Dale Critchlow – Napoleon Dynamite star – dies, aged 92
The farmer appeared in the film as a favour.
Napoleon Dynamite star Dale Critchlow has died aged 92, his family has confirmed.
Long-time fans of the cult favourite comedy will recognise him as Farmer Lyle, an acquaintance of the title character remembered for his unconventional speech pattern and unpredictable behaviour.
Critchlow himself was not a professional actor, but was known personally to writer-director Jared Hess, who asked if he would appear in the movie after helping out on his farm.
“My wife called Jared Hess’ mother and asked if one of her boys was there,” Critchlow recalled to East Idaho News. “He came over, and he had a friend with him. I drove the truck out into the pasture and the sheep came over. They grabbed those bucks and pushed them into the truck.”
He continued: “And then later, he came back and says, ‘I need a favour,’ and I said, ‘Sure, go ahead.’ He says, ‘I want you to be in my movie.'”
More like this
Napoleon Dynamite would ultimately become a surprise hit, grossing $46 million on a mere $400,000 production budget, as well as spawning a short-lived animated series that ran for one season on FOX.
Talk of a sequel has been doing the rounds for many years, with co-star Jon Heder saying as recently as 2020 that he would be open to returning for the right material.
As for Critchlow, he seemed happy with how the film turned out when asked by East Idaho News: “I thought it was kind of funny in places, and in a few places, it was kind of dragged out. He done a pretty good job.”
Originally from Utah, he moved to Idaho when he was 39 years old, but would return to his birthplace after his Napoleon Dynamite success to shoot an appearance in 2006 comedy Church Ball, which starred Fred Willard and Gary Coleman.
The full interview with Critchlow remains available on YouTube.
