Herbert “Cowboy” Coward, known for playing the Toothless Man in the 1972 film Deliverance, died in a car crash in Haywood County, North Carolina, on Jan. 24, 2024. He was 85. His passenger, Bertha Brooks, 78, also died.
What happened in the crash?
The Associated Press reported that Coward pulled onto U.S. Route 19 in front of a pickup truck, which struck his car. The crash also killed Brooks, a Chihuahua and a pet squirrel who were in Coward’s vehicle, according to the AP’s account of Highway Patrol Sgt. M.J. Owens’s report. The pickup’s 16-year-old driver was taken to a hospital as a precaution. Associated Press report
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Local reporting placed the collision on U.S. 19 between Clyde and Canton and said Coward failed to yield while leaving a doctor’s appointment. Local report
What did authorities say about the cause?
As reported by the Associated Press, Owens said: “Authorities don’t believe speed or distraction were factors in the crash.” The local report also said speed was not a factor. These accounts relay the sergeant’s statements; they do not establish a separate legal finding about responsibility.
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The available contemporaneous reports describe the collision and the authorities’ account. No official crash report, court filing or later investigative update is established here.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who was Herbert “Cowboy” Coward in Deliverance?
Coward was best known for playing the Toothless Man in John Boorman’s 1972 film Deliverance. The character is associated with the line, “He got a real purty mouth, ain’t he?”—dialogue from the film, not a statement by Coward about the crash.
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