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Business Recorder
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Recorder
‘Reservoir Dogs' and ‘Kill Bill' actor Michael Madsen dies at 67
LOS ANGELES: Michael Madsen, an actor who appeared in dozens of films including 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Thelma & Louise,' has died at age 67, his representatives said on Thursday. Madsen died of cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu, California, his manager, Ron Smith, said. Born in Chicago, Madsen began acting in the early 1980s in projects that included the TV show 'St. Elsewhere' and the movie 'The Natural' on his way to racking up more than 300 on-screen credits. He played Mr. Blonde in 1992 film 'Reservoir Dogs' and appeared in several other movies from director Quentin Tarantino including 'Kill Bill,' 'The Hateful Eight' and 'Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.' Deepika Padukone becomes first Indian to receive Hollywood Walk of Fame star 'In the last two years Michael Madsen has been doing some incredible work with independent film,' said a statement from Smith along with fellow manager Susan Ferris and publicist Liz Rodriguez. He also was preparing to release a book called 'Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems,' which is currently being edited, they said.
Saudi Gazette
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Saudi Gazette
Michael Madsen, actor of ‘Kill Bill' and ‘Reservoir Dogs' fame, dead at 67
LOS ANGELES — Actor Michael Madsen, a stoic actor who worked frequently with director Quentin Tarantino and appeared in various acclaimed films from the 1980s onward, has died, according to his publicist Liz Rodriguez. He was 67. Rodriguez told CNN that Madsen had a cardiac arrest and was found unresponsive in his Malibu home Thursday morning. 'Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood's most iconic actors, who will be missed by many,' said a joint statement from his managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith of Bohemia Entertainment and Rodriguez. Sgt. Christopher Jauregui, watch commander for Los Angeles Sheriff Department Lost Hills Station confirmed to CNN Thursday that deputies responded to Madsen's home in Malibu this morning and found him 'unresponsive.' He was pronounced dead at 8:25 a.m. local time and no foul play is suspected, Jauregui added. Madsen was a prolific dramatic actor who was best known for his work in several of Tarantino's films, including 'Reservoir Dogs,' 'Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood' and the 'Kill Bill' films. Known for his stony looks and calm, sometimes menacing demeanor, Madsen could play a fierce villain (see 'Kill Bill') as well as a protagonist, as seen in 1995's 'Species.' Having gotten his start in TV in the early '80s – an early role on 'St. Elsewhere in 1983 first put him on the map – Madsen soon transitioned to films, where he made an impression in 1991's Ridley Scott-directed hit 'Thelma & Louise,' in which he played Louise's (Susan Sarandon) put-upon love interest Jimmy. The next year saw his first collaboration with Tarantino in 'Reservoir Dogs,' the uber-violent ensemble piece in which Madsen played the sadistic Mr. Blonde. Thus began a prolific time for the actor – who appeared in primarily action films along with westerns like 1994's 'Wyatt Earp.' While much of Madsen's oeuvre strayed into B-movie territory, he continued to appear in higher profile hits as well, such as 'Donnie Brasco' in 1997, the James Bond film 'Die Another Day' in 2002, and 2005's 'Sin City.' Madsen's knack for demented villains was perfected in his portrayal of Sidewinder in the 'Kill Bill' franchise, one of the foes Uma Thurman's Bride must vanquish before defeating her main nemesis. The films were split into two volumes in 2003 and 2004. Other roles in which he shined include 2004's noir western 'Renegade' and 'The Hateful Eight,' another Tarantino film, from 2015. 'My career is like a heart monitor,' he said in a 1992 interview on the 'Reservoir Dogs' DVD. 'I get involved in a good project now and then to keep things going ... every movie you make can't be great, no matter who you are.' Madsen's off-screen life was marked by some legal and personal troubles. Last year, he was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery misdemeanor after a dispute with his wife DeAnna Madsen, according to Variety and online arrest records. The actor filed for divorce from DeAnna Madsen one month later. In 2019, Madsen was arrested for DUI, his second within 10 years, and in 2012, was arrested following a physical altercation with his then-teenage son. Madsen was open about his struggles, telling the Independent in a 2020 interview that he went through some 'terrible, terrible times,' including his DUIs and an injury following a motorcycle accident. 'Fame is not what it's cracked up to be,' he added. 'I'm not complaining, because I've had a great life. But it can wreak havoc on you if you're not protected.' In 2022, Madsen's son Hudson died by suicide in Hawaii. 'I didn't see any signs of depression. It's so tragic and sad. I'm just trying to make sense of everything and understand what happened,' Madsen told the LA Times. With over 320 credits to his name on IMDb, Madsen also had a whopping 18 titles in development at the time of his death. In the statement from his representatives following his death, they said Madsen had been 'doing some incredible work with independent film including upcoming feature films 'Resurrection Road', 'Concessions' and 'Cookbook for Southern Housewives.'' He was, the statement said, 'really looking forward to this next chapter in his life.' 'Cookbook' is a crime drama set in the early '70s in the American South, while 'Concessions' follows the closing of a legendary movie theater and costars Josh Hamilton. According to his IMDb, Madsen was also set to appear in 'Saturday at the Starlight,' a comedy set at a roller rink in the 1990s costarring Abigail Breslin and Denise Richards, and 'Oldfellas,' about aging mobsters at a retirement resort. Madsen was also preparing to release a book called 'Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems.' 'You'll make a great film when you least expect it, or don't really anticipate it ... I don't have a crystal ball or time machine, I can't know what's going to happen,' Madsen told Vulture in 2008. 'I just want longevity.' — CNN
Otago Daily Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Michael Madsen dies aged 67
Michael Madsen. Michael Madsen, an actor who appeared in dozens of films including "Reservoir Dogs" and "Thelma & Louise," has died at age 67, his representatives said. Madsen died of cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu, California, his manager, Ron Smith, said. Born in Chicago, Madsen began acting in the early 1980s in projects that included the TV show "St. Elsewhere" and the movie "The Natural" on his way to racking up more than 300 on-screen credits. He played Mr. Blonde in 1992 film "Reservoir Dogs" and appeared in several other movies from director Quentin Tarantino including "Kill Bill," "The Hateful Eight" and "Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood." "In the last two years Michael Madsen has been doing some incredible work with independent film," said a statement from Smith along with fellow manager Susan Ferris and publicist Liz Rodriguez. He also was preparing to release a book called "Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems," which is currently being edited, they said.
