Iconic actor Herbert Coward, famous for playing the toothless man in “Deliverance,” died Wednesday in a car crash in North Carolina at the age of 85.
Coward’s passenger, Bertha Brooks, and his beloved pets, a chihuahua and a squirrel, also perished in the crash, according to TMZ. The North Carolina Highway Patrol indicated Coward was behind the wheel of a silver Nissan while turning out of a parking lot after a medical appointment in Haywood County when the car was struck. The famous actor and his passengers were pronounced dead on the scene, according to TMZ.
The famous actor, his friend, and the pets were all trapped inside the vehicle after the collision. First responders arrived on the scene and attempted to extract them from the vehicle. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to save the occupants of the Nissan.
ABC News reported that neither Coward nor Brooks were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the collision.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol said the vehicle that hit Coward attempted to avoid striking him but ultimately was unable to. The 16-year-old motorist behind the wheel of the other vehicle only suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital to be assessed, out of an abundance of caution, according to TMZ.
Following an investigation, authorities determined that no crime was committed.
Coward famously played the role of “Toothless Man,” a hillbilly that was missing his front teeth. He displayed his talents as an actor in a memorable scene from the movie. Coward played the chilling villain that sodomized a man in front of his friend, while the friend remained tied to a tree in the forest. (RELATED: Famous Artist Melanie Safka Who Performed At Woodstock Dies At 76)
“He got a real purty mouth, ain’t he?” was one of Coward’s most famous lines from the movie.
Fans and loved ones are paying tribute to the actor on social media.