NEW YORK (AP) — Actor John Heard, whose many roles included the father in the « Home Alone » series and a…
NEW YORK (AP) — Actor John Heard, whose many roles included the father in the « Home Alone » series and a corrupt detective in « The Sopranos, » has died. He was 71.
His death was confirmed Saturday by the Santa Clara Medical Examiner’s office in California. The circumstances were not clear; police referred questions to the coroner’s office, which declined to give further details. TMZ reported that a representative for Heard said he was staying in a hotel in Palo Alto, California, while he recovered from back surgery.
Heard played Peter McCallister, the father of Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin, in « Home Alone » and « Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. » He said in later interviews that he sought a movie with kids in it so his son, age 5 at the time, could come to the set and have someone to play with.
After it became a big hit, he was reluctant to revisit the role but his agent convinced him the money was too good to pass up.
« I didn’t want to be the ‘Home Alone’ dad for the rest of my life, » he told Yahoo News in 2013.
He was born March 7,1946, in Washington, D. C. and grew up performing in local theater. One of his memorable early roles was as a disabled Vietnam War veteran in the 1981 film « Cutter’s Way. »
He was active in film for the next decade, playing Tom Hanks’ rival in « Big, » actress Geraldine Page’s son in « The Trip to Bountiful » and in the movies « The Pelican Brief, » »Beaches, » »Gladiator, » »Rambling Rose » and « After Hours. »
He earned an Emmy nomination for playing Vin Makazian in « The Sopranos. » Heard said in a 2015 interview with The A. V. Club that he got the part after running into series star James Gandolfini in a gym. His time on « The Sopranos » ended like it did for many other actors there — with his character’s death.
Heard said he approached series creator David Chase and said « ‘Why me? I’m a detective! You can use me forever!’ And he told me, ‘John, there’s a rule in television. Somebody has to die that the audience likes.’ I said, ‘They like me? How do you know they like me?’ He said, ‘Well, they like you. So we’re gonna kill you.’
« My mother said, ‘Why do you have to die in everything?’ I said, ‘You’re telling me? I could’ve made a fortune! »
Other television roles kept Heard busy. He acted in « CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, » »Elementary, » »Prison Break, » »Modern Family » and « Entourage. » One of his favorite jobs came in the original « Sharknado » television movie in 2013.
« I knew it was going to be a cult classic, » he told the Baltimore Media Blog last year. « It’s just ridiculous. I thought it would replace people calling me the ‘Home Alone’ dad. »
Fellow actor Michael McKean paid tribute on Twitter Saturday: « RIP John Heard. Never not good. »
Actor James Woods said Heard was « a complex and brilliant man and a true artist. I will miss him dearly. »
Heard was married and divorced three times, including briefly to actress Margot Kidder. He had three children.
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This story has been corrected to show John Heard was 71, not 72.
