Stacy Keach, the prolific actress who starred on television Mike Hammer And Titus and did it again Blue blood after establishing himself as a theater and film actor, died Monday. He was 85 years old.
His wife, Małgosia Tomassi, said he died “after a long and difficult battle with serious heart disease and heart failure” at the family home in Magdalenka, Poland.
“Stacy was not only a legendary actress, admired and loved by audiences around the world, but also my beloved husband, my companion and the heart of our family,” she wrote. “His passing leaves an immeasurable void in our lives. But his extraordinary spirit, his unforgettable voice and the love he gave so generously will remain with us forever.
Keach appeared in several Broadway, Off Broadway and local shows during the 1960s, often in Shakespeare plays, and began landing film roles late in that decade. He played the role of an aging boxer who works with a young fighter (Jeff Bridges) in the John Huston film. Big city (1972) and played the famous gunfighter Doc Holliday opposite Faye Dunaway in Doc (1971) and played George C. Scott in a crime drama The new centurians (1971).
Other early film credits include The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972) with titular star Paul Newman; with the role of Martin Luther in Luther (1974) and the pioneer Wilbur Wright in Orville and Wilbur (1972).
Keach also began working in television in the 1960s, playing Banquo in a 1968 production of Macbeth and other TV films. He also played Napoleon Bonaparte in The man of destiny (1973). His first series regular role was as a police lieutenant on the one-season ABC drama series. Caribbean in 1975.
Keach would continue to appear regularly on television and in feature films throughout the 1970s, including narrating Ridley Scott’s directorial debut. The Duelists (1977). He played a memorable key supporting role as Sgt. Stedanko in Cheech and Chong’s first film In smoke (1978), in which his tough guy persona gives way to broad, stoner humor. He reprized the role in the 1981 duo picture Sweet dreams. Keach also starred alongside Charlton Heston, Ned Beatty and David Carradine in the 1978 Underwater Disaster picture. Gray lady in down.
At the dawn of the 1980s, he played alongside David, Keith and Robert Carradine in Walter Hill’s western. The Long Riders, which premiered at the 1980 Cannes Film Festival. Keach also earned his only career writing credit, solely for his role as big screen executive producer on the film.
What is probably his most recognizable role came mid-decade, when he was cast as the famous literary private detective in the CBS series. Mike Hammer by Mickey Spillanewhich debuted in mid-season 1984 and would air for three seasons until 1987.. His wacky private eye often shared the screen with scantily clad bombshells, NYPD cops, street people and contacts, including know-it-all Ozzie the Answer (Danny Goldman). Hammer still solved the case.
Filming on the series was halted when Keach was arrested with cocaine at London’s Heathrow Airport and he was sentenced to nine months in prison after pleading guilty. He served six months and would return to the iconic role in the new title The new Mike Hammer. The series was never a big hit, failing to make the Top 30 in year-end prime time across all three networks, but it had many ardent fans.
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