After years of suffering numerous illnesses, but still enjoying a long Hollywood career, Donald Sutherland passed away. He was 88.
Father to TV star Kiefer Sutherland, Donald was known the world over for roles in projects like MASH, Pride and Prejudice and The Hunger Games franchise.
His light shined brightly on the screen, while privately, he battled everything from polio to rheumatic fever to hepatitis.
Donald Sutherland and Kiefer Sutherland attend the Momentum Pictures’ screening of “Forsaken” on February 16, 2016 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images)
Donald Sutherland’s Cause Of Death: Kiefer’s Dad Passes Away
The sad news was reported and confirmed on June 20th that Donald Sutherland, at the age of 88, passed away.
“With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away,” actor Kiefer Sutherland posted on his social media. “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.”
A life well lived indeed, though not without it’s troubles. While an official cause of death has not yet been announced, Donald suffered greatly with several illnesses over the years.
Born in Canada, Donald Sutherland barely survived a series of childhood diseases, including infantile paralysis, rheumatoid fever and spinal meningitis. He talked about his struggles at length in his book, “Made Up, But Still True,” which is due to be published later this year.
Donald Sutherland arrives on stage on May 22, 2016 during the closing ceremony of the 69th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. (VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)
His Near Death Experience In the 1970s
Living to be in his 80’s almost didn’t come to pass. In an interview in 2012, Donald recounted contracting spinal meningitis, which left him medically dead for four seconds back in 1970.
“I got sick in the middle of shooting ‘Kelly’s Heroes’. I came to Yugoslavia for a day’s filming and I was out for six weeks,” the actor recalled in the interview.
“They took me to hospital – I had spinal meningitis.
“They didn’t have the antibiotics, so I went into a coma, and they tell me that for a few seconds, I died.”
Thankfully, he didn’t, allowing him the time to craft a career that awarded him a Primetime Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Critics Choice Award.
Sadly, he was one of the best actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination. Thankfully, he was recognized with an honorary Oscar in 2017.
Donald Sutherland attends the premiere of 20th Century Fox’s “Ad Astra” at The Cinerama Dome on September 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
His Movies & TV Work
Generations of fans have loved Donald Sutherland for one reason or another.
The 1967 film “The Dirty Dozen” is what set off his career. From there, he was cast as Capt. “Hawkeye” Pierce in 1970’s comedy smash hit “MASH.”
In more recent years, he’s known to millennial fans for his role as Mr. Bennet alongside Keira Knightley in the film adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice”. He also appeared as the evil President Snow in all four of the original “Hunger Games” films.
Donald Sutherland’s Cause Of Death: Beloved Movie Star Dead At 88 was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.