John Heard Jr.[1](March 7, 1946 – July 21, 2017) was an American actor. Heard made his debut appearance in film with the ensembleBetween the Lines(1977). He appeared in a number of successful films, includingHeart Beat(1980),Cutter's Way(1981),Cat People(1982),Beaches(1988), andDeceived(1991). He was nominated for anEmmy Awardin 1999 for guest-starring as Vin Makazian onThe Sopranos(1999–2004).
John Heard | |
|---|---|
 Heard in September 2010 | |
| Born | John Heard Jr. March 7, 1946 Washington, D.C.,U.S. |
| Died | July 21, 2017(aged 71) |
| Resting place | South Side Cemetery,Ipswich, Massachusetts,U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1975–2017 |
| Known for |
|
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 3 |
Other films includeThe Trip to Bountiful(1985),Big(1988),Awakenings(1990), The Pelican Brief(1993),White Chicks(2004), and his role as Peter McAllister inHome Alone(1990) andHome Alone 2: Lost in New York(1992). From 1995 to 1996, he played the role of Roy Foltrigg in the television seriesThe Client.From 2005 to 2006, Heard played the role of Governor Frank Tancredi inPrison Break.
Early life and education
editHeard was born on March 7, 1946,[1]inWashington, D.C.[2]a son of Helen (néeSperling), who was involved in the arts and appeared in community theatre, and John Heard, who worked for the office of the Secretary of Defense.[2][3][4]He was raised as a Roman Catholic,[5]and attendedGonzaga College High School,Clark University(inWorcester, Massachusetts), andCatholic University of America.[2]He grew up with two sisters, Lise and Cordis (an actress), and a brother, Matthew Heard, who predeceased his mother and father.[3]
Career
editIn the 1970s, Heard appeared on the stage and in television and film. He appeared off-Broadway in 1974 inMark Medoff's playThe Wagerand in 1975 as Guildenstern inHamletat the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, where he also understudiedSam Waterstonas Hamlet. That fall, the production moved to the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center. Heard appeared at theEugene O'Neill Theater Centerin 1977 in a series of new plays. Heard wonObie Awardsfor his performances inOthelloandSplitin 1979–80. He was the male lead in the 1979 filmHead Over Heels(which was renamed and re-released asChilly Scenes of Winterin 1982).[citation needed]
In 1980, Heard was in the filmHeart Beat.In 1981, he had the starring role of Alex Cutter in the filmCutter's Way.Richard Schickel in Time, David Ansen in Newsweek, and New York City's weekly newspapers would write glowing reviews. Ansen wrote, "Under Passer's sensitive direction, Heard gives his best film performance: he's funny and abrasive and mad, but you see the self-awareness eating him up inside.". In 1982, he played the lover ofNastassja Kinski,one of the main characters, in the remake ofCat People.He co-starred as photographer George Cooper inC.H.U.D.(Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers, 1984) alongside futureHome Aloneco-starDaniel Sternand inThe Trip to Bountiful(1985). In the comedy-drama filmHeaven Help Us(aka,Catholic Boys,1985), Heard played a monk named Brother Timothy. InAfter Hours(also 1985), Heard was bartender Tom Schorr.
He was seen in the filmThe Milagro Beanfield Warand had a significant role playing Paul,Tom Hanks's adult corporate competitor and jilted boyfriend ofElizabeth Perkins,inBig(both 1988). He co-starred withBette MidlerinBeaches(also 1988). In 1990 Heard starred in the philosophical filmMindwalk,in which three characters from different sociopolitical and cultural backgrounds express their opinions on the human experience, and around the same time, he was inAwakeningsalongsideRobert De NiroandRobin Williams,andThe End of InnocencewithDyan Cannon.He starred inDeceived(1991), withGoldie Hawn,playing Jack Saunders, and had a supporting role inGladiator(1992), withCuba Gooding Jr.
He played Daugherty in the filmRadio Flyer(1992) and FBI agent Gavin Vereek inThe Pelican Brief(1993). He starred withSamuel L. Jacksonin 1997'sOne Eight Sevenand was featured in the 2000miniseriesPerfect Murder, Perfect Town.He also appeared in the 2004 comedy filmWhite Chicks.
