ObitTree Blog

Michael Parks

Actor

April 24, 1940 – May 10, 2017

Talented character actor and Quentin Tarantino favorite Michael Parks, has passed away at the age of 77. The actor’s death was announced by Director Kevin Smith and has since been confirmed by multiple sources.

Parks’ career began during the 1960’s appearing in small roles on television programs. His first big break came when he starred in NBC’s “Then Came Bronson” from 1969 to 1970. Parks also sang the theme song for the show “Long Lonesome Highway” which became a pop and country music hit and led to a series of MGM albums.

Parks continued to act in small roles during the 70s, 80s, and 90s. His career began to resurge in 1990 with a guest appearance in five episodes of the ABC cult classic “Twin Peaks”.

His real success as an actor came later in life when he began to collaborate with director Quentin Tarantino. Parks played Texas Ranger Earl McGraw in four Tarantino productions including “Dusk till Dawn”, “Kill Bill Vol. 1”, “Kill Bill Vol. 2”, and “Grindhouse”. In 2012 the pair worked together again on the film “Django Unchained”. In that same year, Parks appeared as Jack Kirby a comic book artist in the Oscar winning film “Argo”.

Parks was a talented character actor and known for his ability to play multiple roles in the same film. He did this on several occasions including “Kill Bill Vol. 1” and “Tusk”.

Director Kevin Smith announced Parks death saying, “Michael was, and will likely forever remain, the best actor I’ve ever known. I wrote both #RedState and @tuskthemovie FOR Parks, I loved his acting so much. He was, hands-down, the most incredible thespian I ever had the pleasure to watch perform.”

Parks leaves behind a wife and a son.