Bud Cort, Star of Harold and Maude, Dies at 77
According to the CinemaDrame News Agency, Bud Cort, the actor best known for the black comedy Harold and Maude, has died at the age of 77. His friend and producer Dorian Hannaway said Cort passed away in Connecticut due to complications from pneumonia. He recalled that in the 1960s, Cort would skip school to attend live performances of Funny Girl starring Barbra Streisand.
Born Walter Edward Cox on March 29, 1948, in New Rochelle, Cort briefly studied at the Tisch School of the Arts before beginning his professional career. He also trained in acting under Stella Adler.
Cort first gained attention through his collaborations with Robert Altman in MAS*H (1970) and Brewster McCloud (1970). A year later, he achieved wider fame playing Harold opposite Ruth Gordon in Harold and Maude.
In a 2012 interview with Trainwreck’d Society, Cort said: “When I read the script [for Harold and Maude], I immediately knew it would become a classic for the ages. I had no doubt. The studio was confused about how to market it. The newspaper ads and posters had simple black block letters on a blank background — more suited to The Ten Commandments! Honestly, it was the people who made it a success.”
Other notable film credits included Electric Dreams (1984), Dogma (1999), Pollock (2000), and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004). On television, he appeared in Ugly Betty, Criminal Minds, and Arrested Development. He also provided voice work for Superman: The Animated Series and other DC television productions.
In 1979, Cort survived a severe car accident in Los Angeles and was seriously injured. Despite the ordeal, he continued acting in film and theater throughout his career.
