Donald Sutherland, the towering actor whose career spanned ‘M.A.S.H.’ to ‘Hunger Games,’ dies at 88

Jake Coyle, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Sutherland, nan prolific movie and tv character whose agelong profession stretched from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games,” has died. He was 88.

Kiefer Sutherland, nan actor’s son, confirmed his father’s decease Thursday. No further specifications were instantly available.

“I personally deliberation 1 of nan astir important actors successful nan history of film,” Kiefer Sutherland said connected X. “Never daunted by a role, good, bad aliases ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and 1 tin ne'er inquire for much than that.”

The gangly and gaunt Canadian character pinch a grin that could beryllium saccharine aliases diabolical was known for offbeat characters for illustration Hawkeye Pierce successful Robert Altman’s “M.A.S.H.,” nan hippie vessel commandant successful “Kelly’s Heroes” and nan stoned professor successful “Animal House.”

Before transitioning into a agelong profession arsenic a respected characteristic actor, Sutherland epitomized nan unpredictable, antiestablishment cinema of nan 1970s .

Over nan decades, Sutherland showed his scope successful much buttoned-down — but still eccentric — parts successful Robert Redford’s “Ordinary People” and Oliver Stone’s “JFK.” More, recently, he starred successful nan “Hunger Games” films. He ne'er retired, moving regularly up until his death. A memoir, “Made Up, But Still True,” was owed retired successful November.

“I emotion to work. I passionately emotion to work,” Sutherland told Charlie Rose successful 1998. “I emotion to consciousness my manus fresh into nan mitt of immoderate different character. I consciousness a immense state — clip stops for me. I’m not arsenic crazy arsenic I utilized to be, but I’m still a small crazy.”

Born successful St. John, New Brunswick, Donald McNichol Sutherland was nan boy of a salesman and a mathematics teacher. Raised successful Nova Scotia, he was a disc jockey pinch his ain power position astatine nan property of 14.

“When I was 13 aliases 14, I really thought everything I felt was incorrect and dangerous, and that God was going to termination maine for it,” Sutherland told The New York Times successful 1981. “My begetter ever said, ‘Keep your rima shut, Donnie, and possibly group will deliberation you person character.'”

Sutherland began arsenic an engineering student astatine nan University of Toronto but switched to English and started acting successful schoolhouse theatrical productions. While studying successful Toronto, he met Lois Hardwick, an aspiring actress. They joined successful 1959, but divided 7 years later.

After graduating successful 1956, Sutherland attended nan London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts to study acting. Sutherland began appearing successful West End plays and British television. After a move to Los Angeles, he continued to bounce astir until a bid of warfare films changed his trajectory.

His first American movie was “The Dirty Dozen” (1967), successful which he played Vernon Pinkley, nan officer-impersonating psychopathic. 1970 saw nan merchandise of some nan World War II yarn “Kelly’s Heroes” and “M.A.S.H.,” an acclaimed smash deed that catapulted Sutherland to stardom.

“There is much situation successful characteristic roles,” Sutherland told The Washington Post successful 1970. “There’s longevity. A bully characteristic character tin show a different look successful each movie and not bore nan public.”

If Sutherland had had his way, Altman would person been fired from “M.A.S.H.” He and co-star Elliott Gould were unhappy pinch nan director’s unorthodox, improvisational style and fought to person him replaced. But nan movie caught connected beyond anyone’s expectations and Sutherland identified personally pinch its anti-war message. Outspoken against nan Vietnam War, Sutherland, character Jane Fonda and others founded nan Free Theater Associates successful 1971. Banned by nan Army because of their governmental views, they performed successful venues adjacent subject bases successful Southeast Asia successful 1973.

Sutherland profession arsenic a starring man peaked successful nan 1970s, erstwhile he starred successful films by nan era’s apical board — moreover if they didn’t ever do their champion activity pinch him. Sutherland, who often said he considered himself astatine nan work of a director’s vision, worked pinch Federico Fellini (1976’s “Fellini’s Casanova”), Bernardo Bertolucci (1976’s “1900”), Claude Chabrol (1978’s “Blood Relatives”) and John Schlesinger (1975’s “The Day of nan Locust”).

One of his finest performances came arsenic a detective successful Alan Pakula’s “Klute” (1971). It was during filming connected “Klute” that he met Fonda, pinch whom he had a three-year-long narration that began astatine nan extremity of his 2nd matrimony to character Shirley Douglas. Having been joined successful 1966, he and Douglas divided successful 1971.

Sutherland had twins pinch Douglas successful 1966: Rachel and Kiefer, who was named aft Warren Kiefer, nan writer of Sutherland’s first film, “Castle of nan Living Dead.”

In 1974, nan character began surviving pinch character Francine Racette, pinch whom he remained ever after. They had 3 children: Roeg, calved successful 1974 and named aft nan head Nicolas Roeg (“Don’t Look Now”); Rossif, calved successful 1978 and named aft nan head Frederick Rossif; and Angus Redford, calved successful 1979 and named aft Robert Redford.

It was Redford who, to nan astonishment of some, formed Sutherland arsenic nan begetter successful his directorial debut, 1980’s “Ordinary People.” Redford’s play astir a handsome suburban family destroyed by calamity won 4 Oscars, including champion picture.

Sutherland was overlooked by nan academy passim astir of his career. He was ne'er nominated but was presented pinch an honorary Oscar successful 2017. He did, though, triumph an Emmy successful 1995 for nan TV movie “Citizen X” and was nominated for 7 Golden Globes (including for his performances successful “M.A.S.H.” and “Ordinary People”), winning 2 — again for “Citizen X” and for nan 2003 TV movie “Path to War.”

“Ordinary People” besides presaged a displacement successful Sutherland’s profession toward much mature and sometimes little offbeat characters.

His New York shape debut successful 1981, though, went terribly. He played Humbert Humbert successful Edward Albee’s adjustment of Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita,” and nan reviews were merciless; it closed aft a twelve performances.

A down play successful nan ’80s followed, acknowledgment to failures for illustration nan 1981 satire “Gas” and nan 1984 drama “Crackers.”

But Sutherland continued to activity steadily. He had a little but memorable domiciled successful Oliver Stone’s “JFK” (1991). He again played a patriarch for Redford successful his 1993 movie “Six Degrees of Separation.” He played way coach Bill Bowerman successful 1998’s “Without Limits.”

In nan past decade, Sutherland progressively worked successful television, astir memorably successful HBO’s “Path to War,” successful which he played President Lyndon Johnson’s Secretary of Defense Clark Clifford. For a profession launched by “M.A.S.H.” it was a fitting, if ironic bookend.