Remembering Donald Sutherland

“They do not make them like the great Donald Sutherland anymore, now at age 88, Sutherland, after as son actor Keifer stated, “a life well lived,” has died.

On screen for almost 60 years (since 1967’s “The Dirty Dozen”), Sutherland had the versatility to play a romantic lead, villain or a mastermind.

Oh to have been in London, England (not Ontario, Sutherland was born in Canada, loved the once Montreal Expos and might be rooting hard for “the now with a chance Edmonton Oilers,” who were down (3-0), to win Canada’s first NHL crown since Tiny Tim’s beloved Montreal Canadiens did so in 1993), when the likes (oh do/did I like them) of Sutherland, John Cassavetes, Charles Bronson and Jim Brown among others, in the great “The Dirty Dozen” production, “hung out.”

I remember and love Mr. Sutherland as “John (he was not that but a detective who fell in both the movie and real, (not just reel) life for the great actor/actress, Jane Fonda, call girl “Bree Daniels” in the superb Alan J. Pakula 1971, directed film, “Klute.” (Sutherland as John Klute).

Great admiration manifests and I will never deny being grateful for Sutherland and Fonda’s anti Vietnam war stance, no matter who it offended or offends. See though discipline likely learned or forced in via the military would have helped– I will “play these.”

First walking and then sitting on the bench with Kevin Costner, a la Jason Robards and Robert Redford in “All The President’s Men,” Mr. Sutherland as “X,” shown below is magnificent in the “Deep Throatish” role in Oliver Stone’s JFK. (See below).

His pathos inducing performance in “Ordinary People” and comedic romp as “Hawkeye” Pierce in MASH, are two more in a long list of great performances, in seminal films.

Add his intense activism and surely Keifer is correct, but I increase, “a great life with equally great deeds,” thank you Donald Sutherland.

Click below to view Mr. Sutherland’s magnificent, meaningful scene in “J.F.K.”

Mr. Sutherland, who once ran up an insane phone bill listening to his beloved Montreal Expos, might have/get a kick out of my citing namesake Gary Sutherland as having scored the Expos’ first ever run and getting credit for the first putout in a game played in Canada.

The magnificent Donald Sutherland, pictured above.