Born: July 15, 1927 – Died: June 27, 2022
Joe Turkel, born Joseph Turkel on July 15, 1927, in Brooklyn, was an American character actor known for his memorable roles in Stanley Kubrick's films such as The Killing, Paths of Glory, and The Shining, as well as his portrayal of Dr. Eldon Tyrell in Blade Runner. With a career spanning decades, Turkel's exceptional talent and versatility made him a sought-after figure in the entertainment industry. Born to Benjamin Turkel, a tailor, and Gazella Goldfisher, a homemaker and occasional opera singer, Turkel's Polish-Jewish immigrant background influenced his captivating performances. Explore the life and work of this remarkable actor whose performances continue to leave a lasting impact.
Early Life and Career
Joe Turkel's got his start in the entertainment industry through his military service. He joined the United States Army when he was seventeen and served in the European Theater of Operations during World War II.
Turkel's first professional role came in 1956 when he appeared in Stanley Kubrick's film "The Killing." Although it was not a major success at the time, his collaboration with Kubrick would prove to be significant for his career. In 1957, Turkel had a notable role in Kubrick's acclaimed anti-war film "Paths of Glory," solidifying his reputation as a talented character actor.
However, it was Turkel's portrayal of Lloyd, the ghostly bartender, in Kubrick's iconic horror film "The Shining" (1980) that catapulted him into wider recognition and cemented his place in film history. The film has since become a classic and Turkel's performance continues to be celebrated.
While Turkel did not receive major awards for his performances, his contributions to the film industry left a lasting impact. He became known for his intense and captivating portrayals that added depth and complexity to his characters.
Turkel's impact on Hollywood and the entertainment industry lies in his memorable performances and associations with acclaimed directors like Stanley Kubrick and roles in significant films like "Blade Runner" and "The Shining." While he may not be widely recognized as an iconic or legendary figure, Turkel's talent and contributions have left an indelible mark on cinema.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Blade Runner (Video Game) | Dr. Eldon Tyrell (voice, as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1990 | The Dark Side of the Moon | Paxton Warner |
| 1988 | Miami Vice (TV Series) | Levec (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1985 | Tales from the Darkside (TV Series) | Kharma (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1982 | Blade Runner | Tyrell |
| 1980 | Fantasy Island (TV Series) | Herb Glazer |
| 1980 | The Shining | Lloyd |
| 1977 | Which Way Is Up? | Harry Boatwright (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1977 | Kojak (TV Series) | Swampgas (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1976 | Police Story (TV Series) | George Keller |
| 1976 | The Commitment | Jules |
| 1975 | The Hindenburg | Detective Moore (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1975 | S.W.A.T. (TV Series) | Freddie |
| 1975 | The Prisoner of Second Avenue | Man Upstairs (voice, uncredited) |
| 1974 | The Sex Symbol (TV Movie) | Director |
| 1973 | Cycle Psycho | Harry (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1972 | Six-Hundred & Sixty Six | Col. Ferguson |
| 1972 | Black Jack | Corazza |
| 1972 | Cade's County (TV Series) | Joe Pitts |
| 1971 | The Chicago Teddy Bears (TV Series) | Police Sgt. Connell |
| 1971 | The Secret Life of Sandra Blain (Short) | Willard (as Joseph Turkell) |
| 1970 | The Animals | Peyote (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1970 | Adam-12 (TV Series) | Vince Warren (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1969 | Scream Free! | (uncredited) |
| 1969 | Land of the Giants (TV Series) | Sergeant |
| 1969 | The Devil's 8 | Sam (as Joseph Turkell) |
| 1968 | Judd for the Defense (TV Series) | Sergeant Marple (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1968 | Ironside (TV Series) | District Attorney (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1961–1968 | Bonanza (TV Series) | Lupe | Private Peters | Thug #1 |
| 1967 | The Rat Patrol (TV Series) | Capt. Bruener (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1967 | The St. Valentine's Day Massacre | Jake 'Greasy Thumb' Guzik (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1967 | The Felony Squad (TV Series) | Alf (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1966 | The Sand Pebbles | Bronson |
| 1966 | The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series) | Fred |
| 1966 | The Wackiest Ship in the Army (TV Series) | George (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1965 | King Rat | Dino (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1965 | Village of the Giants | Sheriff (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1965 | Convoy (TV Series) | Hauptman Launer (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1964 | The Carpetbaggers | Reporter (uncredited) |
| 1964 | Ben Casey (TV Series) | Robert Smith |
| 1964 | Combat! (TV Series) | Klimmer (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1963 | East Side/West Side (TV Series) | Richard Bailey (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1963 | Johnny Cool | Hoodlum (uncredited) |
| 1963 | The Yellow Canary | Policeman |
| 1960–1963 | The Untouchables (TV Series) | Garvin | Deuces Kobler | Birdie Yates ... |
| 1962 | Ripcord (TV Series) | Bush Pilot (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1962 | The Law and Mr. Jones (TV Series) | Parker (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1962 | Wagon Train (TV Series) | Eddie (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1962 | The Dick Powell Theatre (TV Series) | Krackauer (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1961 | The Roaring 20's (TV Series) | Anders (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1961 | Tallahassee 7000 (TV Series) | Dropper (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1961 | Lock Up (TV Series) | Pvt. Givers |
| 1961 | The Aquanauts (TV Series) | Danny |
| 1961 | Portrait of a Mobster | Joe Noe |
| 1961 | The Asphalt Jungle (TV Series) | Max |
| 1961 | Two Faces West (TV Series) | Turner |
| 1961 | The Detectives (TV Series) | Loomis | Charlie |