Home Aloneand sequel
editIn 1990, Heard starred as Peter McCallister in the comedyHome Alone.He played the part of a father who unwittingly leaves his son Kevin (played byMacaulay Culkin) at home when making a Christmas trip to France. Heard chose to characterize the role with a combination of concerned dramatic acting of a father missing his son along with more classical comedic tropes.[6]The film was one of the biggest hits of 1990, and he reprised his role in the sequelHome Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Television
editHeard featured in a television production ofThe Scarlet Letter(1979) asArthur Dimmesdale.He played real-lifeKu Klux KlanleaderD. C. Stephensonin the TV miniseriesCross of Fire(1989) and the role of David Manning in the ABC miniseries adaptation ofShirley MacLaine'sOut on a Limb,a memoir of her journey toward acceptance of spiritual and extraterrestrial realities. From 1995 to 1996, he played the role of Roy Foltrigg in the television seriesThe Client.Heard also had roles onThe Sopranosas the troubled corrupt detectiveVin Makazianfor which he received anEmmynomination as outstanding guest actor, and later onBattlestar Galacticaas CommanderBarry Garner.
He had recurring roles onCSI: Miami(as Kenwall Duquesne, father ofCalleigh Duquesne) andPrison Break(asFrank Tancredi,governor ofIllinoisand father ofSara Tancredi). Among other film and television roles in the 2000s and 2010s, he played the mayor ofChicagoon two episodes of theFoxseriesThe Chicago Code.
Legacy
editIn 2008, Heard was asked about his career and he replied,
I guess I went from being a young leading man to being just kind of a hack actor.... When I came to Hollywood, I was pretty much a stage actor, and I expected everybody to be quiet. And they weren't. They were doing their job, and you're expected to do your job, and you're sort of this ongoing co-existence. I was a little bit of an arrogant jerk. Now, it's a little bit more like, "Okay, I realize you have to pat me down with powder every three seconds." And I stand there, and I'm a little more tolerant... I think I had my time. I dropped the ball, as my father would say. I think I could have done more with my career than I did, and I sort of got sidetracked. But that's OK, that's all right, that's the way it is. No sour grapes. I mean, I don't have any regrets. Except that I could have played some bigger parts.[7]
Personal life
editHeard married actressMargot Kidderin 1979, but the marriage was dissolved after only six days.[8]
In 1987, he had a son with actress and former girlfriendMelissa Leo.[9]Heard was arrested in 1991 and charged with third-degree assault for slapping Leo.[10]In 1997, he was found guilty of trespassing at Leo's home but was acquitted of charges of trespassing at their son's school.[11]
By his marriage to Sharon Heard, he had two children, a son and a daughter.[2]Their son died on December 6, 2016, aged 22.[12]
On May 24, 2010, Heard married Lana Pritchard inLos Angeles.The couple divorced seven months later.[13]
Death
editHeard died ofcardiac arrestdue toatheroscleroticandhypertensive heart diseaseon July 21, 2017, at the age of 71. He was found by staff in a hotel inPalo Alto, California,where he was reportedly recovering from minor back surgery which he had just undergone atStanford University Hospital.The back surgery did not play a role in his death.[14][15]His cause of death was confirmed by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's office. He was buried in South Side Cemetery inIpswich, Massachusetts.[16][17][18][19]
Awards and honors
editSource unless otherwise noted:[2]
- 1977Theatre World Awardfor his performance inG.R. Point
- 1976–77Obie Award,Best Performance,G.R. Point
- 1979–80Obie Award,Best Performance,OthelloandSplit
- 1999Emmy Awardnomination, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (1999)
In 2003, he was inducted into theGonzaga College High SchoolTheatre Hall of Fame.
