C.W. Morgan’s daughter confirmed his death in an emotional Facebook tribute.
Renata Macfie, the daughter of the actor best known for playing Hank Loomis in the 1996 horror hit “Scream,” announced his passing on Aug. 31. Morgan, 72, died one day earlier in Los Angeles County, according to medical examiner records.
“I’m never going to have the right words for this post. Loosing [sic] you has left the biggest hole in my heart,” Macfie wrote alongside a childhood throwback photo of the two of them.
“I miss you endlessly already. I will carry on our Mulholland drives and our Starbucks outings. I’m grateful and lucky to have had you as my daddy. My Guck. Rest easy bubby.”
Macfie continued her tribute with a nod to their shared humor. “Life will never be the same without you and your poorly timed jokes that I inherited from you. Love you endlessly (no more fighting about that anymore I win).”
Los Angeles Medical Examiner records list the actor’s full name as Curtis Wade Morgan and place his death on Aug. 30 in Los Angeles County. The records indicate he died in a bathroom.
An LAPD spokesperson told reporters that officers responded to a call for a death investigation and that the death appears to have been from natural causes. His official cause of death remains unclear.
Morgan’s most recognizable role came as Hank Loomis, the father of Billy Loomis in Wes Craven’s 1996 slasher “Scream.” Hank was established as a prominent lawyer and the ex-husband of Nancy Loomis, played by Laurie Metcalf. The character’s secret affair with Maureen Prescott, mother of protagonist Sidney Prescott, served as a key plot point that helped fracture the Loomis family and drive Billy toward his murderous rampage as the original Ghostface killer.
The actor returned to the franchise four years after his debut, appearing in a flashback scene in 2000’s “Scream 3.” That same year marked the end of his screen career, with his final role coming as Coleman Spencer in an episode of the television series “Nash Bridges.”
Born Curtis Wade Morgan, the performer built a career that spanned the late 1990s and culminated in his association with one of horror’s most enduring franchises. His portrayal of the flawed patriarch in “Scream” left him permanently linked to the film that helped revitalize the slasher genre.
Morgan’s death adds to the legacy of a film that continues to spawn sequels and maintain cultural relevance nearly three decades after its release. The original “Scream” remains a touchstone of 1990s horror, with its blend of self-aware humor and genuine scares influencing generations of genre filmmakers.