| 1961 | One Step Beyond (TV Series) | Mario's Friend |
| 1960 | U.S. Marshal (TV Series) | Carl Robinette | Sam Tully (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1960 | Tormented | Nick - The Blackmailer |
| 1958–1960 | Bat Masterson (TV Series) | Fargo | Woody Larkin |
| 1960 | The Boy and the Pirates | Abu the Genie (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1960 | Visit to a Small Planet | Malcolm (uncredited) |
| 1954–1960 | The Lineup (TV Series) | Losier | Jim Paisley |
| 1959 | The Purple Gang | Eddie Olsen (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1959 | Tightrope (TV Series) | Pinky (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1959 | The Texan (TV Series) | Evan McBeem (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1959 | Here Come the Jets | Henley |
| 1959 | The David Niven Show (TV Series) | Menotti (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1959 | Mackenzie's Raiders (TV Series) | Turley (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1959 | Warlock | Chet Haggin (uncredited) |
| 1959 | Verboten! | Infantryman (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1959 | Frontier Doctor (TV Series) | Sear Middleton |
| 1959 | Rescue 8 (TV Series) | Birdy Coogan (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1958 | Tales of the Texas Rangers (TV Series) | Chance Dembrow |
| 1958 | Dragnet (TV Series) | (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1958 | Jefferson Drum (TV Series) | Tom (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1958 | The Case Against Brooklyn | Henchman Monte (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1957–1958 | The Silent Service (TV Series) | Radioman 1st Class Art Kramer | Torpedoman Lyons |
| 1958 | The Bonnie Parker Story | Chuck Darrow |
| 1958 | Boots and Saddles (TV Series) | Ray Martin |
| 1958 | The Beast of Budapest | Martin |
| 1958 | Official Detective (TV Series) | Bill Bush |
| 1957 | Dr. Christian (TV Series) | Philip |
| 1957 | Sky King (TV Series) | Ralph Clark (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1957 | Tombstone Territory (TV Series) | Zeb - Henchman |
| 1957 | The Loretta Young Show (TV Series) | Logan (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1957 | Code 3 (TV Series) | Ricci | Leon Dorsey (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1957 | Paths of Glory | Pvt. Pierre Arnaud (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1957 | The Californians (TV Series) | Hector Bozeman |
| 1957 | House of Numbers | Bradville - Convict (uncredited) |
| 1957 | Jeanne Eagels | Eddie, Reporter (uncredited) |
| 1957 | Beau James | Reporter (uncredited) |
| 1957 | Hellcats of the Navy | Chick (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1957 | The Midnight Story | Lothario at Dance (uncredited) |
| 1957 | The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (TV Series) | Walt Coles | Stubb Cull (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1957 | The Shadow on the Window | Lounger (uncredited) |
| 1957 | Broken Arrow (TV Series) | Pete Marvin (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1956 | The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (TV Series) | Bob Rellance (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1955–1956 | Navy Log (TV Series) | Striker | Norm (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1956 | Friendly Persuasion | Poor Loser (uncredited) |
| 1956 | The Proud and Profane | Patient with Cards (uncredited) |
| 1956 | The Killing | Tiny (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1956 | TV Reader's Digest (TV Series) | Eddie Preisser (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1956 | Inside Detroit | Pete Link (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1955 | Highway Patrol (TV Series) | Charlie Fowler (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1955 | Crossroads (TV Series) | Frank Perroni |
| 1955 | Lucy Gallant | One of Casey's Air Force Buddies (uncredited) |
| 1955 | The Naked Street | Shimmy |
| 1955 | The Lone Ranger (TV Series) | Ray Miles | Judd |
| 1955 | Public Defender (TV Series) | Bill Ewing | Leo Jackson |
| 1955 | Mad at the World | Pete Johnson (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1955 | Damon Runyon Theater (TV Series) | (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1955 | Cell 2455, Death Row | Curly (uncredited) |
| 1954 | I Led 3 Lives (TV Series) | Comrade Leo (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1954 | The Bamboo Prison | P.O.W. (uncredited) |
| 1954 | The Human Jungle | Delinquent Hood (uncredited) |
| 1954 | Return from the Sea | Sailor (uncredited) |
| 1954 | Gypsy Colt | Chuck (uncredited) |
| 1954 | Four Star Playhouse (TV Series) | Willie (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1954 | Duffy of San Quentin | Frank Roberts (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1953 | Man Crazy | Ray |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) | (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1953 | I'm the Law (TV Series) | Duster |
| 1953 | A Slight Case of Larceny | Holdup Man (uncredited) |
| 1953 | The Glass Wall | Freddie (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1952 | The Unexpected (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1952 | Down Among the Sheltering Palms | Pvt. Harris (uncredited) |
| 1952 | Dangerous Assignment (TV Series) | Rudi (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1952 | Boston Blackie (TV Series) | Pinky | Gene (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1951 | Starlift | Litter Case (uncredited) |
| 1951 | Fixed Bayonets! | Soldier (uncredited) |
| 1951 | Halls of Montezuma | Marine (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Southside 1-1000 | Frankie |
| 1950 | Triple Trouble | Benny the Blood (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1950 | Federal Man | Jack 'Sneeze' Norton (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1950 | Lucky Losers | Johnny Angelo (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1949 | So You Want to Get Rich Quick (Short) | 'Stinky' McDoakes (uncredited) |
| 1949 | Angels in Disguise | Johnny Mutton (as Joseph Turkel) |
| 1949 | Sword in the Desert | Haganah Soldier (uncredited) |
| 1949 | Johnny Stool Pigeon | Bellboy (uncredited) |
| 1949 | City Across the River | Shimmy Stockton (as Joseph Turkel) |
