"Remembering Herbert 'Cowboy' Coward: The 'Deliverance' Actor's Legacy"

Herbert "Cowboy" Coward, known for his role as the sadistic Toothless Man in the film Deliverance, has died in a car accident at the age of 85 in North Carolina. The accident also claimed the life of his girlfriend and their pets. Coward, a recognizable figure in Haywood County, was fondly nicknamed "The Squirrel Man" due to his pet squirrel, Cowgirl. He gained fame after being recommended by Burt Reynolds for his role in Deliverance and remained in regular contact with Reynolds until the actor's death in 2018. Despite his Hollywood connections, Coward lived a quiet life in Haywood County.