American actor Stacy Keach, known for the role of private detective Mike Hammer on TV series, has died at the age of 85.

Keach died Tuesday in his home in Poland’s Magdalenka, following a long battle with serious heart problems and heart failure. The news was made known by his wife, Malgosia Tomassie Keach, through a statement.

The actor had also suffered a heart attack in 2017 while on stage in Chicago.

Although considered one of the most outstanding performers of William Shakespeare’s works and had worked with directors known as John Houston, Keach became especially famous for portraying Mike Hammer, private detective created by the writer of the Michely Spillan criminal novels.

During his career, he interpreted roles into a wide range of roles, refusing to limit himself to one type of character. He played in Cheech and Chong movies, performed the character of King Lear in the Theatre and was the hero of the world’s Most Amazing Videos TV show.

Among his well – known roles was the one in The Ninth Configuration, while there were other production presentations such as Nebraska, American History X, and The Bourne Legacy. He also interpreted writer Ernest Heminghway in a six – hour television minister, a role for which he had gained about 60 pounds [16 kg] in weight. The performance won the Golden Globe award.

Keach’s career also faced a difficult time in 1984 when he was imprisoned after trying to smuggle cocaine into Great Britain. The event seriously threatened the continuation of his artistic career.

However, the actor continued to work in theatre, film, and television for decades. His last role was that of George Clooney’s grieving father in Jay Kelly’s movie.

In an interview with New York magazine in 2012, Keach had said that his goal was to interpret as many different characters as possible, even though this had ever negatively affected his career.

My choices had a cost, but I had the opportunity to interpret Hamlet, Richard. III and King Lear. I wouldn’t give it up for anything, he said.

Stacy Keach was born in Savannah, Georgia, into a family of artists. He studied at the University of California in Berkeley, where he received diplomas in English literature and dramatic art. He then continued his studies at Yale Drama School and the Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in London, as a stock exchanger for the Fulbright programme.

Source Layer: Dukeagini