The acting world is in mourning following the death of beloved character actor Charles Cyphers on Sunday.
The actor – best known for his roles as Sheriff Leigh Brackett in Halloween and Charlie Donovan in Major League – died at the age of 85 after a short illness, via Variety.
His manager Chris Roe said: ‘Charles was a lovable and sensitive man. He always had the best stories, and you got a full performance when he told them to you.’
Roe added that Cyphers “was a good friend and client for many years who will be greatly missed.”
His Halloween, The Fog and Assault on Precinct 13 co-star Nancy Kyes said, “I’m so sorry to hear about sweet Chuck. My friend of many years, you could always count on him for a kind word, a good laugh and a great story. How he will be missed.”
The acting community is in mourning following the passing of beloved character actor Charles Cyphers on Sunday
The actor – best known for his roles as Sheriff Leigh Brackett in Halloween and Charlie Donovan in Major League – died at the age of 85 after a short illness, via Variety
Cyphers was born on July 28, 1939, in Niagara Falls, New York, but eventually moved to the western United States. He graduated from California State University, Los Angeles with a degree in theater arts.
He also attended Los Angeles City College and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before starting his career.
His early work included episodes of FBI and Cannon, after which he made his first feature film, 1974’s Truck Turner, starring Isaac Hayes and Yaphet Kotto.
After further guest roles in The Secrets of Isis, The Six Million Dollar Man, and The Bionic Woman, he was cast in his first John Carpenter film, 1976’s Assault on Precinct 13, playing prison bus driver Starker.
He returned to the small screen over the next two years, with roles in Gibbsville, Charlie’s Angels, Roots, Wonder Woman, The Charlie Randall Show, and more.
He was also a regular guest on the short-lived series The Betty White Show in 1977, co-starring with White and John Hillerman, before Carpenter returned.
The director cast Cyphers as Sheriff Leigh Brackett in his horror classic Halloween, still considered one of the greatest horror films ever made.
It is also one of the highest-grossing films ever made, grossing $70 million from a budget of only $300,000.
Cyphers was born on July 28, 1939, in Niagara Falls, New York, but eventually moved west, where he graduated from California State University, Los Angeles with a degree in theater arts.
After further guest roles in The Secrets of Isis, The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman, he was cast in his first John Carpenter film, 1976’s Assault on Precinct 13, playing prison bus driver Starker
The director cast Cyphers as Sheriff Leigh Brackett in his horror classic Halloween, which is still considered one of the best horror films ever made
He became one of Carpenter’s most regular performers, appearing in 1980’s The Fog and 1981’s Escape From New York and returning as Brackett in Halloween II
He played long-suffering Cleveland Indians general manager Charlie Donovan (center left) in the 1989 baseball comedy classic Major League
He became one of Carpenter’s most regular performers, appearing in 1980’s The Fog and 1981’s Escape From New York. He also played the role of Brackett in Halloween II.
Cyphers continued to bounce between television and film, guest-starring on Benson and The Quest in 1982, the year he also starred in the big screen sequel, Death Wish II.
In the 80s he had mainly guest roles on series such as Airwolf, The Dukes of Hazzard, Matlock, Dallas, Hill Street Blues, Night Court and Simon & Simon, before returning to the big screen… in a lighter role.
In the 1989 baseball classic Major League, he played the disabled general manager of the Cleveland Indians, Charlie Donovan.
Cyphers continued to guest star throughout the 1990s, then landed a series regular role on Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher for both seasons.
He appeared sparingly in the 2000s, but was called upon for the last time in 2021 to play the role of Leigh Brackett in Halloween Kills.