UPDATE 1/25 6:40 p.m. ET
The NC State Freeway Patrol showed to Us Weekly that Coward and Brooks, plus their canine and puppy squirrel, had been killed in a crash Wednesday afternoon. The twist of fate happened in Haywood County at about 3:30 p.m. native time on U.S. 19/23 between Clyde and Canton.
In keeping with Freeway Patrol, Coward was once at fault as he didn't yield to visitors. The 16-year-old additionally concerned within the twist of fate was once using a truck and crashed into him however didn’t have any accidents.
Unique tale under:
Herbert Lee “Cowboy” Coward, who was once identified for his position in Deliverance, died at age 85 after a automobile crash.
Coward was once focused on a collision on Wednesday, January 24, in keeping with native information WLOS and FOX Carolina. North Carolina State Freeway Patrol officers showed to the retailers that Coward and his female friend, Bertha Brooks, and their puppy Chihuahua canine and puppy squirrel had been killed within the crash.
The actor was once reportedly turning onto the freeway when he was once hit via an oncoming truck, which was once pushed via a 16-year-old. The teenager, who was once now not believed to had been dashing, was once later taken to the health center. In keeping with WLOS, government mentioned Coward and Brooks weren't dressed in seatbelts. No fees had been filed at the moment.
Coward was once in the past married to spouse Dorothy, who died in September 2011. The couple, who exchanged vows within the ’60s, had 4 kids in combination.
Ahead of attempting his hand at appearing, Coward labored more than a few hard work jobs to lend a hand toughen his circle of relatives. He was once later presented a task as an outlaw gunfighter at a ghost the town amusement park. Whilst entertaining youngsters on the park, Coward was once injured when an twist of fate with a prop pistol led to two of his entrance tooth to be knocked out.
Coward’s time on the amusement park ended in him assembly Burt Reynolds. The duo was buddies, and Reynolds therefore really helpful Coward for the position of Toothless Guy within the 1972 mystery Deliverance.
“John Boorman, an Irish director, the best director I ever had, said, ‘Where am I gonna find these guys … the Mountain Men?’ And I said, ‘I know a guy. He can’t read and he can’t write or anything, but I’m telling you, if we can get him we got something special,'” Reynolds recalled all through an interview with Conan O’Brien in a while earlier than his 2018 demise. “So I said, ‘Let me bring him in. His name’s Cowboy, and you’ll see if you like him.'”
On the time, Reynolds additionally shared the recommendation he gave to Coward on set.
“‘Cowboy, just whatever you wanna say, say it. They’ll cut it out if they don’t like it,'” Reynolds mentioned. “He just started ad-libbing up a storm. And they kept every word he said because it was gold.”
Coward labored at a manufacturing unit in North Carolina for almost 3 a long time after his memorable position in Deliverance. Following his efficiency as Toothless Guy, his sole movie credit score was once in 2007’s Ghost The city: The Film. At the small display, Coward scored a job within the 2013 TV collection Hillbilly Blood and was once featured in an episode of Discovery Channel’s Moonshiners.