The RIP Thread

[Frothy Afterbirth]

O.J. Simpson, whose murder trial riveted and divided the world, dies at 76
By Elaine Woo
April 11, 2024 Updated 11:15 AM PT


(Myung J. Chun / Pool)

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[Vodkaman]

He got away with it up until now if you believe I heaven and hell.

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[The Godfather]

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[Vodkaman]

I have a white Bronco same year maybe it's a good time to sell

[Frothy Afterbirth]

Line of Duty and Outlander star Brian McCardie dead at 59: Tributes pour in for 'wonderful and passionate actor' who passed away suddenly at home
By Rebecca Davison for MailOnline and Megan Howe and Jon Brady
Published: 13:58 BST, 30 April 2024 | Updated: 15:54 BST, 30 April 2024



Line of Duty star Brian McCardie has been found dead suddenly at home aged 59.

The Scottish actor was best known for playing mafia boss John Thomas 'Tommy' Hunter in BBC crime drama Line of Duty, but also appeared in Outlander and had joined the cast of series prequel Blood of My Blood.

Brian recently appeared in the hit BBC prison drama Time, starring Sean Bean and Stephen Graham - and before that hit the big time with a prominent role in action sequel Speed 2 alongside Sandra Bullock.

Announcing the news on X, formerly Twitter, his sister Sarah said he was gone 'much too soon'.

The post, which revealed that he died on Sunday, prompted dozens of tributes from fans, friends and fellow actors.

Sarah said: 'It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Brian James McCardie, beloved son, brother, uncle and dear friend to so many.

'Brian passed away suddenly at home on Sunday 28th April. A wonderful and passionate actor on stage and screen, Brian loved his work and touched many lives, and is gone much too soon.'

She continued: 'We love him and will miss him greatly; please remember Brian in your thoughts.'

United Agents, which had represented the actor, said: 'We are shocked and so deeply saddened by the tragic news of Brian McCardie's sudden death.

'He was an actor of such great talent who we were lucky to represent, and our thoughts are very much with his family and friends at this difficult time.'

Brian grew up in North Lanarkshire, moving from Motherwell to Carluke, south-east of Glasgow, and developing an interest in acting at an early age.

He attended St Brendan's and St Athanasius Primary Schools, before going on to study at Our Lady's High School in Motherwell.

It was during secondary school that he developed his passion for theatre and acting, starring in a production of 'Godspell' with a local drama group.

He appeared in episodes of The Bill, Holby City and Sky Atlantic series Domina, and appeared as crass detective Dougie Gillman in the film adaptation of Irvine Welsh's darkly comic police drama Filth opposite James McAvoy.

At the Lyric Theatre in Belfast, Brian McCardie performed his one man show called Connolly about the Irish trade union leader and republican James Connolly.

He was supposed to present the show in a six-week run at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2020, but this had to be cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.

The accomplished actor took on a string of roles that took in his native Scotland, the rest of the UK and even Hollywood, appearing in action sequel Speed 2 and in Rob Roy opposite Liam Neeson.

But when asked by The Herald which of his roles he'd be remembered for most, he joked: 'Probably Crimewatch.'

He told the paper he voluntarily walked away from Hollywood after working on five films in four years, adding that he found Tinseltown 'Machiavellian'.

McCardie added: 'I think my representatives at the time were trying to put me into a box. You know, have a six-pack and be well-built with a chiselled jawline. Be some kind of prototype, young actor.

'And I had no interest in playing an idealised version of people.'

Louise Thornton, head of commissioning at BBC Scotland, said: 'He was a talented, versatile actor across stage and screen and was brilliant playing the intimidating and central character Tommy Hunter in the early series of Line of Duty.'

Producer Paul Larkin who was a friend of Brian, paid tribute to him on 'X', formerly known as Twitter.

He said: 'Brian was a brilliant friend and we had many discussions about mental health issues where he was a fantastic help to me. As well as that; he was a phenomenal actor. Sleep tight Brother.'

