Donald Sutherland, the New Brunswick-born acting legend with the distinct baritone voice and prolific stage and screen career that inspired sons Kiefer and Rossif to pursue the craft, has died.

He died at age 88, Kiefer Sutherland said in a social media post on Thursday.

害羞草研究所淚 personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film. Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that,害羞草研究所� the younger Sutherland wrote on X. 害羞草研究所淎 life well lived.害羞草研究所�

At six-foot-four, with big blue eyes and a deep, dulcet voice, the elder Sutherland was a striking and unmistakable presence in film, television and radio for more than 50 years.

His varied film roles included snarky surgeon Hawkeye Pierce in 害羞草研究所淢ASH,害羞草研究所� Julie Christie害羞草研究所檚 troubled husband in the thriller 害羞草研究所淒on害羞草研究所檛 Look Now,害羞草研究所� and a Washington intelligence officer in Oliver Stone害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淛FK.害羞草研究所�

On TV, he played the Speaker of the House in 害羞草研究所淐ommander in Chief害羞草研究所� and the rich patriarch in 害羞草研究所淒irty, Sexy, Money.害羞草研究所�

Though he was in more than 100 films, Sutherland was never nominated for an Academy Award. He did, however, receive an honorary Oscar in 2017, as well as two BAFTA nominations, an Emmy Award and two Golden Globes.

He was also an officer of the Order of Canada and won a Genie and a Governor General害羞草研究所檚 Performing Arts Award.

But in 2023, he told The Canadian Press he didn害羞草研究所檛 reflect much on his legacy or the breadth of his career: 害羞草研究所淵ou know, it害羞草研究所檚 over or very nearly over, so I guess I really got to get down to thinking about it.害羞草研究所�

His memoir, 害羞草研究所淢ade Up, But Still True害羞草研究所� is slated for publication by Viking Canada in November.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among those to mourn Sutherland, telling a press conference in Wolfville, N.S., that he met the actor when he was young and was 害羞草研究所渄eeply, deeply starstruck.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淗e was a man with a strong presence, a brilliance in his craft and truly a great Canadian artist. He will be deeply missed,害羞草研究所� Trudeau said.

As Sutherland worked around the world, he maintained a home in Quebec害羞草研究所檚 Eastern Townships, where he hosted dinner parties for his famous family and celebrity friends.

害羞草研究所淚 love this country,害羞草研究所� Sutherland said when he received the Governor General害羞草研究所檚 Award in 2000.

害羞草研究所淵ou know, (W.H.) Auden, the English poet, said that a poet害羞草研究所檚 hope is to be like some valley cheese: local, but prized elsewhere. I kind of feel like that.害羞草研究所�

Sutherland was born in Saint John and raised in Bridgewater, N.S. His father, Frederick Sutherland, was a salesman and his mother, Dorothy Isobel, a mathematics teacher. Various reports say Sutherland battled polio, rheumatic fever and hepatitis as a child.

At age 14, Sutherland landed a part-time job as a DJ and news broadcaster for local radio station CKBW. It was the start of a successful side career in multimedia voiceover work 害羞草研究所� something son Kiefer also pursued.

Sutherland studied drama, engineering and English at the University of Toronto, where he played to audiences at the Hart House Theatre and met his first wife of seven years, Lois Hardwick. His memories of toga parties at U of T害羞草研究所檚 Gate House residence were said to be the inspiration for the 1978 film 害羞草研究所淎nimal House,害羞草研究所� in which he co-starred.

Author Margaret Atwood wrote on social media that she remembered Sutherland from their time at Victoria College at the University of Toronto.

害羞草研究所淗e was a great actor even then,害羞草研究所� she wrote on X.

After getting his degree in 1958, Sutherland attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in England and went on to act with the Perth Repertory Theatre in Scotland and on London害羞草研究所檚 West End.

Though he left Canada, he stayed in touch with his loved ones back home, he told The Canadian Press in a 2023 interview when Canada Post released a stamp bearing his face.

