Beau Starr, the esteemed American actor known for his memorable roles in both film and television, has passed away at the age of 81. Starr died of natural causes at his residence in Vancouver, a detail confirmed by his younger brother, Mike, who described Beau as "very unique and special."

Starr left an indelible mark on the horror genre with his portrayal of Sheriff Ben Meeker in the iconic slasher films “Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers” (1988) and its sequel, “Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers” (1989), reprising the role a year after his initial appearance. Beyond the realm of horror, he showcased his versatility in Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed 1990 mob classic “Goodfellas,” where he played the abusive father of Ray Liotta’s character, Henry Hill.

His extensive filmography also includes supporting roles in a variety of other well-known movies such as “Fletch,” “Speed,” “Cinderella Man,” “Devil in a Blue Dress,” and “Born on the Fourth of July,” demonstrating his range across different genres.

Beau Starr’s career in television began with various characters on the Canadian sketch comedy show “Bizarre.” He went on to secure small but significant roles in numerous popular series, including “Psych,” “Knight Rider,” “The A-Team,” “MacGyver,” “TJ Hooker,” “Three’s Company,” “Remington Steele,” “The Fall Guy,” “Night Court,” “Matlock,” “Moonlighting,” “Murder She Wrote,” and “NYPD Blue.”

Among his most prominent television roles was that of Lieutenant Harding Welsh in the BBC comedy series “Due South.” This unique odd-couple cop show, which followed a Canadian Mountie teaming up with the Chicago police force, ran for four seasons from 1994 to 1999. Starr was a central figure, appearing in every episode but one. Earlier in his career, in 1989, he also had a starring role as Lieutenant Bill Triplett, another law enforcement officer, in NBC’s crime drama “True Blue,” which ran for a single 12-episode season.