RoboCop Actors You May Not Know Passed Away
The original "RoboCop" from 1987 is an undeniable classic of both the action and science-fiction genres. With heady sci-fi concepts, an expansive futuristic Detroit, explosive gunfights, gory violence, and incisive social commentary, "RoboCop" really does have it all. This crowd-pleasing film even received Oscar nominations in the editing and sound categories and won a special achievement award for sound effects editing. Director Paul Verhoeven's particular style of excess is a perfect fit for the screenplay co-written by Michael Miner and Edward Neumeier, the latter of whom also wrote the satirical "Starship Troopers" for Verhoeven.
Given that the first "RoboCop" movie is over three decades old, a number of cast members from the original film and its two direct sequels have sadly passed away in the years since. The legacy of the film and these actors' careers lives on, so let's celebrate their achievements. This list serves as an in-memoriam for the casts of the original "RoboCop," 1990's "RoboCop 2" directed by Irvin Kershner, and 1993's "RoboCop 3" directed by Fred Dekker.
Dan O'Herlihy as the Old Man
Though his character was never given a proper name, Dan O'Herlihy left a major impression as the Old Man in "RoboCop." He was the CEO of Omni Consumer Products, the company that built RoboCop and ED-209. His most memorable moment arrives at the end of the film, when he fires Ronny Cox's Jones character so that RoboCop can kill him without violating his prime directive. O'Herlihy left such an impression as the Old Man that he was one of the few actors to reprise his role in "RoboCop 2."
O'Herlihy's most significant role after "RoboCop" was as Andrew Packard on Season 2 of "Twin Peaks." Everyone in town believes that Packard died in a boat explosion years earlier, so his sudden appearance comes as quite a shock to both the viewers and the residents of Twin Peaks alike. O'Herlihy appeared in well over 100 movies and television shows throughout his career, which began in the 1940s. He appeared in projects like "Macbeth," "Bonanza," and "Robinson Crusoe," amongst many other roles. Horror film fans will likely recognize him as Conal Cochran, the Stonehenge obsessed villain of "Halloween 3: Season of the Witch." O'Herlihy passed away in 2005 of natural causes. He was 85 years old.
Robert DoQui as Sgt. Reed
Character actor Robert DoQui filled the shoes of Sergeant Warren Reed in all three "RoboCop" movies. He was one of very few actors to appear in all three films; even RoboCop himself, Peter Weller, had been replaced with a different actor by the third film. In addition to Sgt. Reed, DoQui frequently found himself playing similar law-enforcement characters. Even from the beginning of his career in the 1960s, DoQui was already making a habit of playing police officers, lieutenants, and sergeants. Outside of acting, DoQui served for a decade on the board of directors for the Screen Actors Guild, as noted by Variety at the time of his passing.
The early stages of Robert DoQui's career were largely spent guest-starring on television shows. 1960s shows like "The Fugitive," "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," "Get Smart," "Iron Side," and "Gun Smoke" all made use of DoQui's talents, sometimes in multiple episodes as different characters. As his career progressed, DoQui began appearing in movies alongside television series, including in the Robert Altman films "Nashville" and "Short Cuts." He also began voice-acting and lent his voice to major series like "Batman: The Animated Series." DoQui passed away at the age of 75 from natural causes.
Miguel Ferrer as Morton
Miguel Ferrer played Morton on "RoboCop," one of the Omni Consumer Products employees present for the activation of RoboCop. After snorting a bunch of cocaine and getting shot repeatedly in the legs, Morton and his house get blown up by a grenade left behind by the movie's main baddie, Clarence Boddicker. Ferrer was known for television series like "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "Crossing Jordan," as well as for movies like "Hot Shots! Part Deux" and Steven Soderbergh's "Traffic." His gravelly voice was suited to voice-acting, and Ferrer lent his voice to projects like "Superman: The Animated Series," "Jackie Chan Adventures," and "Adventure Time."
