Actor Sam Shepard Dead At Age 73
Actor Sam Shepard has died. The actor and playwright passed away on Thursday at the age of 73. Shepard, who had been battling ALS, died surrounded by his family members at his home in Kentucky.
According to a report by the Hollywood Reporter, Sam Shepard was a multi-talented entertainer who starred in films such as Blackthorn, Days of Heaven, Black Hawk Down, August: Osage County, Mud, The Notebook, Baby Boom, Midnight Special, Snow Falling on Cedars, Brothers, and many more.
In 1983, he starred in The Right Stuff as Chuck Yeager and earned an Academy Award nomination for the portrayal. Four years earlier, he won the drama Pulitzer Prize for his play Buried Child. As of now, no plans for a public memorial service have been announced.
Sam Shepard is survived by his three children, Jesse, Hannah, and Walker Shepard, as well as his sisters, Sandy and Roxanne Rogers. The family is asking for privacy at this tough time. The actor was also married to Hollywood actress Jessica Lange for 27 years from 1982 to 2009. The actress spoke out about her ex-husband in this month’s AARP magazine before the news of his death was revealed.
“I wouldn’t call Sammy easygoing and funny, but everybody has their dark side, and he always does it with a sense of humor.”
Hollywood has already started to react to the news of Sam Shepard’s death. Stars such as Beau Willimon, Michael Chiklis, Patton Oswalt, John DeVore, and Bill Corbett took to social media to mourn the actor and playwright. Following the news of his death, the actor’s name became a trending topic on Twitter, and fans began to tweet about the tragic loss.
Sam Shepard’s final on-camera appearance can be seen in the Netflix drama Bloodline. The actor portrayed the family patriarch Robert Rayburn on the streaming service’s original series, which marks his final acting performance.
What are your thoughts on the sad news of actor Sam Shepard’s death? Were you surprised to find out about his long marriage to Jessica Lange or his career as a successful playwright?
[Featured Image by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images]
