Veteran actor Donald Sutherland, 88, dies in Miami
(Updated June 21, 2024) The beloved and highly respected actor, Donald Sutherland, who first caught the public’s attention playing opposite Jane Fonda in the 1971 detective film drama “Klute,” has died. He was 88 and perhaps one of the hardest working actors out there, appearing in roles right up to the time of his passing. In addition to “Klute,” Sutherland was also known for some of his other huge film roles that included “The Dirty Dozen,” “The Hunger Games,” and more recently appearing in a recurring role as a judge in TV’s “Lawmen: Bass Reeves.” a period piece set in the 1860s.
Sutherland died Thursday in Miami following a long illness, Deadline reported. His son, Kiefer Sutherland, confirmed his father’s passing in a short but poignant social media post.
With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away. I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film. Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived. ~ Kiefer Sutherland
According to the Huffpost, Sutherland was born on July 17, 1935, in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, and could be seen in over 200 film and TV credits that spanned a career of more than 60 years, from guesting on episodes of 1960s series including Suspense, The Avengers, Court Martial and The Odd Man to last year’s Paramount+ drama Bass Reeves.
His big break in movies came with Robert Aldrich’s star-packed 1967 World War II drama The Dirty Dozen, playing Vernon Pinkley opposite Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, George Kennedy, Telly Savalas and others. A hit in theaters, it remains a seminal American war movie.
His next big role was as Capt. Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce in Robert Altman’s 1970 Korean War dramedy MASH.
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Although Sutherland never received an Academy Award for any of his distinguished performances, he was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2017. Below are just a few tributes to the late actor from his friends, colleagues and admirers.
(Image credit: President Joe Biden / Facebook)
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The Associated Press shared a 1988 quote of Sutherland speaking to Charlie Rose when he said, “I love to work. I passionately love to work. I love to feel my hand fit into the glove of some other character. I feel a huge freedom — time stops for me. I’m not as crazy as I used to be, but I’m still a little crazy.”
Donald Sutherland Filmography
Sutherland is survived by his wife Francine Racette, sons Roeg, Rossif, Angus, and Kiefer, daughter Rachel, and four grandchildren. A private celebration of life will be held by the family.
For more on the acclaimed actor, see the video accompanying this article.
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Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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