'Kill Bill' and 'Twin Peaks' actor Michael Parks dies at 77

NEW YORK (AP) -- Michael Parks, a prolific character actor and a favorite of directors Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith, has died. He was 77.

Parks' agent, Jane Schulman, says the actor died Tuesday in Los Angeles. No cause of death was announced.

In a career that spanned five decades, Parks acted in more than 100 films and TV shows, including "Twin Peaks." Many of his early starring roles were countercultural 1960s films, including "Wild Seed" and "Bus Riley's Back in Town," alongside Ann-Margret. He starred as a disillusioned, motorcycle-riding newsman in the 1969 series "Then Came Bronson."

Parks' career enjoyed a rebirth thanks to the interest of Tarantino, Smith and Robert Rodriguez. He had memorable parts in Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films, Rodriguez's "From Dusk till Dawn" and Smith's "Tusk."

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I hate to report that my cinematic muse #michaelparks has passed away. 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. And Parks brought out the absolute best in me every time he got near my set. From the moment I saw him steal the opening scene of #fromdusktildawn at an advance screening at the Sunset 5 back in the mid-90's, I said to @samosier "Could you imagine what it must be like to work with a Yoda of acting like that guy? I gotta write for him one day." It took me 15 years but my dream came true on Red State (for which Parks won Best Actor at the @sitgesfestival) and then again years later with #tusk. Only Michael Parks could have delivered the line "Is man indeed a walrus at heart?" and make it scary as fuck. My favorite memory of Michael is watching him and #johnnydepp act with and at each other, like a couple of dueling wizards, in their shared scene in Tusk. Parks was in Heaven that day, sharing the screen with another brilliant actor and creating an unforgettable performance. He elevated any flick or TV show he was in and elevated every director he ever acted for. I was so fucking blessed to have worked with this bonafide genius. But really, I was just lucky to have known him at all. My heart goes out to James (Michael's son), Oriana (Michael's wife), Quentin Tarantino (Michael's biggest fan) and any movie or music lover who was ever dazzled by the talents of Michael Parks. Farewell, old friend. I'll see you farther along... #KevinSmith #actor #genius #rip #walrusyes

A post shared by Kevin Smith (@thatkevinsmith) on May 10, 2017 at 8:13am PDT

Goodnight, Michael Parks (1940–2017). He elevated every series and film he was in, from THEN CAME BRONSON to TWIN PEAKS to KILL BILL. pic.twitter.com/V5v3S3sruQ
— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) May 10, 2017