Scream Actor C.W. Morgan, Who Played Hank Loomis, Dead at 72

C.W. Morgan, the actor best known for playing Hank Loomis in the 1996 horror classic Scream, has died at 72. He passed away Aug. 30 in Los Angeles County. According to LAPD, his death appeared to be from natural causes, while medical examiner records list the cause as unclear. His daughter, Renata Macfie, confirmed the news in a heartfelt Facebook tribute on Aug. 31, writing,“Loosing you has left the biggest hole in my heart,”and adding,“I’m grateful and lucky to have had you as my daddy. My Guck.”

In Scream, Morgan played Billy Loomis’father, a character whose affair with Sidney Prescott’s mother shattered both families and became the emotional spark behind Billy’s killing spree. It was a supporting role, but it shaped the entire mythology of the franchise, which is why fans still bring up Hank Loomis nearly thirty years later. Morgan reprised the role in a flashback in 2000’s Scream 3, and his final screen credit came that same year with an episode of Nash Bridges.

Morgan’s passing lands right in the middle of spooky season, when a lot of us are already rewatching the classics. If you fire up the original Scream this month, you’ll see him in the very foundation of Ghostface lore. What’s the first Scream movie you ever watched, and who introduced you to it?