Deadwood actor Peter Jason has died at the age of 80. He starred in a number of films and TV shows during his successful career, and director John Carpenter has paid tribute to him
Veteran Deadwood star Peter Jason has sadly passed away at the grand age of 80. The beloved actor, famed for his role as Con Stapleton, has left fans and peers alike in mourning after a sad week for the acting industry.
A versatile talent, Jason boasted over 270 acting credits across a glittering career that spanned film and television aplenty. This heart-wrenching news follows a huge week in the movie world which saw a major film actor speak about his tragic loss at the BAFTAs.
Filmmaker John Carpenter took to social media to pay homage, penning a heartfelt message about the late star: “Peter Jason, one of the great character actors in cinema, has died,” he shared. “His first movie was Howard Hawks’ RIO LOBO. He was a dear friend, and I’ll miss him terribly.”
Jason had made regular appearances in a host of Carpenter and Walter Hill’s projects such as Prince of Darkness, They Live, Body Bags, In the Mouth of Madness, Village of the Damned, Escape from L.A., and Ghosts of Mars. His credits also include The Karate Kid, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Congo, and Mortal Kombat.
His acting journey began back in 1967 with the TV film A Bell for Adano, based on John Hersey’s 1944 novel where he played an unnamed duty officer. Jason’s last credited act was in the short film A Tale of 2 Fathers by Douglas Spain, reports the Mirror.
Before this final bow, Peter was in We Are Gathered Here Today, filmed remotely via video calls due to the COVID-19 situation. Born in the heart of Hollywood, California, on July 22, 1944, Jason was raised in the beautiful surrounds of Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach.
After completing his studies, he enrolled at Orange Coast College and studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University. During his time there, he began his stage career.
His early television roles included appearances in episodes of The F.B.I., Cimarron Strip, Judd for the Defense and Here Come the Brides in the late 1960s. Throughout his extensive career, Peter also performed in plays and TV adverts.
He showcased his singing talents in musical stage productions such as The Music Man, Stop the World, I Want to Get Off and Threepenny Opera. The actor also lent his voice to Sergeant Dornan in the popular video game Fallout 2.
Peter made his film debut in Howard Hawks’ final film, Rio Lobo, in 1970. His numerous TV guest appearances included One Day at a Time, Starksy and Hutch, The Incredible Hulk, Cagney and Lacey, Remington Steele, The Golden Girls, Knots Landing, Roseanne, Coach, Arrested Development and NCIS.
Tributes have been flooding in for Peter, including from friend Matt Anser who said: “I am heartbroken. My dear friend and my father’s best friend, Peter Jason, passed away today. What a loss He was truly one of the sweetest people on the planet. My heart goes out to his wife and daughter. Peter, I hope you and my dad are up there laughing your a***s off.”
Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
