J.T. Walsh’s first big break was playing the role of Sgt. Major Dickerson in Good Morning, Vietnam, opposite Robin Williams. Dickerson was a petty, vindictive character and Walsh excelled at making him easy to loathe. He would build up a selection of similar roles in the following years, including a sinister movie executive in The Big Picture and a slimy Alderman in Backdraft.

He received acclaim for a supporting appearance in A Few Good Men, and his string of villains would continue with thrillers Red Rock West opposite Nicolas Cage and Needful Things, an adaptation of the Stephen King novel. Walsh would also collaborate with Kurt Russell (The Hateful Eight) several times, including playing an opportunist politician in Executive Decision and the intense thriller Breakdown. The latter project would give Walsh arguably one of his best parts, as the calculating kidnapper of Russell’s wife.

His final roles saw him share the screen with Samuel L. Jackson in thriller The Negotiator and comedy-drama Pleasantville with Tobey Maguire (Spider-Man). Tragically, the actor died at the age of 54 from a heart attack in 1998, with his final performances dedicated to his memory. Jack Nicholson would also dedicate his Academy Award for As Good As It Gets to Walsh’s memory.