HOLLYWOOD'S HERO
M*A*S*H and The Hunger Games star Donald Sutherland dies at 88 after a long illness just months before memoir release
The actor's son, Kiefer Sutherland, shared a touching tribute to his father
DONALD Sutherland, known equally for his oddball and dramatic roles over a six-decade Hollywood career, has died at 88.
Sutherland, who gained notoriety for parts in The Dirty Dozen, M*A*S*H, and most recently as President Snow in The Hunger Games series, died on Thursday.
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The iconic actor died in , Florida, from an unspecified long illness, according to .
Sutherland was a father of five, including -winning actor Kiefer, veteran CAA Media Finance executive Roeg, actors Angus and Rossif, and daughter Rachel.
Kiefer, 57, mourned his father's death and remembered him as "one of the most important actors" of all time.
"With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away," Kiefer wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
"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."
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Born on July 17, 1935, Sutherland shot to fame in 1967 in the war movie classic The Dirty Dozen.
The Canadian-born actor enjoyed a long career that saw him star in Hollywood blockbusters and an array of shows.
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Sutherland was one of the most recognized faces in , appearing in over 140 movies.
An Emmy and winner, Sutherland's versatility in acting was renowned in the business, landing roles as a romantic lead, a villain, an antihero, or a mentor figure.
Who is Donald Sutherland's son, Kiefer?
Iconic actor Donald Sutherland died on Thursday in Miami from an undisclosed illness. Sutherland, whose career in Hollywood spanned over seven decades, was 88.
Who is Donald Sutherland's son, Kiefer?
- Kiefer Sutherland was born on December 21, 1966, in the Paddington district of London.
- His parents, Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas, were successful Canadian actors.
- Like his parents, Kiefer has achieved great success in the film industry, including receiving an Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
- Kiefer's rise in Hollywood began in 1983 when he made his screen debut alongside his father in the comedy-drama film Max Dugan Returns.
- He moved to the United States, primarily to Hollywood, after his success as Donald Campbell in 1984's The Bad Boy.
- Throughout the 1990s, Kiefer appeared in over a dozen headlines and starred alongside household actors such as Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, Dennis Hopper, Ray Liotta, Jack Nicholson, Jeff Bridges, Reese Witherspoon, and Sally Field, among others.
- He was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame and into Canada's Walk of Fame.
- Kiefer starred with his father in the 2015 film Forsaken opposite Demi Moore and Brian Cox.
- In addition to his widely successful acting career, Kiefer is also a musician and songwriter. He released his first album, Down in a Hole, in 2016.
- The Kiefer Sutherland Band toured in April and May of that year.
His chameleon-like ability in front of the camera landed him in positions alongside the likes of Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, James Garner, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Statham, Jennifer Lawrence, and Gene Wilder, among others.
When asked by which of his films he found most satisfying, Sutherland said working for a "master" like director Federico Fellini in Casanova was like no other.
"Working for Fellini was the best experience of my life," he said at the time.
"For an actor, there is no one like him. More than anyone else in the world, you submit to Fellini.
"He is the master, and you go to serve."
Despite his work in critically acclaimed movies, Sutherland was never nominated for an .
He received an Academy Honorary Award in 2017.
Sutherland was married three times over his life.
He married Lois Hardwick in 1959 before they eventually divorced in 1996.
That same year, he married fellow Canadian actress Shirley Douglas, with whom he had twins, Kiefer and Rachel.
The couple's marriage lasted only four years before divorcing in 1970.
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By 1972, Sutherland remarried for a third time to actress Francine Racette.
Sutherland and Racette had three children together: Rossif, Angus, and Roeg.
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