one of the most chaotic movie heists of all time — one that quickly descends into an equally chaotic standoff that leaves virtually everyone involved riddled with bullets. Hence, it may come as no surprise to learn that things were just as wild behind the scenes on the film.
Mr. Blonde, as played by the late, great Michael Madsen (who sadly passed away on July 3, 2025), steals Quentin Tarantino’s feature directing debut with his infamous torture routine set to the slick song “Stuck in the Middle with You.” However, even the character’s colorful personality paled in comparison to the reputation of the cast’s most problematic actor: Lawrence Tierney.
Tierney had a long history of playing mobsters in classic Hollywood pictures like “Dillinger,” and off-screen, he did his best to live up to that tough guy image. He was a notorious drinker with a reputation for starting bar fights wherever he went. In fact, he was even stabbed during one of these altercations in 1973. So, when Tarantino cast the veteran in the role of mob boss Joe Cabot in “Reservoir Dogs,” the film’s producers gave him a strict rule to never, ever let Tierney drink during the production. Unfortunately, this ultimately teed up a fateful clash with Madsen.