One of Miguel Ferrer's most beloved roles was as FBI special agent Albert Rosenfield on "Twin Peaks," which also featured his "RoboCop" co-stars Dan O'Herlihy and Ray Wise. Ferrer reprised his role as Albert Rosenfield in the "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" movie in 1992. He would go on to reprise the role one last time 25 years after the end of the series in the Showtime revival "Twin Peaks: The Return." Ferrer passed away in 2017 after filming was complete, but four months before the release of the series, making it his final full-length project.
Ferrer passed away of throat cancer at the age of 61. George Clooney, who was Ferrer's cousin, spoke at a memorial service held at Paramount Studios, via The Hollywood Reporter. "He came in like a comet, he rocketed through life and he got out."
Jerry Haynes as Dr. McNamara
Filling the role of Dr. McNamara in the original "RoboCop," the man who pilots ED-209, was Jerry Haynes. The Dallas-born actor got his big break as Pat Powers on the fourth and fifth seasons of the massively popular soap opera "Dallas." In the years after "RoboCop," Haynes appeared on series like the Chuck Norris led "Walker, Texas Ranger" and movies like the Hilary Swank vehicle "Boys Don't Cry."
Though not listed on IMDb, the role Jerry Haynes is likely best known for to many viewers was as the host of the children's show "Mr. Peppermint." The show aired on the Dallas-based television station WFAA and ran for 35 years with more than 6,000 total episodes, as noted by The Dallas Morning News. Jerry Haynes was also the father of Gibby Haynes, the lead singer of the rock band The Butthole Surfers. Haynes was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2008 and passed away in 2011 from complications of the disease at 84. The city of Dallas remembers Jerry Haynes as a legendary local, via Dear Dallas.
Mario Machado as Casey Wong
Mario Machada is one of the other few actors to appear in all three main "RoboCop" movies. His character, Casey Wong, was seen on television screens throughout the "RoboCop" franchise as the host of "Media Break," the fictional news program often used within the film as a to deliver scathing social commentary. But Mario Machado didn't just act as a news anchor, he lived it. Outside of "RoboCop," Machado was a news anchor and reporter for Los Angeles radio and television for several years, via The Los Angeles Times. Casey Wong's co-host on "Media Break," Jesse Perkins, was played by another real-life news host and reporter: Leeza Gibbons.
Machado appeared in many other films such as "Rocky III," "Saint Elmo's Fire," and "Scarface," as well as TV shows like "Murder She Wrote," "Blind Ambition," and "Police Story." He was frequently cast as reporters, hosts, and interviewers in line with his main career in journalism. Mario Machado passed away at the age of 78. The cause of death was complications of pneumonia, via The Hollywood Reporter.
Spencer Prokop as Gas Station Attendant
Spencer Prokop had a small but memorable role in the first "RoboCop" movie as the geometry-studying gas station attendant who gets robbed by Paul McCrane's Emil, one of Boddicker's thugs. Prokop's role is a non-verbal part, and he didn't do all that much film acting throughout his career. "RoboCop" was Prokop's first credit, and most of his roles in the years to follow were both small and few and far between.
Prokop was perhaps best known as a writer and as a theatrical performer based primarily out of Dallas, via Dallas News. He was also a founder of Lone Star Comedy, a sketch and improv comedy troupe. As both a writer and a dubbing vocal performer, Prokop was deeply involved in the localization of several Japanese anime projects, via Anime News Network. He contributed to the translations and adapted screenplays of anime series like "One Piece" and "Darker Than Black" amongst others. Video gaming was yet another medium that Prokop got involved in. He lent his voice to video games like "Deus Ex" and "Age of Empires II." Prokop passed away in 2009 after a battle with Pancreatic cancer (per Art & Seek). He was 51 years old.