Scottish actor Simon Weir said: 'Just devastated by this. Nobody made me laugh like you. Proud to have been your friend and will miss you more than words can say. Rest in peace old friend.'

Director Alec Bowman Clarke said he had written a part for him in a future project, adding: 'I spoke to him a few times about projects & always found him genuine, passionate, generous and funny.'

Kenny Doughty, agent at the Artists Partnership added: 'Very saddened to learn that the immensely talented Brian McCardie has passed away suddenly. Had the pleasure of working with him & he was a true talent, fun & a good man. Will miss him. My condolences to his family.'

MP Angus Robertson added: 'Tremendously sad news. Brian McCardie was a terrific actor and lovely guy. Sincere condolences to his family and friends.'

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Story by BRIAN MELLEY, Associated Press



The Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" and went down with the ship as the captain in “Titanic,” has died.

Hill, 79, passed away Sunday morning, agent Lou Coulson said.

Hill joined “The Lord Of The Rings” franchise in the second film of the trilogy, 2002’s “The Two Towers,” as Théoden, King of Rohan. The following year, he reprised the role in “Return of the King,” a movie that won 11 Oscars.

n one of the film's most memorable scenes, Hill's character fires up his overmatched forces by delivering a battle cry on horseback that sends his troops thundering downhill toward the enemy and his own imminent death.

“Arise, arise, riders of Théoden!” Hill hollers. “Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride for ruin and the world’s ending! Death! Death! Death!”

In “Titanic," Hill played Captain Edward Smith, one of the only characters based on a real person in the 1997 tragic romance starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The film also won 11 Academy Awards.

As the doomed ship takes on water, Hill's character silently retreats to the wheelhouse. As the cabin groans under the pressure of the waves, he takes a final breath and grabs the wheel as water bursts through the windows.

Hill first made a name for himself as Yosser Hughes in “Boys From the Blackstuff,” a 1982 British TV miniseries about five unemployed men.

He was nominated for an award in 1983 from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for the role, and the show won the BAFTA for best drama series.

His death came the same day the second series of the BBC drama “The Responder” was to air, in which he played the father of the show's star, Martin Freeman.

“Bernard Hill blazed a trail across the screen, and his long-lasting career filled with iconic and remarkable roles is a testament to his incredible talent, said Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama. “Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.”

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Bill Walton, Hall of Fame player who became a star broadcaster, dies of cancer at 71
By Time Reynolds Updated 5:40 PM PDT, May 27, 2024


AP Photo/Charles Kupra

Bill Walton was never afraid to be himself.

Larger than life, only in part because of his nearly 7-foot frame, Walton was a two-time NCAA champion at UCLA, a two-time champion in the NBA, a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, an on-court icon in every sense of the word. And off the court, Walton was a chronic fun-seeker, a broadcaster who adhered to no conventional norms and took great joy in that, a man with a deeply serious side about the causes that mattered most to him.

“Bill Walton,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said, “was truly one of a kind.”

Walton died Monday at the age of 71 after a prolonged fight with cancer, the league announced on behalf of his family. He was the NBA’s MVP in the 1977-78 season, the league’s sixth man of the year in 1985-86 and a member of the league’s 50th anniversary and 75th anniversary teams. That followed a college career in which he blossomed while playing under coach John Wooden at UCLA, becoming a three-time national player of the year.

“I am sad today hearing that my comrade and one of the sports world’s most beloved champions and characters has passed,” Julius “Dr. J” Erving, a fellow Hall of Famer, wrote on social media. “Bill Walton enjoyed life in every way. To compete against him and to work with him was a blessing in my life.”

Tributes immediately began pouring in, and the NBA held a moment of silence to commemorate Walton’s life before Game 4 of the Boston Celtics-Indiana Pacers matchup in the Eastern Conference finals on Monday night.

Walton, who entered the Hall of Fame in 1993, was one of the game’s most celebrated figures. His NBA career — disrupted by chronic foot injuries — lasted only 468 games combined with the Portland Trail Blazers, the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers and the Celtics. He averaged 13.3 points and 10.5 rebounds in those games, neither of those numbers exactly record-setting.

