RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
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RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
Donald Sutherland, the beloved actor who starred in scores of films from The Dirty Dozen, MASH and Klute to Animal House and Ordinary People to Pride & Prejudice and The Hunger Games franchise and won an Emmy for Citizen X, died Thursday in Miami after a long illness. He was 88.
The 2017 Honorary Oscar recipient also is the father of Emmy-winning 24 and Designated Survivor actor Kiefer Sutherland and veteran CAA Media Finance exec Roeg Sutherland. CAA confirmed the news to Deadline.
In some of his most well-known roles, he perfected a laconic, wry and dead-serious delivery as such characters as the cool-headed amateur murder investigator John Klute, opposite Jane Fonda’s terrified, erratic call girl Bree Daniels, in Klute; as the Hawkeye Pierce in the film MASH, where he played opposite Elliott Gould’s cut-up Trapper John; and in Nicolas Reog’s Don’t Look Now as skeptical John Baxter, who does not believe the claims of wife Laura (Julie Christie) that their recently dead daughter is reaching out from the other side.
In one early change-of-pace characterization, Sutherland played a sadistic fascist in Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1976 epic 1900, in which his character gleefully swings a child by the heels, bashing the boy’s head against a wall.
Born on July 17, 1935, in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, Donald Sutherland amassed some 200 film and TV credits spanning 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. The alternatively harrowing and hilarious film earned five Oscar nominations including Best Picture, winning for Ring Lardner Jr.’s biting screenplay, and fueled the 1972-83 CBS series in which Alda Alda played Hawkeye.
Sutherland followed that with another star-laden war movie, 1970’s Kelly’s Heroes, playing Sgt. Oddball alongside Clint Eastwood, Don Rickles, Savalas and others. That led to perhaps his biggest star turn, in the 1971 Alan J. Pakula crime drama Klute. He starred opposite Fonda as New York Detective John Klute, who is hired to find a chemical company executive who has disappeared. Fonda won her first Oscar for the role, and Andy Lewis & Dave Lewis were nominated for their Original Screenplay.
Sutherland’s next big movie was Nicolas Roeg’s psychological thriller Don’t Look Now, which he followed up with the 1974 international espionage comedy S*P*Y*S, reteaming with Gould, and 1975’s Hollywood-set Day of the Locust. Starring with William Atherton, Karen Black and Burgess Meredith, he played accountant Homer Simpson, who covets Black’s aspiring actress Faye Greener.
Sutherland won a Golden Globe for the television movie Path to War, an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for his performance in the miniseries Citizen X. His extensive television credits also include The Undoing, Trust, Dirty Sexy Money, and The Pillars of the Earth, among many others.
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.
Mike Fleming Jr. and Greg Evans contributed to this report.
MORE TO COME…
The 2017 Honorary Oscar recipient also is the father of Emmy-winning 24 and Designated Survivor actor Kiefer Sutherland and veteran CAA Media Finance exec Roeg Sutherland. CAA confirmed the news to Deadline.
In some of his most well-known roles, he perfected a laconic, wry and dead-serious delivery as such characters as the cool-headed amateur murder investigator John Klute, opposite Jane Fonda’s terrified, erratic call girl Bree Daniels, in Klute; as the Hawkeye Pierce in the film MASH, where he played opposite Elliott Gould’s cut-up Trapper John; and in Nicolas Reog’s Don’t Look Now as skeptical John Baxter, who does not believe the claims of wife Laura (Julie Christie) that their recently dead daughter is reaching out from the other side.
In one early change-of-pace characterization, Sutherland played a sadistic fascist in Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1976 epic 1900, in which his character gleefully swings a child by the heels, bashing the boy’s head against a wall.
Born on July 17, 1935, in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, Donald Sutherland amassed some 200 film and TV credits spanning 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. The alternatively harrowing and hilarious film earned five Oscar nominations including Best Picture, winning for Ring Lardner Jr.’s biting screenplay, and fueled the 1972-83 CBS series in which Alda Alda played Hawkeye.
Sutherland followed that with another star-laden war movie, 1970’s Kelly’s Heroes, playing Sgt. Oddball alongside Clint Eastwood, Don Rickles, Savalas and others. That led to perhaps his biggest star turn, in the 1971 Alan J. Pakula crime drama Klute. He starred opposite Fonda as New York Detective John Klute, who is hired to find a chemical company executive who has disappeared. Fonda won her first Oscar for the role, and Andy Lewis & Dave Lewis were nominated for their Original Screenplay.
Sutherland’s next big movie was Nicolas Roeg’s psychological thriller Don’t Look Now, which he followed up with the 1974 international espionage comedy S*P*Y*S, reteaming with Gould, and 1975’s Hollywood-set Day of the Locust. Starring with William Atherton, Karen Black and Burgess Meredith, he played accountant Homer Simpson, who covets Black’s aspiring actress Faye Greener.
Sutherland won a Golden Globe for the television movie Path to War, an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for his performance in the miniseries Citizen X. His extensive television credits also include The Undoing, Trust, Dirty Sexy Money, and The Pillars of the Earth, among many others.
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.
Mike Fleming Jr. and Greg Evans contributed to this report.
MORE TO COME…
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
RIP Homer Simpson
#3
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Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
Damn. Sad to hear. He had a storied career and must have routinely been one of the busiest actors around. Too many memorable roles in Film and TV to list.
RIP
RIP
#4
DVD Talk Legend
Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
RIP to an iconic Canadian actor.
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Toby Dramit (06-20-24)
#5
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Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
Sad news. He had a legendary career.
Too many great roles to mention.
Too many great roles to mention.
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Toby Dramit (06-20-24)
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Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88

