Bud Cort, ‘Harold and Maude’ Star, Dead at 77

Bud Cort, the character actor best known for his eponymous role in Hal Ashby’s “Harold and Maude” and his collaborations with Robert Altman, has died at the age of 77, as reported by multiple outlets and confirmed by his longtime friend Dorian Hannaway.

Born in Rye, New York in 1948, Cort began his acting career with uncredited extra roles in Robert Mulligan’s “Up the Down Staircase” in 1967 and Bob Fosse’s “Sweet Charity” in 1969. But his Hollywood legacy properly began in 1970 when Altman cast him in two films: “M*A*S*H” and “Brewster McCloud.” While his role as Private Lorenzo Boone in “M*A*S*H” was small, he played the titular character in “Brewster McCloud,” demonstrating his acting chops with his portrayal of an eccentric young man who becomes a murder suspect after attracting attention for building a pair of wings designed to enable human flight.

But while the Altman collaborations ensured Cort a place in film history, his best-known role would come a year later. In “Harold and Maude,” he played Harold Chasen, the death-obsessed teenager who strikes up a peculiar relationship with an elderly woman who teaches him to embrace life. The film’s controversial subject matter, Cat Stevens-heavy soundtrack, and pitch-black humor made it a cult classic, with Cort’s performance helping the film thread its specific tonal needle.

Cort remained active as a character actor for decades to come, appearing in films like Michael Mann’s “Heat” (another uncredited cameo), Kevin Smith’s “Dogma,” and Wes Anderson’s “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.” He also enjoyed a prolific TV career, appearing in episodes of shows as varied as “Columbo,” “Arrested Development,” and “Ugly Betty.”

He also lent his voice to a variety of DC Comics shows, including “Batman: The Animated Series,” “Superman: The Animated Series,” and “Justice League Unlimited.” His final feature film appearance was a voice role in 2015’s “The Little Prince” (though he starred in the 2016 short film “Affections”), and his final TV appearance came on the Adult Swim show “Eagleheart” in 2012.

Cort died at his home in Connecticut after a long battle with an unspecified illness.