'Dick Tracy' and 'RoboCop' Actor Neil Summers Dead at 81

Neil Summers, a longtime Hollywood stuntman and actor best known for playing The Rodent in the 1990 crime-action movie "Dick Tracy," is dead.

David Friedman, a close family friend, tells TMZ ... Neil died at his home in Kanab, Utah last Thursday surrounded by loved ones.

We're told Neil died from natural causes ... though there is no official cause of death at this point.

In addition to his work on "Dick Tracy," Neil also had acting gigs in "RoboCop," "The Shawshank Redemption" and "My Name Is Nobody."

Neil did stunts on a ton of movies over the years ... including "Holes," "Bedazzled," "U.S. Marshalls," "Harry and the Hendersons," "Howard the Duck," "Better Off Dead," "The Outlaw Josey Wales," "El Dorado,"  a couple 'Naked Gun' movies and "Mars Attacks!" ... just to name a few.

He worked alongside Elvis, John Wayne and Clint Eastwood as a stuntman who transitioned into acting.

Neil is survived by his sister, niece, nephew and longtime partner, Karen.

He was 81.