This archive report was first published on 22 November 2019.
Michael J. Pollard, a beloved character actor, passed away on Wednesday at a hospital in Los Angeles at the age of 80. He was best known for his iconic role as C.W. Moss in the 1967 film 'Bonnie and Clyde.'
According to a friend, Dawn Walker, the cause of death was cardiac arrest. Pollard's long career in Hollywood spanned over five decades, during which he appeared in numerous television shows and films.
One of his earliest roles was in the 1950s television series, where he played likable but socially inept characters. He also had a memorable role in the first season of 'Star Trek' in 1966, playing a creepy teenage cult leader on a planet of children.
However, it was his performance in 'Bonnie and Clyde' that earned him an Academy Award nomination and changed the way Hollywood saw him. In a 1968 interview with The New York Times, Pollard noted that directors had once been frustrated by his slow delivery of lines, but that the success of 'Bonnie and Clyde' had changed that.
Pollard's unique acting style was evident in a scene in 'Bonnie and Clyde' where he parks the getaway car, a moment that was improvised due to his inability to drive. In a 1969 interview with film critic Roger Ebert, Pollard revealed that the scene was made up, and that he was stuck in the parking place because he couldn't drive.
