Donald Sutherland, Emmy-Winning Veteran of TV and Film, Dead at 88
Veteran actor Donald Sutherland, whose long career included one Primetime Emmy and two Golden Globe wins, has died after a long illness. He was 88.
Actor Kiefer Sutherland, one of Donald’s five children, confirmed the news in an Instagram post on Thursday.
“With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away,” he wrote. “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.”
Donald’s multi-decade screen career began on television, where he appeared in one-off episodes of shows like The Avengers and The Name of the Game. But his role as Capt. Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce Jr. in the 1970 film M*A*S*H kicked off his success on the big screen. Over the years, he would appear in dozens of movies, earning Golden Globe nominations for Ordinary People and Without Limits.
His many film credits also included Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Backdraft, Six Degrees of Separation, Space Cowboys and The Art of War, among others. More recently, he had a memorable turn in the four original Hunger Games films, where he co-starred as the villainous President Snow. Though Donald was never nominated for an Oscar, he did receive an honorary Academy Award in 2018 for his body of memorable work.
Donald was equally prolific on the small screen, scooping up two Emmy nominations and one win (in 1995, for the TV movie Citizen X). Memorable TV credits included ABC’s Commander in Chief (where he played Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton), ABC’s Dirty Sexy Money (as Darling family patriarch Patrick “Tripp” Darling III) and FX’s Trust (as oil tycoon J. Paul Getty). His final TV role was that of Judge Isaac Parker on the Paramount+ miniseries Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
The actor’s TV accolades also included Golden Globe wins for Citizen X and the 2002 TV movie Path to War.
How will you remember Donald Sutherland? Tell us in a comment below.
RIP in peace Donald Sutherland. He was one of my favorite actors 🙏
Terrific actor. So sorry to hear of his passing
RIP to a great actor and Canadian icon.
Oddball in “Kelly’s Heroes.”
One of the greatest characters in cinematic history.
Ahhhh he was in Animal House. How is that not listed in his achievement? RIP Professor Jennings!!
I will always remember him for his role in “the Dirty Dozen “
I’m so glad you brought up Dirty Dozen! He was so kooky and great in it. One of my favorite all-time movies!
He scared the bejeezus out of me in “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”….can’t watch the end of that movie even today.
Have you ever seen “Don’t Look Now?” (1973)
It gives me the shivers just thinking about it.
What a terrible loss! He was my favorite Mr. Bennet
I agree, I was only watching Sense and Sensibility with him yesterday and then today such sad news!
Donald Sutherland I remember him in Klute with Jane Fonda, he was so sexy he made my toes curl. Hysterical in M.A.S.H. just a all around great actor.
I was just watching The Undoing yesterday. He was so great.
I would add A Time to Kill and Outbreak as great roles for him also.
Six Degrees of Separation, Ordinary People, the original Hawkeye in the movie MASH and a whole new generation got to know him as President Snow. And, as another commenter pointed out – Animal House! What a great actor. He broke my heart in Ordinary People, making really complicated roles look easy.
Jennings : “Teaching is just a way to pay the bills until I finish my novel.”
Boon : “How long you been workin’ on it?”
Jennings : “Four and a half years.”
Pinto : “It must be very good.”
Jennings : “It’s a piece of $#!+. Would anyone like to smoke some pot?”
R.I.P Mr. Sutherland. Thank you for the memories!
I was just watching The Hunger Games last night. Such a terrific actor and a great Canadian icon. Rest in peace Donald, you will be truly missed
R. I. P. Donald. You made so many great movies. You will truly be missed. ❤️
RIP! I’ll always remember him as Buffy’s first Watcher. Gods speed!
I always think of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) first when I think of him since that’s one of my favorite movies I watch quite a lot
Ugh, quit hitting me with the negative waves in the morning.
Fantastic actor, fantastic presence and an absolute legend. Always loved seeing him pop up in whatever i was watching, always brought a lot to the projects he was in. RIP
For the younger generation, Sutherland is known for the Hunger Games. For me and people my age, he’s always going to be Oddball, Pinkley, #2 in the Dirty Dozen and Bennett from Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
This man was a the definition of a powerhouse. I truly enjoyed every role I saw him play. Rest peacefully Mr.Sutherland, thank you for sharing your talent with us.
Another great Canadian gone. RIP Donald Sutherland. You will be missed.
One of the BEST to ever do it. He was always sooooo good in everything he appeared in.
RIP LEGEND
This one hurt. He was an amazing actor. And his son kiefer wow. You’ll be missed Donald. A lot
Donald Sutherland had such the diverse career – from playing President Snow in the Hunger Games movies, to Ronald Bartel in Backdraft, to Pinkley in The Dirty Dozen. He always seemed to add a touch of class (or menace, depending on the role) to his parts, and I hoped that one day Kiefer and he would appear in a project together. RIP, good sir.
Donald and Kiefer starred together in the 2015 movie “Forsaken” and they were both in the movie “A Time to Kill” but did not share scenes together.
Wonderful actor! He also played Mr. Bennett in “Pride and Prejudice”. Rest easy Sir!