Monday, June 1, 2026

RIP The Great Donald Sutherland Passes Away at 88, Oscar Recipient, Star of “MASH,” “Ordinary People,” “Klute”

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This one hurts.

Donald Sutherland has died. The great — and I mean great — actor was 88. He had an Oscar Lifetime Achievement Award in addition to many nominations and other awards

Sutherland’s most famous movies included “Klute,” “Ordinary People,” and “MASH.” More contemporary audiences knows him from “The Hunger Games.” He was most recently on “Lawmen: Bass Reeves.” His other memorable roles were in “Six Degrees of Separation” (brilliant performance), “Don’t Look Now,” and “A Dry White Season.”

Sutherland was self-effacing. For a movie star he was as low key as possible, staying out of the spotlight when he wasn’t on screen. But when he did appear on screen, audiences would break out in spontaneous applause. He was the real thing and everyone knew it. He was also a vehement anti-war activist during the Vietnam era, appearing in a documentary with his “Klute” star (and lover) Jane Fonda called “FTA.”

His reps say he had a long illness. Donald Sutherland will be sorely missed and never forgotten.

Of course, Sutherland’s son, Kiefer, became a big star as well.

Ron Howard wrote on Twitter: “I was blessed to direct him in #Backdraft. One of the most intelligent, interesting & engrossing film actors of all time. Incredible range, creative courage & dedication to serving the story & the audience with supreme excellence.”

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman is the founder and editor-in-chief of Showbiz411. He wrote the FOX411 column on FoxNews.com from 1999 to 2009 and previously edited Fame magazine and wrote the "Intelligencer" column at New York magazine. His bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, Vogue, Details, and the Miami Herald. He is a voting member of the Critics Choice Awards (Film and Television branches), and his movie reviews are tracked by Rotten Tomatoes. is articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. With D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, he co-produced the 2002 documentary "Only the Strong Survive," which screened at Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

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