Fox Harris (May 3, 1936 – December 27, 1988) was an American actor known for such films as Repo Man, Sid and Nancy, Straight to Hell, Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, The Underachievers and Dr. Caligari.
Harris worked frequently with film directors Alex Cox and Fred Olen Ray.
Harris appeared in three of Cox's films, most notably in Repo Man as the mad scientist J. Frank Parnell. Cox first met Harris when Cox was working as an unpaid caretaker at the Actors Studio in Hollywood, saying that "The only actor who was friendly was Fox Harris: He put on no airs, treated us as if we were human, and didn’t steal our food." He described Harris as "a generous, exciting actor" who "became the focus of any scene he was in", but also a "self-made character" who had run-ins with the law in his youth, and did not tell Cox that he could not drive even after being cast in Repo Man as a character who drives a Chevy Malibu, a fact Cox only learned when Harris drove the car straight into a gas pump.
Harris died of lung cancer in 1988 at age 52 in Century City, California. In his memoir X Films, Cox says that Harris had been diagnosed with AIDS around 1987, shortly before filming Walker.
Partial filmography
Forbidden World (1982) — Cal Timbergen
Hammett (1982) — Frank the News Vendor
Human Highway (1982) — Sheik
My Favorite Year (1982) — Curt / Featured Player
Lookin' to Get Out (1982) — Harvey, The Elevator Operator
Rock 'n' Roll Hotel (1983)
Repo Man (1984) — J. Frank Parnell
Sid and Nancy (1986) — Old Stain
Armed Response (1986) — Club Owner
Straight to Hell (1987) — Kim Blousson
Evil Spawn (1987) — Harry
Walker (1987) — District Attorney
The Underachievers (1987) — Margrave
Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988) — Hermie
Deep Space (1988) — Prof. Whately
Warlords (1988) — Colonel Cox
Terminal Force (1989) — Hendrix
Mutant on the Bounty (1989) — Captain Ferris
Dr. Caligari (1989) — Dr. Avol
Terror Eyes (1989) — Ticket Man
Alienator (1990) — Burt
Nerds of a Feather (1990) — Russian Scientist