Still, his impact on the game was massive.

“I love him as a friend and as a teammate,” Celtics legend Larry Bird said. “It was a thrill for me to play with my childhood idol and together we earned an NBA championship in 1986. He is one of the greatest ever to play the game. I am sure that all of my teammates are as grateful as I am that we were able to know Bill. He was such a joy to know and he will be sorely missed.”

Walton’s most famous game was the 1973 NCAA title game, UCLA against Memphis, in which he shot 21 for 22 from the field and led the Bruins to another national championship.

“One of my guards said, ’Let’s try something else,’” Wooden told The Associated Press in 2008 for a 35th anniversary retrospective on that game.

Wooden’s response during that timeout: “Why? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

They kept giving the ball to Walton, and he kept delivering in a performance for the ages.

“It’s very hard to put into words what he has meant to UCLA’s program, as well as his tremendous impact on college basketball,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said Monday. “Beyond his remarkable accomplishments as a player, it’s his relentless energy, enthusiasm for the game and unwavering candor that have been the hallmarks of his larger-than-life personality.

“It’s hard to imagine a season in Pauley Pavilion without him.”

When Walton retired from the NBA he turned to broadcasting, something he never thought he could be good at — and an avenue he sometimes wondered would be possible for him, because he had a pronounced stutter at times in his life.

Turns out, he was excellent at broadcasting: Walton was an Emmy winner, eventually was named one of the top 50 sports broadcasters of all time by the American Sportscasters Association and even appeared on The New York Times’ bestseller list for his memoir, “Back from the Dead.” It told the story of a debilitating back injury suffered in 2008, one that left him considering taking his own life because of the constant pain, and how he spent years recovering.

“I lived most of my life by myself. But as soon as I got on the court I was fine,” Walton told The Oregonian newspaper for a story published in 2017. “But in life, being so self conscious, red hair, big nose, freckles and goofy, nerdy looking face and can’t talk at all. I was incredibly shy and never said a word. Then, when I was 28 I learned how to speak. It’s become my greatest accomplishment of my life and everybody else’s biggest nightmare.”

The last part of that was just Walton hyperbole. He was known for his on-air tangents and sometimes appeared on-air in Grateful Dead T-shirts; Walton was a huge fan of the band and referenced it often, even sometimes recording satellite radio specials celebrating what it meant to be a “Deadhead.”

And the Pac-12 Conference, which has basically evaporated in many ways now because of college realignment, was another of his many loves. He always referred to it as the “Conference of Champions” and sang its praises all the way to the end.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” he once said on a broadcast, tie-dyed T-shirt on, a Hawaiian lei around his neck.

Walton was involved in the broadcasts of college and NBA games for CBS, NBC and ABC/ESPN in his career, along with stints working for the Clippers and Sacramento Kings as an analyst. He returned to ESPN and the Pac-12 Network, further touting the roots of his league, in 2012.

“Bill Walton was a legendary player and a singular personality who genuinely cherished every experience throughout the journey of his extraordinary life,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said. “Bill often described himself as ‘the luckiest guy in the world,’ but anyone who had the opportunity to interact with Bill was the lucky one. He was a truly special, giving person who always made time for others. Bill’s one-of-a-kind spirit captivated and inspired audiences during his second career as a successful broadcaster.”

But Walton will always be synonymous with UCLA’s dominance.

He enrolled at the school in 1970, before freshmen could play on the varsity team. Once he could play for Wooden, the Bruins were unbeatable for more than two years — Walton’s UCLA teams won their first 73 games, the bulk of the Bruins’ extraordinary 88-game winning streak. It was snapped against Notre Dame in 1974, a 71-70 loss in which Walton shot 12 for 14 from the field.

“Bill Walton’s passing is a sad tragedy. One of the great ones in UCLA basketball history,” Digger Phelps, who coached that Notre Dame team, posted Monday on social media. “We were great friends over the years. It won’t be the same without him.”

UCLA went 30-0 in each of Walton’s first two seasons, and 86-4 in his career on the varsity team.

