Bo Hopkins dead at 80: American Graffiti and Wild Bunch actor passes away
Bo Hopkins, who starred in “American Graffiti” and other cult great films from the 1970s, has died.
Sian, BH’s wife, told FOX3 Now on Saturday that he died a few weeks ago at a hospital in Van Nuys, California, after having a heart attack.
Hopkins carved both a reputation as a supporting actor and a great on-screen villain/scoundrel over the course of his seven-decade career, particularly in ‘AG,’ when he played Joe, the head of the Pharaohs’ greaser gang at the center of the film.
Hopkins had already established himself in prior films, notably a notable performance in “The Wild Bunch,” in which he played one of the wacky bandits looking to pull off a massive heist.
Hopkins also left his mark on movies like “Midnight Express,” “The Getaway,” “The Killer Elite,” “The Nickel Ride,” “The Only Way Home,” “The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing,” “Posse,” “A Small Town in Texas,” “Tentacles,” and “White Lightning,” just to name a few.
Also, he appeared in several popular television shows, such as “Doc Elliot,” “Hawaiki Five-O,” “Mod Squad,” “Bonanza,” “Manhunter,” “Barnaby Jones” and “The Rockford Files,” “Charlie’s Angels” and “The Fall Guy,” as well as many others.
It was Hopkins’ final role in 2020’s “Hillbilly Elegy,” alongside Glenn Close and Amy Adams, that brought him to the end of his career. Hopkins maintained working far into the 2000s, occasionally even performing voice acting, but for the most part, stuck with gun-slinging characters.
One of the greatest supporting actors of his era, he has more than 130 acting credits to his name.
