Some sad news to report this evening as it has been announced that legendary actor Donald Sutherland has passed away 88, with his son Kiefer Sutherland breaking the news on behalf of his family.
“With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away,” wrote Kiefer. “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.”
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… pic.twitter.com/3EdJB03KKT
— Kiefer Sutherland (@RealKiefer) June 20, 2024
Born in Saint John, Canada in 1935, Sutherland began started acting professionally in the UK in the early 1960s and would go on to enjoy a career spanning seven decades, during which he would received a number of honours including two Golden Globes, a Primetime Emmy Award, an an Honorary Award from the Academy.
After early roles in horror such as Castle of the Living Dead, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors and Die! Die! My Darling! before a breakthrough part in 1967’s The Dirty Dozen saw him heading to Hollywood for a run of films that included M*A*S*H, Kelly’s Heroes and Klute.
In 1973, Sutherland would star alongside Julie Christie in Nicolas Roeg’s classic Venice-set horror Don’t Look Now and saw out the decade with films such as The Eagle Has Landed, Casanova, 1900, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, National Lampoon’s Animal House and 1980’s Oscar winner Ordinary People.
In the 90s, Sutherland big screen credits included JFK, Backdraft, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Disclosure, Six Degrees of Separation and A Time To Kill, as well as winning Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for the TV movie Citizen X. He would also add a second Golden Globe Award for 2002’s made-for-TV movie Path to War.
Sutherland entered perhaps his most prolific spell following the turn of the millennium, with his later credits including Space Cowboys, Cold Mountain, The Italian Job, Price & Prejudice, Horrible Bosses, The Hunger Games, Ad Astra, The Burnt Orange Heresy, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone and last year’s Miranda’s Victim. His latter TV credits include Commander in Chief, Dirty Sexy Money, The Undoing, and Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
