Irwin Keyes, character actor who worked with Coens, dies aged 63
Irwin Keyes, the veteran character actor best known for his scene-stealing performance as Wheezy Joe in Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2003 dark comedy Intolerable Cruelty, has died aged 63.
Keyes died on Wednesday in Playa del Rey, California, according to the Hollywood Reporter, of complications from acromegaly, an abnormal growth of the hands, feet and face, caused by overproduction of growth hormone by the pituitary gland.
The New York City-born actor made his film debut in the 1979 action thriller The Warriors, and went on to work with Woody Allen in Stardust Memories and Rob Zombie in the 2003 horror House of 1000 Corpses, in addition to his collaboration with the Coen brothers. Keyes also memorably played Joe Rockhead in the 1994 live-action adaptation of The Flintstones and its 2000 sequel, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas. He also starred as bodyguard Hugo Mojelewski in the beloved series The Jeffersons.
Zombie remembered the actor on his official Facebook page, writing: “He will be missed by us all.”
Keyes is survived by his wife of seven years, Tracy Fontaine.