Taffey Lewis

At the top of my list of favorite movies is the science-fiction film BLADE RUNNER which was adapted from the equally brilliant novel DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP by Philip K. Dick, probably the most talented writer ever to turn his pen to science-fiction.

Among the things that set that film apart from other genre movies is the excellent cast made unforgettable by the direction of Ridley Scott. Most of us are quite familiar with the major players in BLADE RUNNER, but even the incidental characters stand apart. One character in the movie who remains foremost in my mind was Taffey Lewis. He runs a nightclub in an apparently rougher part of town--so seedy that the replicant Rachael, portrayed by the then-stunningly gorgeous Sean Young initially refuses an invitation to meet Deckard (Harrison Ford) there because she doesn't visit such sleazy places.

"The man's dry. Give 'im a drink."

Taffey Lewis was played by a character actor named Hy Pyke who died in 2006 and left not much of a record in major films. This is a shame, because his brief few seconds on the screen in my favorite movie was an amazing bit of acting work.

So, the next time you have a beer or a glass of wine, raise a toast to Hy Pyke, who never reached a larger audience, but probably should have.

"Buzz off."