Walter Olkewicz, Actor in Twin Peaks, Dies at 72
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Walter Olkewicz, who played the bartender Jacques Renault on “Twin Peaks,” died Tuesday in Reseda. He was 72.
His son, screenwriter Zak Olkewicz, confirmed his death. He had been struggling with health issues for the past 20 years.
More from Variety
The character actor also played oil refinery worker Dougie Boudreau on the first four seasons of “Grace Under Fire” and a mafia lawyer in Joel Schumacher’s “The Client.”
On David Lynch’s groundbreaking “Twin Peaks” series, he played Jacques the French-Canadian card dealer at One Eyed Jacks and bartender on the first season of the ABC series. A drug runner who is arrested for the murder of Laura Palmer, Jacques is suffocated in the hospital by Laura Palmer’s father after he is shot during the arrest.
Walter Olkewicz on Wizards and Warriors
He also appeared on the big screen in Steven Spielberg s 1941 and Joel Schumacher s The Client.
Walter Olkewicz, the familiar character actor who played the bartender and croupier Jacques Renault on the original
Twin Peaks and an oil refinery worker on
Grace Under Fire, has died. He was 72.
Olkewicz died early Tuesday morning at his Reseda home in Los Angeles, his son, screenwriter Zak Olkewicz, told
The Hollywood Reporter. He had struggled with health issues during the past 20 years and had a series of knee surgeries that caused infections, led to him being bedridden and forced him to take a break from acting.
Walter Olkewicz, ‘Twin Peaks’ actor from N.J., dead at 72
Updated 11:25 PM;
Today 10:57 PM
Walter Olkewicz hailed from Bayonne and played memorable characters in the Twin Peaks universe created by David Lynch and Mark Frost.ABC
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Walter Olkewicz, the New Jersey actor who played the slimy Jacques Renault in “Twin Peaks,” has died, Variety reports.
Olkewicz, a Bayonne native, was 72. Screenwriter Zak Olkewicz, his son, confirmed his death, saying the actor, who lived in Reseda, California, had been dealing with various health issues over 20 years.
In the iconic TV series created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, Olkewicz’ Jacques Renault, who spoke with a French Canadian accent, was brother to drug kingpin Jean Renault, working as a drug runner transporting product across the Canadian border into Twin Peaks, Washington. Jacques was also a bartender and card dealer at the gentleman’s club and casino One-Eyed Jack’s.
Walter Olkewicz Dies, Twin Peaks and Seinfeld Actor Was 72
Walter Olkewicz Dies, Twin Peaks and Seinfeld Actor Was 72
Character actor Walter Olkewicz, who was last seen reprising his Twin Peaks role in Showtime s 2017 reboot, has passed away at the age of 72.
Walter Olkewicz, perhaps best known for his roles in the original
Twin Peaks and the 90s sitcom
Grace Under Fire, has passed away. According to his son, Olkewicz died early on Tuesday morning at his Reseda home in Los Angeles. He was 72 years old.
While the exact cause wasn t revealed, the actor had reportedly been struggling with various health issues for the past 20 years. He also had a series of knee surgeries that caused infections and left Olkewicz bedridden. It was also these health problems that caused Olkewicz to step aside from acting.
Walter Olkewicz dead - Twin Peaks star dies suddenly after 20-year health battle
Walter Olkewicz, who played bartender and croupier Jacques Renault on the original Twin Peaks, has died at the age of 72
Updated
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Twin Peaks star Walter Olkewicz has died suddenly at the age of 72, his heartbroken son has confirmed.