Calgary Herald
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
'Cheers' star George Wendt dead at 76: 'He will be missed forever'
Article content George Wendt, who was best known for playing Norm Peterson on NBC's long-running sitcom Cheers, died Tuesday at the age of 76. Article content Article content Wendt's publicist Melissa Nathan and family confirmed his death in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, telling the outlets he died early Tuesday morning, peacefully in his sleep while at home. Article content 'George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him,' the family said in a statement. 'He will be missed forever.' Article content Article content After getting his start with Chicago's Second City troupe in the 1970s, the father of three caught his big break as Norm on Cheers in 1982. Article content Article content The role earned him six Emmy nominations, from 1984-89, and ran for 11 seasons, from 1982 to 1993. It was a character he played in other NBC shows during its run, including Wings and St. Elsewhere. He later reprised the role opposite Kelsey Grammer in his Frasier spinoff. Article content Wendt, who was uncle to Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis, also had a recurring part on Saturday Night Live as Bob Swerski, a Chicago Bears superfan. Article content Following Cheers' end, Wendt landed his own short-lived sitcom, The George Wendt Show, which cast him as a co-owner of a garage shop in Wisconsin. But despite his much-ballyhooed return to TV, the show was a flop, lasting only six episodes. Article content Article content He later found a renewed career onstage, appearing in Broadway productions of Art, Hairspray and Elf. Article content Article content In 2017, he checked off a bucket-list part when he took on the tragic Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse in Waterloo, Ont. Article content 'If I can manage to pull this off it should be quite a capper in a career in the theatre,' Wendt told Postmedia in an interview. 'It's considered one of the classics and I'd say that's spot-on. It's got classic themes — fathers and sons, big picture operatic themes.' Article content Initially when he auditioned for Cheers, Wendt said Norm only had one line — 'Beer.' Article content 'The casting director, the late Stephen Kolzak, I was in his office and he said, 'There's this role, but it's too small. You can't just say beer.' So he handed me the part of Norm,' Wendt recalled in a 2017 interview. 'It wasn't that big, but it was the guy who always wanted another beer and didn't want to leave. So I read for that and they were interested but I wasn't available, oddly. I was doing a different show. So they had me on the pilot as a guest star and then my other show got cancelled, so then they made Norm a regular role.'
UPI
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
'Cheers' star George Wendt dies at 76
May 20 (UPI) -- George Wendt died Tuesday in his sleep, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed with the actor's family and People with his publicist. Wendt was 76. Wendt was best known as Boston bar patron Norm Peterson, which he played for 11 seasons on Cheers. Norm was such a regular that the entire bar called out his name when he arrived, though he ran up an unpaid bar tab that was a recurring joke. He reprised the role on episodes of the spinoff Frasier, and a St. Elsewhere episode from 1985 in which the doctors from that show visit the bar. Wendt frequently appeared on Saturday Night Live as a Chicago bears superfan who talked about "da Bears" with other fans.. Prior to Cheers, Wendt had appeared on episodes of Taxi, Soap, Hart to Hart and more shows. During the run of Cheers, he appeared in movies such as Fletch, Gung Ho and House, and the music video for Ghostbusters. Other music videos in which Wendt appeared include Michael Jackson's "Black or White" and MxPx's "Responsibility." Following Cheers, Wendt got a chance for his own short-lived sitcom The George Wendt Show. Then he appeared on The Naked Truth, Clipped and many other single episodes. On stage, Wendt had appeared in Hairspray, Elf, Breakfast at Tiffany's and more on Broadway, and in a Los Angeles production of Re-Animator: The Musical. The film's director, Stuart Gordon, directed the adaptation, having cast Wendt in many films such as Space Truckers, King of the Ants and Edmond. Notable deaths of 2025 Jill Sobule Jill Sobule attends the GLAAD Media Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on March 30, 2023. Sobule, the Jill Sobule attends the GLAAD Media Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on March 30, 2023. Sobule, the singer-songwriter behind "I Kissed a Girl," "Living Color" and "Supermodel," died at the age of 66 on May 2 from a house fire. Photo by Greg Grudt/UPI | License Photo