“My teammates … made me a much better basketball player than I could ever have become myself,” Walton said at his Hall of Fame speech in 1993. “The concept of team has always been the most intriguing aspect of basketball to me. If I had been interested in individual success or an individual sport, I would have taken up tennis or golf.”

Walton led Portland to the 1977 NBA title, then got his second championship with Boston in 1986.

“Bill Walton was an icon,” said Jody Allen, the chair of the Trail Blazers. “His leadership and tenacity on the court were key to bringing a championship to our fans and defined one of the most magical moments in franchise history. We will always treasure what he brought to our community and the sport of basketball.”

The Celtics released a statement saying: “Bill Walton was one of the most consequential players of his era. ... Walton could do it all, possessing great timing, complete vision of the floor, excellent fundamentals and was of one of the greatest passing big men in league history.”

Walton considered himself fortunate to have been guided by two of the game’s greatest minds in Wooden and Celtics patriarch Red Auerbach.

“Thank you John, and thank you Red, for making my life what it has become,” Walton said in his Hall of Fame speech.

Walton was the No. 1 pick by Portland in the 1974 draft. He said Bill Russell was his favorite player and referred to Bird as the toughest and best he played with, so it was appropriate that his playing career ended as a member of the Celtics. “Playing basketball with Larry Bird,” Walton once said, “is like singing with Jerry Garcia,” referencing the co-founder of the Grateful Dead.

In his final years, Walton spoke out about issues that mattered most to him, such as the problem of homelessness in his native San Diego, urging city leaders to take action and create shelter space to help those in need.

“What I will remember most about him was his zest for life,” Silver said in a statement. “He was a regular presence at league events — always upbeat, smiling ear to ear and looking to share his wisdom and warmth. I treasured our close friendship, envied his boundless energy and admired the time he took with every person he encountered.”

Walton died surrounded by his loved ones, his family said. He is survived by wife Lori and sons Adam, Nate, Chris and Luke — a NBA championship-winning player and now a coach.

Said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who was teammates with Walton in Boston: “He defiantly competed for every moment in life to be the greatest it could possibly be.”

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders, who took famous 'Earthrise' photo, dies in plane crash
Story by Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY June 7, 2024



William Anders, the former Apollo 8 astronaut who captured a famous photo of Earth looking like a blue marble from space, was reportedly killed in an airplane crash in Washington on Friday. He was 90.

Anders' son, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Greg Anders, confirmed to King5 and the Associated Press that his father was killed in the crash and that his body has been recovered.

Officials received reports around 11:40 a.m. that an older model plane went into the water and sunk in the San Juan Channel near Orcas Island, according to a San Juan County Sheriff’s Office news release. The Federal Aviation Administration said only the pilot was on the aircraft.

The aircraft crashed in the water about 80 feet offshore from Jones Island, Washington, under unknown circumstances, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

William Anders took pivotal 'earthrise' photo

Anders is best known as the Apollo 8 lunar module pilot who captured the iconic photo of Earth looking like a blue marble from space. He called the photo, named "Earthrise," the most significant contribution he made throughout his astronomical career.

The Apollo 8 mission, which paved the way for Apollo 11's historic lunar landing seven months later, was fraught with risk. The mission took 16 weeks from conception to launch, compared to similar ones that took at least a year to execute. Flight simulators couldn't be used because they weren't finished.

Anders was born in Hong Kong on Oct. 17, 1933 but grew up in San Diego. In 1964, Anders became a NASA astronaut working in fields including dosimetry, radiation effects and environmental control. He retired from the Air Force Reserves in 1988. By 1991, he served as chairman of General Dynamics Corporation from 1991 to 1994.

Anders moved to Orcas Island in 1993 with his his wife Valerie, with whom he shares six children and 13 grandchildren.

Aircraft was a T-34 plane he reportedly owned

The plane was a Beechcraft A-45, also known as a T-34 airplane, the safety board confirmed.

Flight data and FAA records show that Anders, a San Juan County resident, owned the vintage plane that crashed, FOX13 reported.

