show, Ben Casey, The Untouchables, Dragnet, Miami Vice, and Bonanza.
Turkel had also compelted a memoir entitled The Misery of Success prior to his passing. His family plans to publish the book sometime later this year. The book will include Turkel's thoughts with the family describing him as a lifelong Democrat and "Liberal Progressive" with a "steadfast voice for tolerance, inclusiveness, and fairness."
Turkel's survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Craig and Annie Turkel, Robert and Casilde Sesti; his brother David Turkel; and two grandchildren, Ben and Sarah. He is preceded in death by his former wife, close friend, and mother of his children, Anita J. Turkel, and his brother Harold. Our thoughts go out to the family at this painful time. May he rest in peace.