'The Shining' Bartender Joe Turkel Dead At 94

LOS ANGELES, CA — Joe Turkel, the steely character actor best known for his performance as Lloyd the devilishly proper bartender in “The Shining,” has died. He was 94.

His son Craig Turkel confirmed his father’s death by liver failure in Los Angeles County on June 27.

Throughout his decades-long career in television and film, the Brooklyn native carved out small but memorable roles opposite the likes of Jack Nicholson, Ronald Reagan, Steve McQueen, and Harrison Ford.

In addition to his eerie role in Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of the Stephen King novel, Turkel is remembered for his performance as Dr. Eldon Tyrell in “Blade Runner” as well as roles in “Hellcats of the Navy,” "The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” and “The Sand Pebbles.”

Though never a household name, Turkel was favored by the auteur Kubrick for his ability to shift the tone of a scene. Kubrick cast Turkel in three of his films including dramatic roles in “The Killing,” and “Paths of Glory.”

According to The New York Times, “It was often up to Mr. Turkel to provide a subtle but unmistakable plot pivot, using his steely onscreen demeanor and perfectly delivered lines to shift a film’s entire mood.”

He also spent decades taking on small or recurring roles in such memorable shows as “Kojak,” “The Lone Ranger,” “S.W.A.T”, “The Andy Griffith Show,” “Dragnet,” Love Boat,” and “Miami Vice.”

Born in 1927, Turkel joined the army as a teen and was stationed in wartime Europe before moving to California to pursue acting.

According to Deadline, he recently penned a memoir entitled The Misery of Success due to come out later this year.

He is survived by his brother, two sons, and two grandchildren.