(DailyAnswer.org) – The Canadian actor Donald Sutherland died on June 20 at the age of 88. Sutherland rose to fame with roles in war films such as The Dirty Dozen, M*A*S*H and Kelly’s Heroes. He was known for his parts in Pride and Prejudice in 2005 and as President Snow in the Hunger Games franchise. The Creative Artists Agency told reporters that the actor passed away in Miami following a long illness, but the official cause of death has not been revealed.
Sutherland had 200 TV and film roles in an acting career of more than six decades. His final movie role, Heart Land, is in the pre-production stage. The actor’s sons, Kiefer and Rossif Sutherland, also have established acting careers. Donald starred as Hawkeye Pierce in M*A*S*H in 1970, and played Sergeant Oddball opposite Clint Eastwood in Kelly’s Heroes in the same year.
Sutherland was known for his humbleness in his profession and his unusual view that it was an actor’s job to be molded by the director and absorb their wishes rather than argue. The actor always ensured there was a no-nudity clause in his contracts. Far from typecast, Sutherland was renowned for the versatility of his roles.
Shirley Douglas, Sutherland’s second wife, co-founded the Friends of the Black Panthers fundraising organization. Due to his political associations, the actor was added to an NSA watchlist at the CIA’s request in the 1970s. Sutherland was also an advocate for pacifism, and starred in Klute in 1971 opposite fellow activist Jane Fonda, with whom he had an extramarital affair. He worked with Fonda on the F.T.A. anti-Vietnam war documentary, which he co-produced and co-wrote.
Sutherland’s M*A*S*H co-star Elliot Gould paid tribute to the actor, commenting on the “amazing chemistry” the pair had. He added that though they had “opposite” personalities, he never worked with a better actor and considered Sutherland a “brother”. The actor received Golden Globes for his parts in the TV movie Path to War and the Citizen X miniseries. Sutherland is survived by his third wife, Francine Racette, five children and four grandchildren.
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