Galyn Görg as Angie
Galyn Görg joined the cast of "RoboCop" during the second installment as leather-clad Angie. She meets a memorable demise when the Cain robot lifts her into the air and snaps her neck after a moment of perceived tenderness. Görg was another "RoboCop" cast member to appear on the "Twin Peaks" television series. She played Nancy O'Reilly, sister to Blackie of the One Eyed Jack's brothel and casino.
Görg appeared in other films like "Point Break" and "Storyville," but much of her career was spent in television. She often guest-starred on individual episodes of popular TV shows including "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," "Xena: Warrior Princess," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and "Parks and Recreation" amongst others. Outside of acting, she was known for her dancing. Her break into the film industry came after appearing as a featured dancer in the music video for the ZZ Top song "Sharp Dressed Man." Görg passed away of cancer in 2020, one day before her 56th birthday, via The Hollywood Reporter.
Stephen Lee as Duffy
Stephen Lee took on the role of Duffy, one of the Detroit police officers who winds up on RoboCop's bad side in the second film. Duffy began acting in the 1980s and continued working regularly all the way into the 2010s, accruing over 100 movie and TV credits. "War Games" was an early break-out role for Duffy, and he spent much of the his career guest-starring on television shows like "The Dukes of Hazzard," "Hill Street Blues," "Rosanne," "The Love Boat," "CSI," "Seinfeld," "ER," and "The Golden Girls," amongst dozens of others.
The shows "Nash Bridges," "Dark Angel," and "Quantum Leap" all afforded Duffy prominent recurring characters. In addition to "RoboCop 2," Duffy appeared in the films "The Pit and the Pendulum," and "The Negotiator." His final role was as Dwight in Burlesque. Lee passed away at the age of 58 in 2014. The cause of death was a heart attack, via The Hollywood Reporter.
Phil Rubenstein as Poulos
Towards the end of his lengthy career, Phil Rubenstein appeared in "RoboCop 2" as Paulos, frequently paired up alongside the Mayor Kuzak character played by Willard E. Pugh. Rubenstein's first film role was as Lieutenant Untz in the 1976 action-thriller "Dark Sunday," which he followed up with a guest-starring role on "Kojack" in both halves of a special two-part episode titled "Kojack's Days." Rubenstein worked most commonly in the action and comedy genres in both film and television.
Guest-star roles on popular television shows were a mainstay for Rubenstein. He appeared on "Remington Steele," "Airwolf," "Taxi," "The Incredible Hulk," "Knight Rider," "T.J. Hooker," "The Golden Girls," "Murder She Wrote"and "Archie Bunker's Place" for one episode each. Rubenstein appeared a number of other high-profile films in addition to "RoboCop 2," such as "Tango & Cash," "Back to School," "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," and "The Boys Next Door." In 2012, Rubenstein passed away after suffering a heart attack. He was 51 years old, via the Los Angeles Times.
Rip Torn as The CEO
Rip Torn, whose real name was Elmore Rual Torn Jr., joined the cast of the third "RoboCop" film as the new CEO of Omni Consumer Products. Torn led a long and storied career that began all the way back in the 1950s. His earliest roles were small, uncredited parts in films like "A Face in the Crowd" and "Baby Doll," but it wasn't long before he started getting bigger and better roles. He played multiple parts on the television shows "Playhouse 90" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," and took on the larger-than-life role of Richard Nixon in the four-part mini-series "Blind Ambition."
Many will remember Rip Torn as Zed the agency head in the "Men in Black" films. Some may recognize Torn's voice as the narrator of "Ghost Stories" or as the voice of Zeus in Disney's animated "Hercules" film. Another major role for Torn was as Larry Sanders' producer Arthur on 89 episodes of the "The Larry Sanders Show," which earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Other high-profile films Torn appeared in include "Freddy Got Fingered," "The Cincinnati Kid," "Marie Antoinette," "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story," "Wonder Boys," "The Insider," and "Cross Creek," which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Torn passed away in 2019 at the age of 88, via Rolling Stone.
