Who did Al Strobel play in Twin Peaks? Tributes pour in as actor dies aged 83

On December 2, legendary actor Al Strobel passed away at the age of 83. He was best known for his appearance as Mike, aka the One-Armed Man, in Twin Peaks. Producer Sabrina S. Sutherland disclosed the unfortunate news of his passing in a statement on Facebook:

Circumstances leading to Strobel’s death have not yet been revealed. So far, no plans for a funeral have been disclosed.

Netizens pay tribute to Al Strobel on Twitter

Al Strobel has managed to build a huge fanbase for himself in recent years despite appearing in only three TV shows and six films.

Al Strobel played the role of Phillip Michael Gerard in Twin Peaks

Al Strobel has appeared in a few films and TV shows over the years. The actor gained immense popularity and recognition for his performance as Phillip Michael Gerard, also known as Mike, in the ABC series, Twin Peaks.

Strobel’s character, Mike, was initially engaged in a number of criminal activities alongside another antagonist of the series, Bob. In an interesting turn of events, and following a religious epiphany, Mike realized his mistake and cut off his arm, leading to the removal of a tattoo that read "Fire Walk With Me." While Bob continued with his life of crime, Mike spent several years looking for Bob.

Mike, who was in fact an "inhabiting spirit", was featured only in the visual form of his host, Phillip Michael Gerard, a salesman who traveled from one place to another for work. He once said that he had the word “Mom” inked on his left arm, but he lost it when his arm was severed in a car accident.

Created by Mark Frost and David Lynch, Twin Peaks aired for three seasons with 48 episodes from April 8, 1990, to June 10, 1991. A revival premiered in 2017 and received positive feedback from critics and audiences.

Al Strobel’s journey in the entertainment industry

Born in 1939, Al Strobel initially worked on stage and started his acting career as Byron in the 1986 supernatural horror film, Shadow Play. Directed by Susan Shadburne, the film featured Dee Wallace, Cloris Leachman, and Ron Kuhlman in the lead roles.

Following his appearance in Twin Peaks, he played important roles in films like Sitting Target, Megaville, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Ricochet River, Child of Darkness, Child of Light, and Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces. He announced his retirement from acting in 2005.

Strobel once again appeared as Phillip Michael Gerard in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, a prequel to Twin Peaks. Released on August 28, 1992, and directed by David Lynch, the film failed to repeat the success of the series. Following its disappointing box office results, plans for two sequels were abandoned.

Detailed information about his family members remains unknown as the actor has revealed very little about his personal life over the years.

About the author

Anupal is a pop culture writer at Sportskeeda with a degree in Political Science. He developed a keen interest in the lives of celebrities, films, TV shows, and box office collections since an early age. After accumulating significant experience as a content writer across varied fields at companies such as The Indian Wire, DigiStatement, and QuirkyByte Media, he eventually settled on writing about his favorite genre - pop culture.

Anupal believes in conducting in-depth research while writing about any topic and relies on varied sources to ensure he produces holistic articles. He also often glances through content that was published in the 80s and 90s to gain a better understanding of the subject he is covering.

Anupal admires Robert Downey Jr., who played one of his favorite Marvel superheroes, Iron Man. He is inspired by the actor's resilience and the determination in overcoming past struggles to building a successful Hollywood career and admires the way he articulates his thoughts while speaking in interviews.

If Anupal could travel back in time, he would love to experience James Cameron's 2009 film 'Avatar' in a theatre full of fans. When he's not busy working, he binges on the latest OTT titles across languages.

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