‘Blues Brothers’ Actor Charles Napier Dies at 75

Charles Napier, an actor who was known for his tough-guy roles in movies like Blues Brothers, died Wednesday afternoon at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, according to reports. He was 75.

The actor was reportedly found sometime Tuesday morning in his Bakersfield home after having collapsed and was taken to the hospital, where he was put on life support in the intensive care unit. Around 1 p.m. Wednesday, he was taken off life support.

The cause of death is unclear, but Napier was previously admitted to the hospital in May 2010 to treat blood clots in his legs.

Napier was born April 12, 1936, in Allen County, Ky., to a tobacco farmer and homemaker. After graduating high school, he joined the Army before moving to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. He worked as a substitute teacher and reportedly became friends with Jack Nicholson, who helped find him an agent.

His first part was a small role in the TV series Mission: Impossible, and he went on to appear in such shows as Kojak, Baretta and Rockford Files.

But it was in 1980’s Blues Brothers that Napier found the role that would make earn him recognition. The actor played Tucker McElroy in the movie, starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, and reportedly would get stopped by fans quoting his memorable line: “You’re gonna look pretty funny trying to eat corn on the cob with no f—ing teeth.”

Napier’s other credits include Philadelphia, Silence of the Lambs and Rambo: First Blood II. Most recently, he voiced a role in FX’s Archer and appeared in the movie The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard opposite Jeremy Piven.

Napier, who was divorced, is survived by two sons, Whit and Hunter, and a daughter, Meghan.

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