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Between the Lines | Harry Lucas | |
| First Love | David Bonner | ||
| 1978 | Rush It | Byron | |
| On the Yard | Paul Juleson | ||
| 1979 | Chilly Scenes of Winter | Charles Richardson | |
| 1980 | Heart Beat | Jack Kerouac | |
| 1981 | Cutter's Way | Alex Cutter | |
| 1982 | Cat People | Oliver Yates | |
| 1984 | C.H.U.D. | George Cooper | |
| Best Revenge | Charlie | ||
| Violated | Skipper | ||
| 1985 | Too Scared to Scream | Sid, Lab Technician | |
| Heaven Help Us | Brother Timothy | ||
| After Hours | Tom Schorr | ||
| The Trip to Bountiful | Ludie Watts | ||
| 1987 | Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam | Johnny "Johnny Boy" | Voice |
| 1988 | The Telephone | Telephone Man | |
| The Milagro Beanfield War | Charlie Bloom | ||
| The Seventh Sign | Reverend | ||
| Big | Paul Davenport | ||
| Betrayed | FBI Agent Mike Carnes | ||
| Beaches | John Pierce | ||
| 1989 | The Package | Colonel Glen Whitacre | |
| 1990 | Blown Away | Charlie | |
| Mindwalk | Thomas Harriman | ||
| The End of Innocence | Dean | ||
| Home Alone | Peter McCallister | ||
| Awakenings | Dr. Kaufman | ||
| 1991 | Rambling Rose | Willcox Hillyer | |
| Deceived | Frank Sullivan / Jack Saunders / Dan Sherman | ||
| 1992 | Radio Flyer | Officer Jim Daugherty | |
| Gladiator | John Riley | ||
| Waterland | Lewis Scott | ||
| Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Peter McCallister | ||
| 1993 | In the Line of Fire | Professor Riger | |
| Me and Veronica | Frankie | ||
| The Pelican Brief | Gavin Verheek | ||
| 1996 | Before and After | Wendell Bye | |
| My Fellow Americans | Vice-President Ted Matthews | ||
| 1997 | One Eight Seven | Dave Childress | |
| Executive Power | Walker | ||
| Men | George Babbington | ||
| Silent Cradle | Dr. Brittain | ||
| 1998 | Snake Eyes | Gilbert Powell, Defense Contractor | |
| Desert Blue | Professor Lance Davidson | ||
| 1999 | Jazz Night | John Little | Short |
| The Secret Pact | Jerome Carver | ||
| Fish Out of Water | Gregor | ||
| Freak Weather | David | ||
| 2000 | Animal Factory | James Decker | |
| The Photographer | Marcello | ||
| Pollock | Tony Smith | ||
| 2001 | The Boys of Sunset Ridge | John Burroughs | |
| O | Dean Bob Brable | ||
| Dying on the Edge | John Fuller | ||
| 2002 | Researching Raymond Burke | Raymond Burke | Short |
| Fair Play | Owen | ||
| 2004 | Mind the Gap | Henry Richards | |
| White Chicks | Warren Vandergeld | ||
| My Tiny Universe | Bobby | ||
| Under the City | Scova | ||
| 2005 | The Chumscrubber | Officer Lou Bratley | |
| Edison | Captain Brian Tilman | ||
| The Deal | Professor Roseman | ||
| Tracks | The Prison Warden | ||
| Sweet Land | Minister Sorrensen | ||
| 2006 | Steel City | Carl Lee | |
| Gamers: The Movie | Gordon's Dad | ||
| The Guardian | Captain Frank Larson | ||
| 2007 | Dead Lenny | Dr. Robert Hooker | |
| The Great Debaters | Sheriff Dozier | ||
| Brothers Three: An American Gothic | Father | ||
| 2008 | P.J. | Dr. Alan Shearson | |
| Justice League: The New Frontier | Ace Morgan | Voice | |
| The Lucky Ones | Bob | ||
| 2009 | Red State Blues | Fritz | Short |
| Formosa Betrayed | Tom Braxton | ||
| Little Hercules in 3-D | Coach Nimms | ||
| 2010 | The Truth | Jonathan Davenport | |
| Ivan's House | Ivan | Short | |
| 2011 | Whisper Me a Lullaby | "Poppy" | |
| 2012 | The Legends of Nethiah | Nethiah's Father | |
| A Perfect Ending | Mason Westridge | ||
| Stealing Roses | Walter | ||
| Would You Rather | Conway | ||
| 2013 | The Insomniac | Paul Epstein | |
| Assault on Wall Street | Jeremy Stancroft | ||
| Snake and Mongoose | Wally Parks | ||
| Runner Runner | Harry Furst | ||
| Torn | Detective Kalkowitz | ||
| Buoyancy | Frank | Short | |
| 2014 | Warren | Jack Cavanee | |
