Bo Hopkins, ‘American Graffiti’ Actor, Dies at 80
thewrap.comthe Hollywood Reporter.Hopkins racked up over 130 acting credits over his half-century-long career and was most known for playing prominent supporting roles in major studio films between the late ’60s and late ’70s.
Aside from his film appearances, he also had numerous guest-starring spots on TV, including NBC’s 1974 detective drama series “The Rockford Files” and the iconic “Charlie’s Angels.”Born and raised in Greenville, S.C.
in 1942 as William Mauldin Hopkins, he was raised by his mother and grandmother following his father’s death at nine years old.
At the age of 16, he enlisted in the army, after which he settled on acting as a career choice, gaining experience in summer stock productions and taking guest spots on television, such as on “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Gunsmoke.”He had his breakout role in the 1969 Western “The Wild Bunch,” as a minor gang member nicknamed “Crazy Lee.” After working with filmmaker Sam Peckinpah on the project, he was cast as a bank robber in his action thriller film “The Getaway,” starring Steve McQueen, and “The Killer Elite” three years later in 1975.On the TV side, Hopkins guest-starred on a slew of programming, including “The Rockford Files,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “The A-Team” and the primetime soap “Dynasty.” However, he was best known for his memorable supporting roles in films like “American Graffiti,” written and helmed by a pre-“Star Wars” George Lucas and produced by Francis Ford Coppola.
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