Donald Sutherland, actor known for Hunger Games and Kelly's Heroes, has died aged 88
20 June 2024, 18:23 | Updated: 20 June 2024, 19:05
Donald Sutherland, the veteran actor known for The Hunger Games and MASH, has died at the age of 88, his son Kiefer has announced.
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The Hollywood actor, whose career spanned some six decades, was known for cult films such as MASH, Don't Look Now and Animal House. Sutherland was more recently known for playing President Snow in the Hunger Games franchise.
He died after "a long illness", his agent confirmed to the PA news agency.
Announcing his father's passing in a post on X, Keifer - also an actor - wrote: "With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away.
"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."
He also shared a black and white photo of himself as a child with his father.
With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away. 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… pic.twitter.com/3EdJB03KKT
— Kiefer Sutherland (@RealKiefer) June 20, 2024
Sutherland is survived by wife Francine Racette, his daughter Rachel and sons Roeg, Rossif, Angus, and Kiefer - the latter best known for his role in TV series 24 and films Phone Booth and The Three Musketeers. He had four grandchildren.
The veteran actor received an honorary Oscar in 2017 after being considered one of the greatest actors never to have been nominated for an Academy Award.
Born in New Brunswick, Canada, Sutherland started his career as a news reporter on radio before moving to London in 1957.
He studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and was awarded small roles on UK television.
Sutherland had a role in World War II action film The Dirty Dozen 1967, before moving onto Kelly's Heroes, where he played Sergeant Oddball.
He then played a detective assisted on his hunt for a missing person by a call girl in Klute in 1971, starring alongside co-star Jane Fonda.
The co-stars then dated for a few years before splitting.
His other roles saw him play an IRA member in The Eagle Has Landed, and a pot-smoking college professor in National Lampoon's Animal House, before starring in the 1987 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
