‘Goodfellas’ and ‘Halloween’ franchise actor Beau Starr dies at 81: “A great guy”

VANCOUVER, CANADA: Actor Beau Starr, widely known for his role as Sheriff Ben Meeker in the ‘Halloween’ franchise, has died at 81. Family confirmation came through his brother, Mike Starr, who told TMZ that the actor passed away from natural causes at his Vancouver residence. 

He added that Beau died peacefully and described him as “very unique and special.” Starr appeared in ‘Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers’ in 1988 and returned to the role in the 1989 sequel ‘Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.’

‘Goodfellas’ actor Beau Starr passes away

Beau's brother, Mike, shared that the actor was deeply loved by those who knew him, calling him a “very unique and special” person. He also said Beau, along with their other brothers, helped raise him alongside their parents and had a major impact on his life.

Mike did not provide details about any illness or medical condition that may have led to his death. He also did not mention whether Beau was hospitalized or if he had been admitted to any medical facility at the time of his passing. TMZ has not reported any such information either.

News of Beau Starr’s passing was first shared on Instagram on Saturday, May 2, by actor Christopher Serrone, who worked alongside him in ‘Goodfellas.’

“It is with a heavy heart I’m here to inform everyone of the very sad passing of Beau Starr. @/mikestarractor asked me to make the announcement. Beau enjoyed a rich and meaningful life. He was a son, brother, father, grandfather, actor and NFL/CFL player. Please take a moment to help me remember a great guy. RIP,” he wrote.

Beau Starr’s career graph in Hollywood 

Beau built a long and steady career across both film and television, becoming a recognizable face in Hollywood productions and popular TV shows. Along with his role in ‘Halloween 4,’ he also appeared in Martin Scorsese’s 1990 crime film ‘Goodfellas,’ where he played the abusive father of Ray Liotta’s character, Henry Hill. Beau’s other film credits include ‘Fletch,’ ‘Speed,’ ‘Cinderella Man,’ ‘Devil in a Blue Dress,’ and ‘Born on the Fourth of July.’

He began his acting career on the Canadian sketch comedy series ‘Bizarre,’ where he performed a range of characters. He later went on to make guest appearances in several well-known television series, including ‘Psych,’ ‘Knight Rider,’ ‘The A-Team,’ ‘MacGyver,’ ‘TJ Hooker,’ ‘Three’s Company,’ ‘Remington Steele,’ ‘The Fall Guy,’ ‘Night Court,’ ‘Matlock,’ ‘Moonlighting,’ ‘Murder, She Wrote,’ and ‘NYPD Blue.’

One of his most notable television roles was in the BBC series ‘Due South,’ where he appeared in almost every episode as Lieutenant Harding Welsh. The show was an odd-couple style police drama about a Canadian Mountie who partners with the Chicago Police Department. It originally ran for four seasons from 1994 to 1999.

He also starred in the NBC crime drama ‘True Blue’ in 1989, playing Lieutenant Bill Triplett in the show’s single-season run.