J.T. Walsh was a brilliant actor who had the ability to infiltrate himself in various movies and roles without making a big scene. Best known for his roles in Sling Blade, A Few Good Men and Dark Skies, in his 23 years as an actor, he accomplished a lot and was nominated for Primetime Emmy for his role in the movie, Hope.
Sadly, in 1998, the actor ed away from a heart attack at Grossmont Hospital in San Diego. He was a late bloomer and began his career at 31, which arguably didn't give him enough time to meet his full potential.
Dark Skies (1996-1997): 7.7
Dark Skies was a sci-fi television series that first aired in September 1996 and broadcasted on NBC. The storyline of the show surrounded the idea that aliens have lived along with humans for quite some time and that the government has been covering it up.
The story includes the assassination by the aliens of former President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, during their attempt at world domination. J.T. Walsh played the character of Captain Frank Bach, who uses all means available to maintain the agenda of keeping the operation a secret.
A Few Good Men (1992): 7.7
Aaron Sorkin. Here J.T. Walsh was cast to play the role of Matthew Andrew Markinson, better known as Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson.
The actor worked alongside his good friend Jack Nicholson, who played the part of Jessup. The director of the movie, Rob Reiner, changed the way Markinson killed himself in the play, but it otherwise stays quite true to the original story.
The Equalizer (1985-1989): 7.8
The Equalizer is a crime drama series that had four seasons in total in which Robert McCall (Edward Woodward) is a retired agent that used to work for the intelligence. He decided to become a private detective in order to help clients from all walks of life who are in danger.
He used his connections and well-equipped skill set to help the cause. In the series, J.T. Walsh had a brief role in two episodes where he was cast to play the character of Andrew Banks.
Misery (1990): 7.8
Kathy Bates for her impeccable performance in the leading role.
The movie has a rather disturbing plot and deals with the car crash of a well-known author who is "saved" by a fan. It turns out that he falls into her trap of abuse and confinement. Here J.T. Walsh portrays the role of State Trooper Sherman Douglas, who has a very brief appearance.
Little Gloria... Happy At Last (1982): 7.9
J.T. Walsh had a small role in one episode of the miniseries Little Gloria... Happy at Last. The series is about the early life of Gloria Vanderbilt, torn between her self-indulging mother and her aunt who were fighting for her custody in court.
When her father died, Gloria was left with a large estate and a lot of money, which ultimately was the reason why her relatives were fighting over her.
The Edge Of Night (1956-1984): 7.9
The Edge of Night is a famous crime series that aired for an astonishing 28 years and had over 7,000 episodes. The story is based in the city of Monticello, where a group of attorneys solves crimes. Just by doing their job, they help many residents of the city.
Over the course of the years, more than 200 actors and actresses worked on the series. J.T. Walsh was cast to play a small role as Ken Bloom and he starred in a total of nine episodes.
Hannah And Her Sisters (1986): 7.9
Hannah and Her Sisters is a comedy-drama written and directed by Woody Allen, who has a habit of placing himself in his movies in small roles.
The movie tells the story of the three sisters of Hannah. Her husband falls for her sister, Lee, who's husband enters a relationship with the third sister, Holly. In this entire mess of events, J.T. Walsh played the role of Ed Smythe, who is a friend of Mickey (Woody Allen).
The Ellen Burstyn Show (1986-1987): 8.0
The Ellen Burstyn Show was a short-lived sitcom of 13 episodes created by David Frankel. The story revolves around Ellen Brewer (Ellen Brewer), who is an accomplished writer and lives with her daughter Molly Brewer Ross (Megan Mullally), her grandson Nick Ross (Jesse R. Tendler) and, on top of everything, her incredibly sarcastic mother, Sydney Brewer (Elaine Stritch).
J.T. Walsh was cast to play the role of Dan Hodges in one episode. If the series had run for longer, perhaps he would have had more appearances.
Sling Blade (1996): 8.0
Sling Blade is a famous drama that was awarded an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. J.T Walsh was cast to play the role of Charles Bushman, who is a psychiatric patient in Arkansas. He was detained due to his sex-crimes and becomes closely acquainted with another patient in the facility, Karl Childers (Billy Bob Thornton).
Together, they share their stories while coping with life away from the real world. Billy Bob Thornton was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
The X-Files (1993-2018): 8.6
The X-Files is a famous science fiction series that was awarded five Golden Globes. The show broadcast for 25 years and it had 11 seasons and over 200 episodes.
J.T. Walsh was cast to play a brief role in the fifth episode of season 3. Warden Leo Brodeur is a prison warden who tried to assist the agents in solving a murder that happened in the jail he works at.