Michael J. Pollard was one of Hollywood’s great sidekicks, an actor who could always be called upon to use his goofy mannerisms or chubby babycheeks in contrast to a film’s A-lister main star. He was alongside Steve Martin in Roxanne, Bill Murray in Scrooged, Oliver Reed in Hannibal Brooks and, perhaps most famously, Warren Beatty in Bonnie and Clyde. His performance as petrol station attendant-turned-getaway driver CW Moss in the latter won him an Oscar nomination and also launched a short-lived joke presidential candidacy. A song was recorded, “Michael J. Pollard for President”, but his campaign ended a week after its release because of Bobby Kennedy’s assassination. He effectively retired from the industry in the early 2000s, and perhaps lives on now in the memory as the guy who inspired Michael J. Fox to start using a middle initial.
Michael J. Pollard
May 30, 1939 – November 20, 2019
Died aged 80 (unique pick)