Herbert ‘Cowboy’ Coward 85, Known for His Role in ‘Deliverance,’ Killed in Car Crash

Herbert 'Cowboy' Coward speaks onstage at the "Hillbilly Blood" panel during the Discovery Communications portion of the 2014 Summer Television Critics Association at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on July 9, 2014. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Actor Herbert “Cowboy” Coward, known for his chilling portrayal of the sadistic Toothless Man in John Boorman’s 1972 film “Deliverance,” passed away at the age of 85. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol revealed that Mr. Coward and his girlfriend, Bertha Brooks, lost their lives in a car accident while leaving a doctor’s office in Haywood County, North Carolina. The collision occurred when Mr. Coward’s Nissan was struck by a pickup truck, resulting in the immediate deaths of both occupants and their pets—a squirrel and a chihuahua.

State troopers disclosed that neither Mr. Coward nor Ms. Brooks were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident. The 16-year-old driver of the pickup truck, though not speeding, collided with Mr. Coward’s vehicle. No charges have been filed against the teenage driver.

Beyond his acclaimed role in Deliverance, Mr. Coward was a well-known figure in Haywood County, affectionately nicknamed “The Squirrel Man” due to his habit of bringing his pet squirrel, Cowgirl, everywhere he went. Born on Aug. 21, 1938, in Haywood County, Mr. Coward spent much of his life in the region. His role in Deliverance came about through a recommendation by co-star Burt Reynolds, who had met him years earlier while working together at the Wild West-themed Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park in North Carolina.

Mr. Reynolds, recalling the casting process, mentioned in a 2017 cast reunion video, “He couldn’t read or write and he stuttered, but he was a wonderful actor.” Mr. Coward, in a 2017 interview with ABC, shared how he landed the role: “Burt had my number and called me to come over there where they were going to be filming. He said when the producer comes in, he‘ll ask you to act like you’re mad and act like you’re hurt. Then he’ll ask you, ‘Is that as mad as you can act?’ and you just do whatever flies into your head.”

Mr. Coward’s performance in Deliverance left a lasting impact, with some of the film’s well-known lines attributed to his character. Despite the controversial nature of certain scenes, Mr. Reynolds praised Mr. Coward’s improvisation, stating in a 2018 interview with Conan O'Brien: “Well, he just started ad-libbing up a storm, and they kept every word because it was gold.”

Decades later, Mr.Coward reunited with Bill McKinney for the 2007 film “Ghost Town: The Movie,” revisiting the theme park where he began his career. In 2017, he made a cameo in a Jody Medford music video alongside Deliverance banjo player Billy Redden.

Maintaining a connection with Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Coward saw him just weeks before the actor’s death in September 2018. Reflecting on their friendship in an interview with Smoky Mountain News, Mr. Coward stated the following year: “Burt said he didn’t have but three friends—real friends—and I was one of them because I never asked him for nothing.”

While Mr. Coward made occasional appearances on television shows like Moonshiners and Hillbilly Blood, he largely retreated from Hollywood, preferring to lead a quiet life in Haywood County.