Actor Stacy Keach dies at 85 after heart failure
Stacy Keach, known for his role as Mike Hammer and his Shakespearean stage work, died on Nov. 10 in Poland following a prolonged battle with heart disease.
Stacy Keach, the actor best known for portraying private detective Mike Hammer and for his acclaimed Shakespearean performances, died on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at his home in Magdalenka, Poland. His wife, Małgosia Tomassi Keach, said he had been fighting a serious heart condition and heart failure for an extended period.
"It is with profound sadness and a broken heart that I announce the passing of my darling husband, Stacy Keach," Tomassi Keach told Fox News Digital.
"After a long and difficult battle with a serious heart condition and heart failure, Stacy peacefully departed this world. He fought for so long, with extraordinary courage, determination and strength."
The actress remembered him as a resilient figure who faced his illness with the same spirit she said defined his life. Keach was 85.
Keach's career spanned more than six decades and included television roles on "Blue Bloods," "Titus" and "Prison Break," as well as film appearances in "The Long Riders," "Nebraska" and "The Bourne Legacy." He also played Barabbas in the miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth" and earned a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Ernest Hemingway. On stage, he performed demanding Shakespearean parts such as Hamlet, Richard III and King Lear.
In 2017, Keach suffered a heart attack while performing a one-man show about Hemingway at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, which led to the cancellation of the production. His wife said his death leaves a significant void in their family but that his voice and spirit will endure.