Mako as Kanemitsu
Legendary Japanese actor Mako was brought in to play the powerful Kanemitsu character in "RoboCop 3." Mako, whose full name was Makoto Iwamatsu, spent roughly the first 15 years of his life in Japan, but it wasn't until he moved to the United States with his parents that he discovered his love for acting (via Notable Biographies). Mako's first major acting project was the television series "McHale's Navy," on which he played several different characters across nine different episodes. In 1966, Mako landed the role that would earn him his sole Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Po-han in the Steve McQueen-led "The Sand Pebbles." Throughout his lengthy career, Mako appeared in over 150 movies and television shows. Some of the most notable films Mako acted in include "The Killer Elite," "Conan the Barbarian" and its sequel "Conan the Destroyer," "Rising Sun," "Seven Years in Tibet," "Bulletproof Monk," and "Pearl Harbor."
In the world of television, Mako appeared on several highly popular series, such as "The Incredible Hulk," "Wonder Woman," "Kung Fu," "Hawaii Five-O," "Columbo," "M*A*S*H," "Magnum P.I.," and "The A-Team." Towards the end of his career, Mako became a prominent voice actor, lending his voice to many children's shows including "Duck Dodgers," "Avatar: The Last Airbender," "Samurai Jack," "Dexter's Laboratory," and "The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy." One of his final roles was providing the voice for Splinter in the "TMNT" movie. Mako passed away from esophageal cancer in 2006 at the age of 77, via The New York Times.
Daniel von Bargen as Moreno
The role of Moreno in "RoboCop 3" was played by character actor Daniel von Bargen. Moreno was a small but memorable character who assisted Dr. Marie Lazarus when working on RoboCop. Von Bargen often played imposing thugs, tough guys, and law-enforcement types in both movies and television shows. His career began in the 1970s with a couple of small television roles. He also had a few roles in the 1980s, but it was in the 1990s that his film career really took off, and that momentum continued into the 2000s with von Bargen appearing in as many as 11 projects within a single year.
Some of the highest-profile television shows that von Bargen appeared on include "Law & Order," "Ally McBeal," "The West Wing," "The X-Files," and "Seinfeld", where he played the recurring character Kruger, George's boss. Von Bargen also acted in a number of significant films including the likes of "The Silence of the Lambs," "Basic Instinct," "Philadelphia," "G.I. Jane," "The Postman," "Super Troopers," "The Faculty," and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" where he played the intimidating antagonist Sheriff Cooley. One of von Bargen's most memorable roles was as the eye-patch wearing commandant of the military boarding school in "Malcolm in the Middle," Edwin Spangler.
Von Bargen passed away in 2015 at the age of 64 after an extended battle with diabetes, via The Washington Post.
Stanley Anderson as Zack
Veteran theater actor Stanley Anderson was brought on board the cast of "RoboCop 3" for the role of Zack, one of the men who works alongside Dr. Lazarus after they come into possession of RoboCop. Though his film and television career largely kicked off in the 1990s and stretched into the 2000s, Anderson had already led a long career as an accomplished theater actor, via Deadline.
After "RoboCop 3," Anderson went on to appear in the major films "Primal Fear," "The Pelican Brief," "The Rock," "Armageddon," "Runaway Jury," "Legally Blonde 2," "Red Dragon," and "Spider-Man." Anderson had significant recurring roles on the TV shows "Dangerous Minds" and "The Drew Carry Show," where he played the title character's father. He also acted on the series "The Practice," "NYPD Blue," "Seinfeld," "Ally McBeal," "Crossing Jordan," "L.A. Law," and "The Shining" TV mini-series. In addition to acting, Anderson was deeply involved in the world of politics and he lent his voice to numerous campaign ads for the Democratic party, via The Hollywood Reporter. Anderson passed away in 2018 as a result of brain cancer. He was 78 years old.