害羞草研究所淭he only thing that connects you 害羞草研究所� at that time, in the late 害羞草研究所�40s, early 害羞草研究所�50s 害羞草研究所� was a letter in the post. They became the thread in the fabric that bounded my family together,害羞草研究所� he said.

In the early 1960s, Sutherland transitioned from stage to features, including the thrillers 害羞草研究所淐astle of the Living Dead,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淒r. Terror害羞草研究所檚 House of Horrors害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淒ie! Die! My Darling!害羞草研究所� He also landed small roles on TV series including 害羞草研究所淐ourt Martial,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淭he Saint害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淭he Avengers.害羞草研究所�

In 1966, Sutherland married his second wife, Canadian actress and activist Shirley Douglas, daughter of medicare founder Tommy Douglas. That same year they had twins Rachel and Kiefer, who has become a star in his own right with films including 害羞草研究所淭he Lost Boys害羞草研究所� and the TV series 害羞草研究所�24.害羞草研究所�

When Sutherland saw that his son wanted to follow in his footsteps, he gave him one important piece of advice: 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 care what you do with your life,害羞草研究所� Kiefer Sutherland, quoting his dad, said in a 1998 interview with The Canadian Press.

害羞草研究所淛ust don害羞草研究所檛 lie in your work, because they害羞草研究所檒l catch you.害羞草研究所�

Donald Sutherland害羞草研究所檚 breakthrough in the United States came in 1967 with the film 害羞草研究所淭he Dirty Dozen,害羞草研究所� in which he played an imprisoned soldier during the Second World War. Co-stars included Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson.

Three years later, he further solidified his star status in Hollywood with two more war films: Robert Altman害羞草研究所檚 Oscar-winning Korean War satire 害羞草研究所淢ASH,害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淜elly害羞草研究所檚 Heroes,害羞草研究所� alongside Clint Eastwood and Telly Savalas.

The 害羞草研究所�70s were a particularly active time for Sutherland with varied roles in two-dozen other projects, including 害羞草研究所淜lute,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淔ellini害羞草研究所檚 Casanova,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淎nimal House,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淚nvasion of the Body Snatchers,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淒on害羞草研究所檛 Look Now害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淪teelyard Blues.害羞草研究所� The latter two films earned him nominations for a best-actor BAFTA.

Sutherland害羞草研究所檚 private life also made headlines during that decade.

First came his highly publicized relationship with his 害羞草研究所淜lute害羞草研究所� co-star, Jane Fonda, with whom he also helped form an antiwar road show called the FTA tour (Free The Army). Later, Sutherland married French-Canadian actress Francine Racette, with whom he had three sons: Roeg, Angus and Rossif, star of 害羞草研究所淧oor Boy害羞草研究所檚 Game害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淗igh Life.害羞草研究所�

In the 害羞草研究所�80s, Sutherland continued to build his resume at a feverish pace, with turns in nearly 20 films including Robert Redford害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淥rdinary People,害羞草研究所� for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe, and 害羞草研究所淭hreshold,害羞草研究所� which earned him a Genie.

Sutherland eventually won two Golden Globes: in 1996 for his supporting role in 害羞草研究所淐itizen X,害羞草研究所� for which he also earned an Emmy, then in 2003 for the HBO film 害羞草研究所淧ath to War.害羞草研究所� That same year he played a minister in 害羞草研究所淐old Mountain.害羞草研究所�

He also got to work with his actor-sons, sharing the screen with Kiefer in the films 害羞草研究所淢ax Dugan Returns害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淎 Time to Kill,害羞草研究所� and with Rossif in 害羞草研究所淭he Steal Artist.害羞草研究所�

Rossif Sutherland said working with his dad was 害羞草研究所渁 dream.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 been the reason for which I害羞草研究所檝e started a road in this career and he likes to call himself my first fan,害羞草研究所� he told The Canadian Press in January 2010.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 the one person that I害羞草研究所檝e worked with that gives the impression that I can do no wrong.害羞草研究所�

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