Our hearts are heavy once again with the news that a beloved entertainer has passed away. John Heard, star of numerous hit films, has passed away at the age of 72.
According to TMZ, who broke the news early Saturday morning, Heard’s body was discovered in a Palo Alto, CA hotel by the maid service. Police were called to the scene for a medical emergency, but the beloved actor was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner is still investigating a cause of death.
A spokesperson for Heard said the actor recently had minor back surgery and was staying at the hotel while he recovered. No further information is available at this time.
Fans of film will remember heard for his massive run of success at the box office throughout the 1980s and 90s. Heard was not always a leading man, but his presence in titles such as Big, Beaches, Cutter’s Way, Awakenings, C.H.U.D. , Gladiator, Snake Eyes and the first two Home Alone films – where he played Kevin’s father – added something special that made each film a noticeably better.
Heard was also a powerhouse on the small screen. Our staff personally recalls his time on Law And Order, but his work on television extended to numerous other popular programs as well. Here’s a scene from The Sopranos where Heard, playing a detective, tells Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) one of his men may be wearing a wire:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbrYZmNx6mI
The past month has been hard on fans of pop culture, and this loss only adds to the hurt. Rest easy, John. You will be missed.
