Senator/Actor Fred Thompson Dead at 73
Actor and Senator Fred Thompson passes at 73 years old.
Hollywood lost one of its most stern faces over the weekend. Actor Fred Thompson (73) passed away Sunday after a long bout with a recurrent form of lymphoma. He was often the definition of a tough, hard ass, no nonsense authority figure in almost all of his roles. Before moving into an acting career Fred Thompson served as a Republican U.S. senator for eight years. Thompson was well known in both circles, acting and politics, most notably as D.A. Arthur Branch in ‘Law & Order’ and as the Distinguished Gentleman from Tennessee respectively.
Fred Thompson brought a discernable toughness to the screen and often played the brusque, no bullshit powerful type in his films and TV series. His acting credits include the films “Cape Fear,” “Days of Thunder,” “Die Hard II,” “The Hunt for Red October,” “In the Line of Fire,” and “No Way Out.”
On the TV side of things he appeared in many shows including “The Good Wife,” “Law and Order,” “Matlock,” and “Sex and the City.”
Fred’s latest projects included “A Larger Life,” “Unlimited,” and “90 Minutes in Heaven.” He was also slated to star in the TV series “Allegiance.” Thompson graced us with some pretty impactful performances over the years so his loss is certainly a tragic one.
The Thompson family released a statement:
“It is with a heavy heart and a deep sense of grief that we share the passing of our brother, husband, father, and grandfather who died peacefully in Nashville surrounded by his family,”
“Fred once said that the experiences he had growing up in small-town Tennessee formed the prism through which he viewed the world and shaped the way he dealt with life… Fred stood on principle and common sense, and had a deep love for and connection with the people across Tennessee whom he had the privilege to serve in the United States Senate. He enjoyed a hearty laugh, a strong handshake, a good cigar, and a healthy dose of humility. Fred was the same man on the floor of the Senate, the movie studio, or the town square of Lawrenceburg, his home.”
This was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter
