In TUMBLEWEEDS, a Southern woman (Oscar nominee Janet McTeer) leaves an abusive relationship and hits the road with her young daughter (Kimberly J. Brown) looking for the man of her dreams. She has a love affair with a moronic trucker (director Gavin O'Connor), finds friendship with co-worker “Dan Miller” (Jay O. Sanders), and dodges advances from old perverted boss “Mr. Cummings” (Michael J. Pollard). David Mansfield’s score shared space with nine songs on the RCA soundtrack release.
Set in the 1970s, HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES finds two couples traveling across country gathering research on road side attractions for a future book they plan to write. They end up as prisoners of a bizarre and sadistic backwater family of serial killers. This psychotic family is made up of such characters as “Captain Spaulding” (Sid Haig), a crass clown whose chicken is finger licking good and shows no mercy of telling it like it is;. “Baby” (Sheri Moon), a starlet in her own mind whose multiple personalities will keep you guessing; “Mother FireFly” (Karen Black), whose sensual nymphomaniac ways are disturbing way beyond the realm of creepy; and “Otis” (Bill Moseley), the artist whose character no one can understand or dares to question. Michael J. Pollard plays “Stuckey.”
Sid Haig and Michael J. Pollard in HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES
Rob Zombie directed the film and co-scored it with Scott Humphrey. Geffen Records released the soundtrack CD.
Michael J. Pollard was a character actor who will be remembered primarily for one defining role. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy the spirit he brought to many other parts with his combination of unusual looks and distinctive personality. Farewell, Michael.
Michael J. Pollard in THE AMERICAN WAY (1986)
Michael J. Pollard and Lee Purcell in DIRTY LITTLE BILLY (1972)
Michael J. Pollard and Robert Redford in LITTLE FAUSS AND BIG HALSEY (1970)
When I saw he had passed, the mind's eye immediately flashed his "Jerome" followed by "CW" followed by "Miri" and finished up with his runny nose in "The Russians..." which had me in stitches on my commute home.
