Charles Cyphers Dies: ‘Halloween’ Actor Was 85

Charles Cyphers, best known for his role as Leigh Brackett in the Halloween films, died Sunday, August 4 from a brief illness in Tucson, AZ, his manager Chris Roe confirmed to Deadline. He was 85.

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“Charles was a lovable and sensitive man,” Roe said in a statement. “He always had the best stories, and you got a full performance while he told you.  He was a close friend and client of many years who will be dearly missed.”

“His family asks for privacy at this time,” Roe added.  “Details on a celebration of life ceremony will happen at a date and location to be determined.”

Cyphers worked extensively with Halloween ‘s John Carpenter, first in the 1976 action film Assault on Precinct 13 , in which he played Starker, one of the ill-fated police officers gunned down by gang members. He next appeared in Carpenter’s 1980 horror film The Fog , playing Dan O’Bannon, and followed up with Carpenter’s 1981 film Escape From New York , in which he appeared with his Halloween cast members Jamie Lee Curtis and Nancy Stephens.

In the Halloween franchise, including the original 1978 film, 2018’s sequel Halloween II and, his final film the 2021 Halloween Kills , Cyphers’ Leigh Brackett is the former sheriff of Haddonfield, Illinois and father of Annie Brackett. He’s known for the line, “It’s Halloween. I guess everyone’s entitled to one good scare,” which he says to Curtis’ Laurie Strode.

The actor said it was “shocking” but “wonderful” that he was asked to come back for Halloween Kills , he said in an interview at HorrorConUK 2022. “To be called back again in a film, it’s unheard of after 40 years. Most people are dead,” Cyphers said.

His other film credits include 1978’s Coming Home, 1979’s The Onion Field, 1982’s Honkytonk Man , 1989’s Major League , 1995’s Murder in the First, among others.

His television work includes a recurring role as Hugo Muncy in the The Betty White Show , and guest-starring roles in Gibbsville, Barnaby Jones, Wonder Woman and The Dukes of Hazzard as well as the role of Drake in the 1977 miniseries Roots. He most recently appeared in Sliders , ER , Seinfeld , JAG , and Any Day Now . His most extensive role was in the 1990s series Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher , in which he portrayed Al Yaraker.

Also a veteran of the stage, Cyphers appeared in the play 12 Angry Men , in which he portrayed Juror #3.

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