Beau Starr, an actor who held familiar roles in both Goodfellas and the Halloween franchise has passed away at the age of 81.
The news was confirmed by his younger brother and fellow actor, Mike Starr, who shared that Beau passed away peacefully of natural causes on April 24, 2026, at his home in Vancouver, Canada.
Before his acting career took off, Queens-born Starr (born Sept 1, 1944) pursued a career in American Football, playing for the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes, and spending three seasons on the taxi squad of the New York Jets.
Goodfellas co-star Christopher Serrone paid tribute to Starr, calling him a “great guy” who lived a “rich and meaningful life” as a family man, actor, and athlete.
He began acting in his mid-30s, making his on-screen debut in a Canadian sketch show in 1980.
It was on the big screen that Starr secured his most memorable roles, however. He featured alongside the likes of Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in the iconic mafia blockbuster Goodfellas, playing the role of main character Henry Hill’s father.
‘Goodfellas’ actor Beau Starr dead at 81 https://t.co/rEZzJuRwa3 pic.twitter.com/fnLojM7nQM
— New York Post (@nypost) May 2, 2026
Starr then appeared as Sheriff Ben Meeker in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.
Over the course of his career, the actor also appeared in TV shows including Knight Rider, The A-Team, MacGyver and Moonlighting.
His last credited appearance came in 2013 on Psych.
Rest in peace, Beau Starr.