| Animals | Albert | ||
| Boys of Abu Ghraib | Sam Farmer | ||
| The Nurse | Frank | ||
| One More Day | Tom | Short | |
| 2015 | Boiling Pot | Tim Davis | |
| 2016 | Is That a Gun in Your Pocket? | Sheriff Parsons | |
| After the Reality | Bob | ||
| Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero | J.P. Monroe | ||
| So B. It | Thurman Hil | ||
| 2017 | Searching for Fortune | Michael Denton Sr. | |
| Counting for Thunder | Garrett Stalworth | ||
| Pray for Rain | Markus Gardener | ||
| Last Rampage | Blackwell | ||
| 2018 | The Tale | Older Bill Allens | Posthumous |
| Living Among Us | Andrew | ||
| 2019 | Imprisoned | Police Chief[20] |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Valley Forge | Mr. Harvie | Television film |
| 1979 | The Scarlet Letter | Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale | Television miniseries |
| 1983 | Will There Really Be a Morning? | Clifford Odets | Television film |
| Legs | Dan Foster | ||
| 1984 | Kate & Allie | Max McArdle | Episode: "A Weekend to Remember" |
| 1985 | Tender is the Night | Abe North | Television miniseries; 3 episodes |
| Tales from the Darkside | Billy Malone | Episode: "Ring Around the Redhead" | |
| Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Bill Callahan | Episode: "Breakdown" | |
| 1986 | Miami Vice | Laurence Thurmond | Episode: "One Way Ticket" |
| 1987 | The Equalizer | Ron Parrish | Episode: "In the Money" |
| Out on a Limb | David Manning | Television film | |
| 1988 | Necessity | Charlie | |
| 1989 | Screen Two | Michael Johnson | Episode: "Virtuoso" |
| Cross of Fire | David "D.C." Stephenson | Television film | |
| 1992 | Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster | Dan Lawn | |
| 1993 | There Was a Little Boy | Gregg | |
| 1994 | In Spite of Love | Andrew | |
| Because Mommy Works | Ted Forman | ||
| 1994–1999 | Law & Order | Mitch Burke / Walter Grobman | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | American Masters | Montresor | Episode: Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul |
| The Outer Limits | Paul Stein | Episode: "Dark Matters" | |
| 1995–1996 | The Client | District Attorney Roy "Reverend Roy" Foltrigg | 21 episodes |
| 1999–2004 | The Sopranos | DetectiveVin Makazian | 5 episodes |
| 2000 | Perfect Murder, Perfect Town | Larry Mason | Television film |
| The Wednesday Woman | Bill Davidson | ||
| 2001 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Larry Wiegert | Episode: "The Pardoner's Tale" |
| The Big Heist | Detective Richard Woods | Television film | |
| 2002 | Touched by an Angel | Allen | Episode: "Secrets and Lies" |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Gregory Rossovitch / Peter Sipes | Episode: "Disappearing Acts" | |
| Hack | Paul Ballinger | Episode: "Songs in the Night" | |
| Monday Night Mayhem | Roone Arledge | Television film | |
| The Pilot's Wife | Jack Lyons | ||
| 2003 | Word of Honor | Dr. Steven Brandt | |
| 2003–2005 | CSI: Miami | Kenwall Duquesne | 4 episodes |
| 2004–2005 | Jack & Bobby | Dennis Morgenthal | 5 episodes |
| 2005 | Numb3rs | Peter Houseman | Episode: "Soft Target" |
| Locusts | Dr. Peter Axelrod | Television film | |
| 2005–2006 | Prison Break | Governor Frank Tancredi | 10 episodes |
| 2006 | Battlestar Galactica | Commander Barry Garner | Episode: "The Captain's Hand" |
| Twenty Questions | C. Colin Whitworth | Television film | |
| The Line-Up | Walter Clark | ||
| 2007 | Cavemen | Tripp | Episode: "Her Embarrassed of Caveman" |
| 2007–2010 | Entourage | Richard Wimmer | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | My Own Worst Enemy | Peter | Episode: "Down Rio Way" |
| Skip Tracer | Con Colbert | Television film | |
| Generation Gap | Principal Winters | ||
| 2009 | The Beast | Dr. Blake | Episode: "Mercy" |
