C.W. Morgan, the actor best known for playing Hank Loomis, the father of original Ghostface killer Billy Loomis in the Scream franchise, has died at the age of 72 in Los Angeles, with the circumstances surrounding his death still under investigation.

Los Angeles County Medical Examiner records reviewed by Entertainment Weekly indicate that Morgan died on August 30. Although the precise location and time of his death have not been established, records list a bathroom as the place of death.

The manner of death remains under examination. TMZ, which first reported the news, cited a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson as saying Morgan’s death appeared to have resulted from natural causes.

Morgan’s daughter, Renata Macfie, paid tribute to her father in a Facebook post on the day of his death, reflecting on their close relationship and the routines they shared.

“I’m never going to have the right words for this post,” she wrote. “Losing you has left the biggest hole in my heart. I miss you endlessly already.”

Sharing a photograph of Morgan embracing her as a child, Macfie recalled their drives along Mulholland and visits to Starbucks.

“I’m grateful and lucky to have had you as my daddy. My Guck. Rest easy bubby. Life will never be the same without you and your poorly timed jokes that I inherited from you,” she wrote. “Love you endlessly (no more fighting about that anymore I win).”

Born Curtis Wade Morgan on June 8, 1954 in Bisbee, Arizona, he began his acting career at the age of 37 with a role in the NBC television drama ‘Midnight Caller’. He appeared as Al Haynie in two episodes during the series’ third season in 1991.

Morgan became best known for his role in Wes Craven’s 1996 horror film ‘Scream’. He played Hank Loomis, an ambitious lawyer and the father of Billy Loomis, portrayed by Skeet Ulrich.

Billy is revealed to be one of the Ghostface killers at the end of the film. Although Hank has limited screen time, his personal history plays a significant role in the franchise’s story. His affair with Maureen Prescott, the mother of Sidney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell, is revealed to have contributed to the breakdown of the Loomis family and influenced Billy’s actions.

Morgan returned for a brief cameo in Scream 3 in 2000. His final acting role was a single-episode appearance in the television series ‘Nash Bridges’ that year.

Outside his acting work, Morgan occasionally shared glimpses of his life on Instagram, including selfies, food recommendations and illustrations of cats. His final post, shared on June 11, 2025, was a photograph of a blossoming pink flower without a caption.