Once it is recovered from the water, the aircraft will be examined at an offsite facility by the NTSB. Investigators will gather tracking data, air traffic control communications recordings and the pilot's flight experience.

A preliminary report will be available within 30 days while a final report containing the probable cause of the crash could take one to two years.

Contributing: Ledyard King

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Legendary outfielder Willie Mays, 'Say Hey Kid,' dies at 93
ESPN News Services Jun 18, 2024, 09:03 PM ET



Willie Mays, whose unmatched collection of skills made him the greatest center fielder who ever lived, died Tuesday afternoon in the Bay Area. He was 93.

"My father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones," Michael Mays said in a statement released by the San Francisco Giants. "I want to thank you all from the bottom of my broken heart for the unwavering love you have shown him over the years. You have been his life's blood."

The "Say Hey Kid" left an indelible mark on the sport, with his name a constant throughout baseball's hallowed record book and his defensive prowess -- epitomized by "The Catch" in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series -- second to none.

All told, in a career that spanned 20-plus years (1951-73) -- most of them with his beloved Giants -- he made 24 All-Star teams, won two National League MVP awards and had 12 Gold Gloves. He ranks sixth all time in home runs (660), seventh in runs scored (2,068), 10th in RBIs (1,909) and 12th in hits (3,293).

"Today we have lost a true legend," Giants chairman Greg Johnson said in a statement. "In the pantheon of baseball greats, Willie Mays' combination of tremendous talent, keen intellect, showmanship, and boundless joy set him apart. A 24-time All-Star, the Say Hey Kid is the ultimate Forever Giant.

"He had a profound influence not only on the game of baseball, but on the fabric of America. He was an inspiration and a hero who will be forever remembered and deeply missed."

Fellow Giants legend Barry Bonds, who is Mays' godson and sits just five spots above him on the all-time home run leaderboard, said Mays "helped shape me to be who I am today" in a message shared on social media.

Mays' death comes two days before the Giants are set to play the St. Louis Cardinals at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, in a game honoring Mays and the Negro Leagues as a whole. It was announced Monday that Mays would not be able to attend.

Mays, who was born on May 6, 1931, and grew up in Alabama, began his professional career at age 17 in 1948 with the Birmingham Black Barons, helping the team to the Negro League World Series that season.

MLB has been working with the city of Birmingham and Friends of Rickwood nonprofit group to renovate the 10,800-seat ballpark, which at 114 years old is the oldest professional ballpark in the United States.

"Thursday's game at historic Rickwood Field was designed to be a celebration of Willie Mays and his peers," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "With sadness in our hearts, it will now also serve as a national remembrance of an American who will forever remain on the short list of the most impactful individuals our great game has ever known."

The Giants were playing the Cubs in Chicago on Tuesday night; the Wrigley Field crowd of 36,292 stood in a salute to Mays during a moment of silence when his death was announced on the left-field video board in the sixth inning.

"It's heavy hearts for not only the Bay Area and New York where he started, but the baseball world," said Giants manager Bob Melvin, who learned of Mays' death right before the start of the game. "This is one of the true icons of the game."

The 62-year-old Melvin, from Palo Alto, California, said he grew up watching Mays play at Candlestick Park.

"I loved baseball because of Willie Mays," Melvin said. "It meant that much."

Mays excelled in baseball, football and basketball as a high schooler. But his love of baseball trumped all sports. Since he was still in school while playing for the Black Barons, he played with the club only on the weekends; he traveled with Birmingham when school was out.

The New York Giants caught wind of Mays and purchased his contract from Birmingham in 1950. Mays had no trouble acclimating, batting .353 in 81 games with Trenton that season. In 1951, Mays broke out with the Triple-A Minneapolis Millers; he batted .477 in 35 games before the Giants recalled him in May.

There will never be another quite like Willie Mays 🧡 pic.twitter.com/I95JW1buJF
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 19, 2024

At age 20, Mays was the 10th Black player in major league history. After going hitless in his first three games, Mays' first career hit with the Giants was a home run off Hall of Famer Warren Spahn in the first inning of the Giants' 4-1 loss to the Braves on May 28, 1951. Mays was also on deck when the Giants' Bobby Thomson hit his NL-pennant-winning home run against the Dodgers on Oct. 3, 1951, famously known as "The Shot Heard 'Round the World."

