Actor Bud Cort, star of cult film ‘Harold and Maude’ has died, aged 77

Actor Bud Cort, star of cult film Harold and Maude has died, aged 77. 

The actor had his breakout role in the cult classic in 1971, where he starred alongside Ruth Gordon. 

His death was confirmed by close friend Dorian Hannaway, a writer and producer who said Cort died following “a long illness” (as per the BBC).

Reports suggest the actor died at his home in Connecticut, while a memorial service is reportedly set to be held in Los Angeles.

Cort was a veteran actor of stage and screen and appeared in more than 80 films and TV shows during his career, including Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Coyote Ugly, Arrested Development and the series Ugly Betty.

Yet it was his portrayal as a death-obsessed young man Harold who falls in love with an older woman, played by Ruth Gordon, in Hal Ashby’s Harold and Maude that fans remember him most. While the film wasn’t a commercial success, it went on to become a cult classic.

Filmmaker Cameron Crowe said of the film (via the BBC): “A young man obsessed with death falls in love with an old woman obsessed with life. She dies and teaches the kid how to live…And it’s done with music [by Cat Stevens] that scratches at your soul… that movie holds up – to this minute.”

Cort earned nominations for a Golden Globe and BAFTA for his portrayal.

Tributes have come in for Cort on social media, including from director Edgar Wright. He wrote: “A very sad, but extremely fond farewell to the unforgettable Bud Cort, a welcome and magnetic presence in every film lucky enough to have him, not least the co-lead in, arguably, the cult film to rule them all; 1971’s ‘Harold And Maude’.

“Not only is this beloved film an actual pitch perfect black comedy cum love story for the ages, but Bud Cort delivers one of the greatest looks to camera in film. He was always fun to watch in any part big or small, some other films of his I enjoyed include ‘M*A*S*H, ‘Brewster McCloud’, ‘Gas-s-s-s’, ‘Invaders from Mars’, ‘The Chocolate War’, ‘Heat’, ‘Dogma’ and ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’ among many others that I implore you to list below.

“I was lucky enough to meet him briefly at the ’Scott Pilgrim’ premiere (I believe Jason Schwartzman invited him) and he was as funny and eccentric as you would hope him to be. If you haven’t seen Bud in ‘Harold And Maude’, rectify this tonight. Keep breaking that fourth wall, Bud. We’ll miss you.”

Yusuf/Cat Stevens, whose music soundtracked Harold and Maude also paid tribute, writing: “May God the Most Merciful forgive and bless the soul of our great friend Bud Cort…who played the part of Harold in our lives.”

You can see more tributes to Cort below:

Cort was born in New York in 1948 and got involved in acting from a young age in school plays.

Cort also appeared in the 1970 film M*A*S*H and later landed the lead role of Robert Altman’s Brewster McCloud.

He also had supporting roles in films including Heat and Dogma.

This is a developing news story – more to follow