Charles Tyner

Charles Tyner (June 8, 1923 – November 8, 2017) was an American film, television and stage character actor best known, principally, for his performances in the films Harold and Maude (1971), Emperor of the North Pole (1973), The Stone Killer (1973), The Longest Yard (1974), Evilspeak (1982), Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) and Pulse (1988).

Early years
Tyner was a native of Danville, Virginia and served in the United States Army as a combat infantryman in Germany and France during World War II.

Career
In 1957, Tyner made his debut on Broadway in Orpheus Descending. Two years later, he appeared with Paul Newman in Sweet Bird of Youth on Broadway.

During 1959, Tyner made his film debut with an uncredited part in That Kind of Woman. He worked with Newman again in 1967 as Boss Higgins, the sadistic prison guard in Cool Hand Luke and became a regular character actor, appearing in films such as The Reivers, Lawman, Harold and Maude, The Cowboys, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Emperor of the North Pole. One of his better known roles was opposite Burt Reynolds in the 1974 prison comedy The Longest Yard. Other roles include the evil Howard Rodman in the television series Father Murphy and Gus, the motel owner in Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Tyner returned to the stage in 1977 but continued to appear in films, as well as frequently on television. Tyner's last onscreen appearance was in the 2014 independent short film Lucidia. He died on November 8, 2017.

Selected filmography

 * That Kind of Woman (1959) - Young Sharecropper, Father (uncredited)
 * Fail Safe (1964) - Jet Fighter Pilot (voice, uncredited)
 * Lilith (1964) - Patient (uncredited)
 * Cool Hand Luke (1967) - Boss Higgins
 * The Stalking Moon (1968) - Dace
 * Gaily, Gaily (1969) - Dr. Lazarus
 * The Reivers (1969) - Edmonds
 * The Cheyenne Social Club (1970) - Charlie Bannister
 * The Moonshine War (1970) - Mr. McClendon
 * The Traveling Executioner (1970) - Virgil
 * Monte Walsh (1970) - Doctor
 * Sometimes a Great Notion (1970) - Les Gibbons
 * Lawman (1971) - Minister
 * Harold and Maude (1971) - Uncle Victor
 * The Cowboys (1972) - Stonemason
 * Jeremiah Johnson (1972) - Robidoux
 * Fuzz (1972) - Pete Schroeder
 * Bad Company (1972) - Egg Farmer
 * Emperor of the North Pole (aka Emperor of the North) (1973) - Cracker
 * The Stone Killer (1973) - Police Psychiatrist
 * The Midnight Man (1974) - Ewing
 * The Longest Yard (1974) - Unger
 * Family Plot (1976) - Wheeler
 * The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) - Zukie Limmer
 * Pete's Dragon (1977) - Merle Gogan
 * The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel (1979) - Doug Slocumb
 * Evilspeak (1981) - Colonel Kincaid
 * The Incredible Hulk (1979-1982) - Roy Darnell
 * Hamburger: The Motion Picture (1986) - Lyman Vunk
 * Best Seller (1987) - Cleve's Father
 * Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) - Gus Mooney
 * Pulse (1988) - Old Man
 * Enid Is Sleeping (1990) - Man at Indian Burial Site
 * Pastime (1990) - Arnold
 * Motorama (1991) - Dying Man
 * Lucidia (2014) - Father Gordon (final film role)