Donald Sutherland Dies; Beloved Actor Was 88

Sad news out of Hollywood today, as one of the industry’s most beloved stars, Donald Sutherland, has passed away at the age of 88.

Sutherland accumulated more than 180 film and television credits in a career that spanned seven decades.

He is often cited as one of the best actors to have never won an Academy Award.

After rising to fame in the late ’60s and early ’70s with memorable roles in films such as The Dirty Dozen (1967), M*A*S*H (1970), and Kelly’s Heroes (1970), Sutherland branched out with a wide array of films that ran the gamut from high drama to slapstick comedy.

With Klute (1971), Don’t Look Now (1973), The Day of the Locust (1975), Animal House (1978), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), and Ordinary People (1980), Sutherland established himself as one of the most versatile stars in Hollywood.

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His star continued to rise throughout the ’80s and ’90s and 2000s, with work in such hit films as Backdraft (1991), JFK (1991), Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Without Limits (1998), The Italian Job (2003), and Pride & Prejudice (2005), and The Hunger Games (2012).

A dedicated artist who stayed busy until the very end, Sutherland most recently appeared on the 2023 Paramount+ series Lawmen: Bass Reeves.

Early in his career, Sutherland developed a reputation as an actor’s actor.

He was the sort of star who loved honing his craft and mentoring young stars on set.

Sutherland is survived by his five children, one of whom, Kiefer Sutherland, has also enjoyed remarkable success as an actor.

It was Kiefer who shared the news of his father’s death earlier today.

No cause of death has been revealed, and details of Donald’s final days are scarce at the moment.

Kiefer’s daughter, Sarah Sutherland, has kept the family business alive with acclaimed work on the HBO series Veep and The Newsroom.

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Donald is also survived by Francine Racette, his wife of more than 50 years.

Within moments of Kiefer’s announcement, Donald’s name became a worldwide trending topic on X (formerly Twitter).

Kiefer shared a special note about his father on social media.

“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.”

Tributes from friends, family, and a legion of adoring fans have been flooding in from all over the world.

Donald Sutherland leaves behind such a vast and varied body of work that we’re sure film buffs will enjoy debating and dissecting his finest roles for many years to come.

Our thoughts go out to his family at this enormously difficult time.

Please hit the comments section below to share your favorite Donald Sutherland memories.

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Tyler Johnson is an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic and the other Mediavine O&O sites. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, cooking, and, of course, watching TV. You can Follow him on X and email him here at TV Fanatic.