Bud Cort, Harold and Maude Star, Dies at 77
Bud Cort, Harold and Maude Star, Dies at 77
Bud Cort, beloved for Harold and Maude, dies at 77 in Connecticut after a long illness, ending a decades-long career that spanned M*A*S*H, Brewster McCloud and Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic.
Bud Cort, the character actor best known for the offbeat romance Harold and Maude, has died at 77 in Connecticut after a long illness. His passing was confirmed by a friend, who shared the news on social media. Cort’s career spanned nearly five decades, bringing him into collaborations with giants like Robert Altman and Wes Anderson, as well as a wide array of television appearances.
Cort earned wide recognition for Harold and Maude, playing Harold, a morbidly inclined young man who forms an unlikely bond with Maude, a free-spirited octogenarian. The film initially received mixed reviews and did not perform well at the box office, but it has since been celebrated as a cult classic, earning spots on prestige lists and enduring affection from fans. Cort himself spoke of the resonance of the role in interviews, linking the character’s sense of isolation to his own emotional childhood and his decision to pursue acting.
Beyond Harold and Maude, Cort appeared in Robert Altman’s Brewster McCloud and later joined ensembles in projects like The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. His career also included numerous TV roles, reflecting a steady presence in Hollywood for decades. While his name may evoke nostalgia for a particular era of indie cinema, Cort’s work continues to be recognized for its quirky charm and fearless commitment to unconventional characters.
Born and raised outside New York City, Cort developed a love for theater early on and chose acting after considering a different path. His early screen break came with a supporting part in M*A*S*H, which helped launch a career that would remain closely tied to offbeat, memorable performances. Cort’s legacy endures in the films that fans continue to rediscover and celebrate as emblematic of a freely inventive era in American cinema.
