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Actor Known for ‘Then Came Bronson,’ ‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Dies

May 10, 2017  •  Post A Comment

A prolific character actor and singer who starred on his own TV drama in the late 1960s has died. The AP reports that Michael Parks, who played the motorcycle-riding title character in “Then Came Bronson,” died Tuesday in Los Angeles.

No cause of death was announced. Parks was 77.

Parks enjoyed a late career resurgence as a favorite of filmmakers including Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez and Kevin Smith, appearing in the “Kill Bill” and “From Dusk Till Dawn” movies, “Django Unchained,” “Red State,” “Tusk,” “Argo” and many other films. He had an arc as Jean Renault in ABC’s original “Twin Peaks.”

Parks starred as Harley-riding vagabond newsman Jim Bronson in “Then Came Bronson,” which ran for one season on NBC in 1969 and 1970. Parks also sang the show’s closing theme, “Long Lonesome Highway,” which went to No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970.

Here’s a clip featuring Parks as Jean Renault on ABC’s “Twin Peaks” …

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