Walter Olkewicz, ‘Twin Peaks’ actor, dead at 72

Walter Olkewicz

Walter Olkewicz hailed from Bayonne and played memorable characters in the "Twin Peaks" universe created by David Lynch and Mark Frost.ABC

Walter Olkewicz, the New Jersey actor who played the slimy Jacques Renault in “Twin Peaks,” has died, Variety reports.

Olkewicz, a Bayonne native, was 72. Screenwriter Zak Olkewicz, his son, confirmed his death, saying the actor, who lived in Reseda, California, had been dealing with various health issues over 20 years.

In the iconic TV series created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, Olkewicz’ Jacques Renault, who spoke with a French Canadian accent, was brother to drug kingpin Jean Renault, working as a drug runner transporting product across the Canadian border into Twin Peaks, Washington. Jacques was also a bartender and card dealer at the gentleman’s club and casino One-Eyed Jack’s.

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After being arrested for the murder of Laura Palmer, Renault is snuffed out by Laura’s father, Leland, though he did not commit the crime.

The death of his character did not hold Olkewicz back from returning to “Twin Peaks” a quarter-century after he first starred in the show.

Not only did the actor play Renault in the first run of “Twin Peaks,” which debuted in 1990 on ABC, but he also appeared in “Twin Peaks: The Return,” the 2017 series revival on Showtime. For the third season, which arrived 26 years after the second, Olkewicz played a character named Jean-Michel Renault, owner of the Roadhouse, a local watering hole and music venue. It was his last role.

Olkewicz had also played Jacques Renault in the 1992 movie “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.”

“After the series shut down, David said, ‘Oh we love what you did, we want you for the movie,’” Olkewicz told The Jersey Journal in 2017. “I said, ‘David, I was killed in the last episode.’ He said, ‘Bull, we got flashbacks, we got dream sequences ... we’ll bring you back.’”

Olkewicz suffered from problems with his legs. When he filmed his scenes for “Twin Peaks: The Return,” he was using a wheelchair.

“Nineteen surgeries in 10 years,” he told the Jersey Journal, at the time hoping to crowd-fund an expensive procedure to keep his left leg. “It’s been crazy.”

From 1993 to 1996, the actor, who first developed a taste for acting at Bayonne High School, played Dougie Boudreau, a recurring character on the ABC TV series “Grace Under Fire.”

Among his many other TV credits, Olkewicz played Nick the cable guy on “Seinfeld”; Tiny McGee on “Who’s the Boss”; Bubba on “Dolly,” Dolly Parton’s ‘80s ABC variety show; and various roles in “Night Court.”

Olkewicz’ first screen credit was for the 1976 movie “Futureworld” with Peter Fonda and Blythe Danner. He would go on to appear in Steven Spielberg’s 1979 film “1941″ alongside Dan Aykroyd, Treat Williams, John Candy and Mickey Rourke. Olkewicz also had roles in Christopher Guest’s 1989 film “The Big Picture” and Joel Schumacher’s 1994 film “The Client.”

He is survived by his son and two grandchildren.

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter.

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