The Korean War interrupted Mays' career in 1952. He played in 34 games for the Giants (batting .236) before he was drafted by the U.S. Army. Mays was assigned to Fort Eustis in Virginia, and he kept his skills sharp by playing games regularly. Mays also missed the entire 1953 season because of military service; he did not return to the Giants until the spring of 1954.

But the layoff from professional baseball did not affect him. Mays won the first of his two career NL MVP awards that season, leading the league in batting at .345 and hitting 41 home runs to go along with 110 RBIs. Mays won his other NL MVP in 1965.

"I fell in love with baseball because of Willie, plain and simple," Giants president and chief executive officer Larry Baer said. "My childhood was defined by going to Candlestick with my dad, watching Willie patrol center field with grace and the ultimate athleticism. Over the past 30 years, working with Willie, and seeing firsthand his zest for life and unbridled passion for giving to young players and kids, has been one of the joys of my life."

During Game 1 of the 1954 World Series against Cleveland at the Polo Grounds, Mays made one of the most famous plays in baseball history. With the score tied at 2 and two runners on base, Cleveland's Vic Wertz hit a 2-1 pitch to deep center in the top of the eighth inning. Mays sprinted toward the wall with his back away from Wertz. He made a basket catch while on the run, pivoted and fired the ball into the infield. Mays' catch and quick relay throw prevented both runners from scoring; the Giants won the game 5-2 in 10 innings.

Today, the play is simply known as "The Catch."

"It wasn't no lucky catch," Mays noted years later.

On May 11, 1972, Mays was traded from the Giants to the New York Mets for pitcher Charlie Williams and $50,000. After the 1973 season -- when Mays helped the Mets win the NL pennant -- Mays retired. In 1979, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Melvin said the Giants would've loved if he could've watched the matchup Thursday at Rickwood Field.

"If possible, it adds more to going there," he said.

Giants starter Logan Webb said he found out about Mays' death during the Cubs' announcement, as he was taking the mound to pitch the sixth inning.

"It was hard at first. I took my hat off and I was looking at the scoreboard and just thinking about him," Webb said. "I kind of looked at the umpire and I was like, 'I think you need to stop the clock.' I needed to take a moment to think about it and be prideful for the jersey I was wearing, the hat I was wearing, knowing Willie did the same."

Webb said the team will play Thursday's game in Mays' honor. Right fielder Mike Yastrzemski also reflected on his interactions with Mays, recalling how the Hall of Famer insisted he should be playing center field when he was first called up.

"He said he couldn't see much of the game but he could see that," Yastrzemski said. "It was pretty cool."

In a statement from the MLB Players Association, executive director Tony Clark said Mays "played the game with an earnestness, a joy and a perpetual smile that resonated with fans everywhere."

"He will be remembered for his integrity, his commitment to excellence and a level of greatness that spanned generations," Clark said.

In his 22-year career, Mays led the NL in home runs four times, and when he retired, his 660 home runs ranked third in big league history; he now ranks sixth behind Bonds, Hank Aaron, Ruth, Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols. He also finished his career with 3,283 hits (12th all time) and 1,903 RBIs (10th all time).

"His incredible achievements and statistics do not begin to describe the awe that came with watching Willie Mays dominate the game in every way imaginable," Manfred said in his statement. "We will never forget this true Giant on and off the field. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Willie's family, his friends across our game, Giants fans everywhere, and his countless admirers across the world."

He was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015.

"Willie Mays wasn't just a singular athlete, blessed with an unmatched combination of grace, skill and power," Obama said Tuesday on X. "He was also a wonderfully warm and generous person - and an inspiration to an entire generation."

