| Virgil Frye | |
| Birth Name: | Virgil Charles Frye |
| Birth Date: | 21 August 1930 |
| Birth Place: | Estherville, Iowa, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Orange County, California, U.S. |
| Children: | |
| Years Active: | 1966–2004 |
Virgil Charles Frye (August 21, 1930 – May 7, 2012) was an American actor and former Golden Gloves boxing champion.
He grew up in Estherville, Iowa. He had two children, Sean Frye (E.T. The Extra Terrestrial) and Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster), and was the father-in-law of Jason Goldberg.
Frye made an uncredited appearance in the 1969 film Easy Rider while working as a makeup artist. His credited films included roles in Nightmare in Wax (1969), The Jesus Trip (1971), Garden of the Dead (1972), Deadhead Miles (1973), The Cat Creature (1973), The Klansman (1974), Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw (1976), The Missouri Breaks (1976), Up from the Depths (1979), Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype (1980), Graduation Day (1981), Take This Job and Shove It (1981), Revenge of the Ninja (1983), Running Hot (1984), The Burning Bed (1984), Winners Take All (1987), Colors (1988), The Secret of the Ice Cave (1989), The Hot Spot (1990), Man Trouble (1992) and S.F.W. (1994).
Frye suffered from Pick's Disease or Frontotemporal dementia (FTD). He was the subject of a documentary made by his daughter, titled Sonny Boy, which documents a trip that Frye and his daughter, Soleil Moon Frye, took to his hometown, and the effect his illness has had on their relationship.[1] Virgil Frye died at an Orange County nursing home on May 7, 2012.[2]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Queen of Blood | |||
| 1967 | Hells Angels on Wheels | Biker #1 | ||
| 1969 | Easy Rider | Biker | Uncredited | |
| 1969 | Nightmare in Wax | Ralph Tenier | ||
| 1971 | The Jesus Trip | Folsom | ||
| 1971 | Arde baby, arde | Poggin | ||
| 1972 | Deadhead Miles | Trouble Maker | ||
| 1972 | Garden of the Dead | Bradock | ||
| 1972 | The Limit | Kenny | ||
| 1972 | The All American Hustler | Yoga Guy | Uncredited | |
| 1973 | Howzer | Joe Day | ||
| 1973 | The Cat Creature | Donovan | TV movie | |
| 1974 | The Klansman | Johnson | ||
| 1976 | Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw | Joe Grant | ||
| 1976 | The Missouri Breaks | Woody | ||
| 1977 | The Great Gundown | John Bayers | ||
| 1978 | Uncle Joe Shannon | Physical Therapist | ||
| 1979 | Up from the Depths | Earl Sullivan | ||
| 1980 | Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype | Lt. Mack Druck - 'Il Topo' | ||
| 1980 | Borderline | Bandit Leader | ||
| 1981 | The Postman Always Rings Twice | Crapshooter | ||
| 1981 | Take This Job and Shove It | Cleach | ||
| 1981 | Graduation Day | MacGregor | ||
| 1983 | Revenge of the Ninja | Lt. Dime | ||
| 1984 | Running Hot | Ross | ||
| 1984 | Hot Moves | The Porno Man | ||
| 1984 | The Burning Bed | Virg | TV movie | |
| 1987 | Winners Take All | Sam | ||
| 1988 | Colors | Sheriff Foster | ||
| 1988 | Dance Academy | |||
| 1989 | Trust Me | Thug | ||
| 1989 | The Secret of the Ice Cave | Frank Hagen | ||
| 1990 | Pacific Palisades | L'homme à la casquette | ||
| 1990 | The Hot Spot | Deputy Buck | ||
| 1992 | Man Trouble | Sturge | ||
| 1994 | S.F.W. | Earl | ||
| 1995 | The Nature of the Beast | Gas station attendant | ||
| 1995 | Survivor | |||
| 1995 | Wild Bill | Buffalo Hunter | ||
| 2004 | Bob's Night Out | Waldo Z. Lizst | Final film role |