| Southland | Ben Sherman Sr. | 2 episodes | |
| 2010 | Gravity | B.C. | 3 episodes |
| The Quickening | Ed Erlich | Television film | |
| 2011 | The Chicago Code | Mayor McGuinness | 2 episodes |
| Too Big to Fail | Joe Gregory | Television film | |
| 2013 | Perception | Congressman Evan Rickford | 2 episodes |
| Adam DeVine's House Party | Dregory | Episode: "Dregory" | |
| Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories | Lawyer | Episode: "Haunted House" | |
| Sharknado | George | Television film | |
| 2014 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Roger Ridley | Episode: "Love for Sale" |
| Modern Family | Gunther Thorpe | Episode: "The Feud" | |
| Person of Interest | Roger McCourt | Episode: "Death Benefit" | |
| Mistresses | Bruce Sappire | Episode: "Coming Clean" | |
| NCIS: Los Angeles | Michael Thomas | 3 episodes | |
| 2015 | The Lizzie Borden Chronicles | William Almy | Television miniseries; 2 episodes |
| The Murder Pact | John LaSalle | Television film | |
| 2016 | Elementary | Henry Watson | Episode: "Miss Taken" |
| 2017 | MacGyver | Arthur Ericson | Episode: "Pliers" |
| APB | Joe Reeves | Episode: "Daddy's Home" | |
| Outsiders | Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky | Episode: "What Must Be Done" |
References
edit- ^abCorreal, Annie (July 22, 2017)."John Heard, the Frazzled Father in 'Home Alone,' Dies at 71".The New York Times.RetrievedJuly 23,2017.
- ^abcde"John Heard Biography".TV Guide.RetrievedOctober 15,2013.
- ^ab"John Heard, actor who played an absent-minded father in 'Home Alone,' dies at 71".The Washington Post.July 23, 2017.
- ^"Helen Heard Obituary (2015)".The Washington Post– viaLegacy.com.
- ^"John Heard on The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, The Sopranos, Sharknado, and more".The A.V. Club.April 4, 2015.RetrievedJuly 23,2017.
- ^"Actor John Heard, who played dad in" Home Alone "movies, dies at 72".NJToday.net.July 22, 2017. Archived fromthe originalon April 14, 2018.RetrievedMarch 16,2018.
- ^"411 Movies Interview: John Heard".411Mania.com.February 27, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon December 19, 2013.RetrievedOctober 15,2013.
- ^Roberts, Chris (April 9, 2005)."No Kidding".The Guardian.London.RetrievedDecember 26,2010.
- ^"Heard Pleads Not Guilty to Harassing Ex-Girlfriend".Spartanburg Herald-Journal.Associated Press.March 20, 1997. p. A13 – viaGoogle News.
- ^"'Home Alone' Actor Arrested ".The Buffalo News.November 6, 1991 – viaNewsBank.
- ^Tan, Cheryl L. (March 21, 1997)."'Home Alone' actor Heard found guilty of trespassing ".The Baltimore Sun.Archived fromthe originalon July 24, 2012 – viaProQuestArchiver.
- ^"Home Alone star found dead in hotel room six months after estranged son's death".Yahoo News.July 24, 2017.RetrievedJanuary 18,2025.
- ^"Pritchard-Heard".The Monterey County Herald.June 14, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon October 15, 2013.RetrievedOctober 15,2013.
- ^"'Home Alone' Dad John Heard Died of Cardiac Arrest ".The Hollywood Reporter.Associated Press.August 16, 2017.
- ^"John Heard dead at 71; Home Alone actor death not considered suspicious, says police official".The Financial Express.July 23, 2017.RetrievedJuly 23,2017.
- ^Saperstein, Pat (July 22, 2017)."John Heard, 'Home Alone' Dad, Dies at 72".Variety.
- ^Willingham, AJ (July 22, 2017)."'Home Alone' actor John Heard dies ".CNN.RetrievedJuly 22,2017.
- ^"John Heard: Home Alone actor dies aged 71".BBC.July 22, 2017.RetrievedJuly 22,2017.
- ^Glenza, Jessica (July 22, 2017)."John Heard, star of Home Alone, Cutter's Way and The Sopranos, dies at 71".The Guardian.RetrievedJuly 22,2017.
- ^Scheck, Frank (September 12, 2019)."'Imprisoned': Film Review ".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedSeptember 12,2020.