With the exception of 1951, when he wore No. 14, Mays wore No. 24 his entire career. Mays' legacy still resonates in San Francisco. The Giants' ballpark is located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, complete with a statue of Mays. The city of San Francisco also celebrates every May 24 as Willie Mays Day.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

‘Klute’ and ‘Hunger Games,’ Dies at 88
Richard Schultz June 20, 2024


Ron Gaella Collection via Getty

Donald Sutherland, the tall, lean and long-faced Canadian actor who became a countercultural icon with such films as “The Dirty Dozen,” “MASH,” “Klute” and “Don’t Look Now,” and who subsequently enjoyed a prolific and wide-ranging career in films including “Ordinary People,” “Without Limits” and the “Hunger Games” films, died Thursday in Miami after a long illness, CAA confirmed. He was 88.

For over a half century, the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor, who received an honorary Oscar in 2017, memorably played villains, antiheroes, romantic leads and mentor figures. His profile increased in the past decade with his supporting role as the evil President Snow in “The Hunger Games” franchise.

Most recently, he appeared as Judge Parker on the series “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” and in the “Swimming With Sharks” series in 2022. His other recent recurring roles include the series “Undoing” and “Trust,” in which he played J. Paul Getty, and features “Ad Astra” and “The Burnt-Orange Heresy.”

Sutherland won a supporting actor Emmy for HBO’s “Citizen X” in 1995 and was also nominated in 2006 for the Lifetime miniseries “Human Trafficking.”

After what Sutherland called “a meandering little career,” including roles in low-budget horror pics like 1963’s “Castle of the Living Dead” and 1965’s “Die! Die! My Darling!,” he landed a part as one of the bottom six in 1967’s “The Dirty Dozen.”

Sutherland told the Guardian in 2005 that he originally had one line in the film, until Clint Walker refused to play a scene requiring him to impersonate a general. According to Sutherland, director Robert Aldrich, who didn’t know his name, suddenly turned to him and said, “You! With the big ears! You do it!”

The smart-alecky role was a perfect fit for Sutherland, whose wolfish sideways smile and boyish charm caught the attention of producer Ingo Preminger, who cast him as the anti-authoritarian surgeon Capt. “Hawkeye” Pierce in 1970’s comedy smash hit “MASH.”

“MASH” turned Sutherland, and co-star Elliott Gould, who played Capt. “Trapper” John, into major stars. But the tradition-bound actors had trouble adjusting to director Robert Altman’s improvisational and often chaotic approach. According to Sutherland, Altman tried to fire him during the shoot, but Preminger held firm.

In a 1976 Playboy interview, Altman gave a different view, recalling that Sutherland loved his directorial style. “His improvisation was profound,” Altman said. “He’s a hell of an actor.”

Sutherland also co-starred with Gould in 1971’s inspired Alan Arkin-helmed black comedy “Little Murders” and again in director Irvin Kershner’s 1974 misfire “SPYS.”

In the 1970 WWII actioner “Kelly’s Heroes,” Sutherland joined Clint Eastwood, portraying Sgt. Oddball, an absurdly conceived but scene-stealing proto-hippie tank commander. (Sutherland reteamed with Eastwood in 2000’s “Space Cowboys,” this time playing a former hotshot pilot.)

With 1971’s “Klute,” a thriller/character study directed by Alan J. Pakula and co-starring Jane Fonda, Sutherland emerged as a credible romantic leading man. He portrayed a troubled detective who falls in love with a call girl (Fonda) whom he’s protecting from a sadistic killer.

Fonda later gave Sutherland credit for her Oscar-winning best actress performance, because of “all the intense feelings I was experiencing” with him.

The two were having a love affair at the time, and the relationship stoked Sutherland’s antiwar politics. He got involved with Vietnam Veterans Against the War and, along with Peter Boyle and Howard Hesseman, Fonda and Sutherland put together a traveling revue called FTA (Free the Army, popularly known as F*@k the Army). The Pentagon unsuccessfully tried to keep troops away from the shows; the FBI put both Sutherland and Fonda under surveillance.

In Nicholas Roeg’s influential 1973 psychological horror film “Don’t Look Now,” Sutherland’s intriguing passivity and pared-down acting style helped highlight Julie Christie’s performance. They portray a grieving married couple who flee England to Venice after the death of their little girl.