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#7
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Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
One of the greats.
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Toby Dramit (06-20-24)
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Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
that sucks.
#9
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
Loved, loved him. Animal House, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Don't Look Now, MASH. He was so great.
And I loved his villainous turn in his old age as well. Trust was outstanding and he was great in The Undoing as well.
And I loved his villainous turn in his old age as well. Trust was outstanding and he was great in The Undoing as well.
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Toby Dramit (06-20-24)
#10
DVD Talk Legend
Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
Damn, another big loss this year.
He looks just like Anthony Bourdain in that picture.
He looks just like Anthony Bourdain in that picture.
#12
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Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
This one really hits home. 
RIP Oddball
Woof Woof

RIP Oddball
Woof Woof
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Toby Dramit (06-20-24)
#13
DVD Talk Legend
Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
Amazing he never won an Oscar. Inexcusable that he never was nominated for one. RIP
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#14
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Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88

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#16
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#17
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Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
RIP 😢
I think I’ll go watch The Great Train Robbery in his memory.
I think I’ll go watch The Great Train Robbery in his memory.
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Toby Dramit (06-20-24)
#18
DVD Talk God
Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
The Puppet Masters, a 1994 film, is not a good film but at the same time one of those films that I found very fun to watch.
Saw it in theaters and at least one more time on DVD, I think.
I love that Sutherland starred in films like The Puppet Masters.
Saw it in theaters and at least one more time on DVD, I think.
I love that Sutherland starred in films like The Puppet Masters.
#20
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Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
One of the few actors that can play a bad guy and still be likable. RIP to a fine actor. 
Coincidently one of the contractors who did work on my house had more than a passing resemblance to a younger Donald and he was a super nice guy, we had hoped he could do an addition for us but we recently found out he had retired but my wife and I like to pretend its Donads side gig

Coincidently one of the contractors who did work on my house had more than a passing resemblance to a younger Donald and he was a super nice guy, we had hoped he could do an addition for us but we recently found out he had retired but my wife and I like to pretend its Donads side gig
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Toby Dramit (06-20-24)
#21
Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
Don't Look Now's reputation has grown considerably since release, but wasn't an Oscar player at the time. Maybe JFK, but that cast was stacked and Tommy Lee Jones got the supporting nom there. I also don't recall how much his part was expanded in the directors cut. I'm sure there's some other random supporting turn somewhere people will advocate for, but quickly glancing through his filmography, I didn't see much that jumps out.
#23
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Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
#24
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Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
The other three leads for Ordinary People all got Oscar nods, but Best Actor was stacked that year. I can't remember Jack Lemmon in Tribute at all, but the other nominees were pretty iconic- Robert Duvall in The Great Santini, Peter O'Toole in My Favorite Year, John Hurt in The Elephant Man and eventual winner Robert De Niro for Raging Bull. That's a Murderer's row!
#25
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Re: RIP: Donald Sutherland - Dead at 88
Going to miss him and his whole Vibe. RIP.




