Bud Cort, 'Harold and Maude' star, dies at 77 — Reports

Anthony Robledo, USA TODAYThu, February 12, 2026 at 1:53 AM UTC

0

Actor Bud Cort arrives at the premiere of the new film "Upside Down" in Hollywood, California on March 12, 2013.

Veteran actor Bud Cort, best known for starring in films such as "Harold and Maude" and "Brewster McCloud," has reportedly died. He was 77.

The New York native who died in Connecticut from complications of pneumonia following a long illness, according to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, citing his friend Dorian Hannaway.

"Bud Cort was a savant at acting, at theater, and he was blessed with a passion for this as a young man as he loved art," Hannway said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. "He just loved the theater. He wanted to be that creative person from the time he was a child."

Born in Rye, a city about 30 miles northeast of New York City, Cort first broke out in Hollywood in 1970 with a small role in the film "M*A*S*H" and the titular role in "Brewster McCloud."

1 / 0See notable figures who have passed in 2026Catherine O'Hara attends The Hollywood Reporter 2019 Oscar Nominee Party at CUT on Feb. 4, 2019 in Beverly Hills, Calif. Catherine OÕHara, star of "SchittÕs CreekÓ and ÒBeetlejuiceÓ, has died at the age of 71 on January 30, 2026.

However, many remember Cort, whose real name was Walter Edward Cox, for playing TK in the 1971 film "Harold and Maude." In the dark romantic comedy, he played a young man from a wealthy family, Harold, who is obsessed with death and falls in love with an 79-year-old woman, played by Ruth Gordon.

Advertisement

His performance in the Hal Ashby classic earned him nominations at the Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he survived a major car crash in Los Angeles in 1971 that left him seriously injured.

He later returned to acting and established a reputation as a character actor in follow-up movies, including "Electric Dreams" (1984), "Heat" (1995), "Dogma" (1999), "Pollock" (2000) and "Coyote Ugly" (2000).

Outside of film, Cort voiced the villain Toyman in several DC animated projects, including Superman: The Animated Series and "Justice League Unlimited." He also guest-starred in a season three episode of "Arrested Development," where he played himself, as well as shows like "Ugly Betty" and "Criminal Minds."

Cort is survived by his wife, Vickie, and their daughters, Meave, Brytnn, and Jesse. He also leaves behind his brother, Joseph Coxsister, and his sisters, Kerry Cox and Tracy Cox Berkman.

A memorial for him will be held at a later date, Variety reported.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bud Cort, 'Harold and Maude' star, dies at 77 after long illness

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”