The film became controversial for an integral explicit sex scene between them, edited in a fragmented style. Roeg intercut their post-coital dressing to go out to dinner as the sequence unfolds. Even in a sex-obsessed era, the scene became — and remains — one of the most memorable ever filmed.

At the height of his success, Sutherland began to make eccentric career choices. He turned down John Boorman for “Deliverance” and chose Paul Mazursky’s “Alex in Wonderland” (1970) over Peckinpah’s “Straw Dogs.” He acted with Fonda again in “Steelyard Blues” (1973) and played Christ in Dalton Trumbo’s “Johnny Got His Gun” (1971). Both fizzled at the box office.

Sutherland received mixed notices for his role as a hick in John Schlesinger’s “Day of the Locust” (1975), played the title character in 1976’s arty bomb “Fellini’s Casanova” and a psychopathic fascist in Bertolucci’s “1900” (1977). He had a memorable cameo in 1978 hit “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” playing a professor who is discovered having an affair with a student (Karen Allen). He took a small upfront fee for his work instead of an offered percentage of the profits. The actor estimated the choice cost him $14 million.

Sutherland rebounded with 1980’s “Ordinary People,” convincing director Robert Redford to cast him as the grieving father trying to hold his family together after his older son’s accidental death. Redford had originally offered him the part of the psychiatrist that eventually went to Judd Hirsch.

In 1981 WWII thriller “Eye of the Needle,” Sutherland gave one of his last romantic leading man performances on the bigscreen, albeit as a heavy — a stranded German agent who falls for a lonely married woman (Kate Nelligan).

Another career peak came in 1998, when Sutherland convinced director-writer Robert Towne to cast him as coach and Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman in “Without Limits,” about U. of Oregon runner Steve Prefontaine (Billy Crudup). He was also memorable in 2005’s “Pride and Prejudice” as Keira Knightley’s father.

Sutherland made a lasting impression in smaller roles, such as Mister X, a high-placed Pentagon official who claims to know why JFK was murdered, in 1991’s Oliver Stone-helmed “JFK.”

Remarkably, Sutherland was never nominated for an Oscar, though his work in such films as “Ordinary People” and “Without Limits” is often cited by critics as among the finest of their respective decades.

Other noteworthy roles include President Snow in “The Hunger Games” (2012) and its sequels; a safecracker in “The Italian Job” (2003); the father in “Six Degrees of Separation” (1993); a stylish safecracker in “The Great Train Robbery” (1978); and the lead in Philip Kaufman’s 1978 remake of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.”

Sutherland also appeared with son Kiefer in 1996’s “A Time to Kill.” He turned down an offer to play the father of Kiefer’s character, Jack Bauer, in “24,” his son’s successful TV series. The two appeared together in the 2014 Western “Forsaken.”

In 2014 the actor also starred with Brie Larson in the India-set musical comedy “Basmati Blues,” written and directed by Dan Baron.

Sutherland’s TV work includes “The Superlative Seven” episode of “The Avengers” (1967) and two episodes of “The Saint” (1965, 1966). He starred as Patrick “Tripp” Darling III in “Dirty Sexy Money” (2007-09) and as Nathan Templeton in “Commander in Chief” (2005-06). His TV miniseries work includes 2010’s “The Pillars of the Earth,” based on Ken Follett’s epic novel.

In one of his best TV roles, Sutherland portrayed Clark Clifford in John Frankenheimer’s “Path to War” (2002). In 1995, he won a supporting actor Emmy for “Citizen X” (HBO).

Born in Saint John, Canada, he studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before getting roles in British TV shows and films such as “The Avengers” and “The Saint.” “The Saint” star and director Roger Moore recommended him to the producers of “The Dirty Dozen,” and after the success of that film he moved to Hollywood.

A private celebration of life will be held by the family.

Sutherland is survived by his wife Francine Racette, sons Roeg, Rossif, Angus, and Kiefer, daughter Rachel, and four grandchildren.

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