# William Hurt - RIP at age 71 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [March 13, 2022, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992 "2022-03-13T21:46:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/21 "2022-03-14T01:24:59Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > I remember I used to commonly see folks bashing Hurt’s acting ability, but I’ve always been a fan. If properly cast I think he was great. In particular he played emotionally constricted very well. ✋ I thought his acting was below average, but at times he was OK. He was comically bad in Lost In Space, but it is so clear he did not care. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/22 "2022-03-14T01:45:28Z")
My first memory of him is _Broadcast News_. He’s the reason I’ve been saying _‘I’d really a lot appreciate it’_ for the past 35 years. I think he was better suited to his later, supporting ‘character actor’ roles than the leading man parts he had early in his career. And yah, 71 isn’t young, but it’s too young to die. ---
**Author:** ![dummygladhands71](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c0e974/32.png) [@dummygladhands71](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dummygladhands71)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/23 "2022-03-14T03:00:43Z")
Accidental Tourist Yes, that was my first recollection, he was perfect ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/24 "2022-03-14T03:43:00Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > My first memory of him is _Broadcast News_ . I’d forgotten about that one. The part suited him well. The line from that movie that **I’ve** been quoting for the last 35 years is, “Call if you get weird.” ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/25 "2022-03-14T03:49:01Z")
I don’t remember that one, but there was also: _Ok, I’ll meet you at the place near the thing where we went that time._ Sounds kinda Seinfeldy. Also, I just realized it’s the movie with the Albert Brooks sweating scene. Now I want to see it again. I bet it’s not on Netflix. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/26 "2022-03-14T03:57:08Z")
My line is what Albert Brooks and Holly Hunter used to say to each other when parting. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/27 "2022-03-14T06:49:36Z")
Here is an article about the unconventional treatment he got for the prostate cancer in 2018: > **[Actor William Hurt Vouches For Side Effect-Free Cancer Therapy At Unveiling](https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/william-hurt-cancer-therapy-side-effects/)** > > Researchers in Berkeley have unveiled a new cancer chemotherapy treatment that allows patients to avoid traditional side effects such as nausea and hair loss. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/28 "2022-03-14T07:04:47Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > I see now from the linked article he had problems with substance abuse which probably resulted in his lower profile. He was also, in his personal life, an absolute shitbag. It’s probably going to be very awkward to be Marlee Matlin sitting in the Oscars audience (she’s likely to be there in support of _Coda,_ which has a couple of high-profile nominations) watching Hurt getting his enthusiastic round of “in memoriam” applause with zero mention of how horribly he treated her. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/29 "2022-03-14T11:53:46Z")
I held back saying anything, but if his substance abuse issues and treatment of fellow actors/lovers is fair game, surely his acting is. I know some will disagree with me to such a degree that this will color anything else I have to say about movies or acting, but. . .I think William Hurt was the human equivalent of white bread and mayo. Bland and boring. I groaned inwardly when I saw he was in any movie was wanted to see. I was sorry to hear he had passed (though, MUCH less so now that I’ve read about his abusive treatment of Marlee Matlin), but I’m pleased he won’t be filling any more movie screens with his anti-charisma. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/30 "2022-03-14T12:16:16Z")
I last saw him in the Black Widow movie and thought he was looking a little rough. But then in one of the Avenger movies I think his character was mentioned to have suffered a heart attack. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/31 "2022-03-14T12:31:33Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > It’s probably going to be very awkward to be Marlee Matlin sitting in the Oscars audience (she’s likely to be there in support of _Coda,_ which has a couple of high-profile nominations) watching Hurt getting his enthusiastic round of “in memoriam” applause with zero mention of how horribly he treated her. Years ago I was sitting outside the commissary on the Warner Bros. lot and Marlee was in line at the snack bar window. In the distance, we noticed Hurt walking toward the area. Everyone perked up and thought, “Geez, what are the odds?” As he passed they did not acknowledge each other. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/32 "2022-03-14T14:18:26Z")
Yeah, 71 is in the realm of dying of some kind of untimely cancer or disease, not “normal” old person stuff. I mean, normal non-wealthy people make it to 75 all the time having had dire problems for a decade or two. Something that’s going to kill a presumably wealthy actor with the money and time to get treated is likely something pretty bad. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/33 "2022-03-14T14:25:25Z")
I always liked him - but until his obit, I had no idea what a jerk he was IRL. Had no idea Altered States was his first movie. That’s one of the movies I think of somewhat often - so it must have had an impact on me. Same w/ Broadcast News. Not that I’m ANYWHERE near as attractive, but when I was much younger, my wife commented that he was the celebrity that I looked the most like. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/34 "2022-03-14T15:37:44Z")
My favorite line from that movie, although not spoken by Hurt’s character: Paul Moore: “It must be nice to always believe you know better, to always think you’re the smartest person in the room.” Jane Craig: “No. It’s awful.” ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/35 "2022-03-14T15:42:45Z")
Condolences to his loved ones. Other than that, not much to add except long ago I kept mixing up his name with John Hurt. A minor, minor annoyance, but still… ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/36 "2022-03-14T15:46:29Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I am surprised he’s that old. Was that old. Damn. I remember him most from The Big Chill. > [@suranyi](#): > > I mainly remember him from “Children of a Lesser God” and “Broadcast News”. Two of my favorite movies. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I loved him in _The Doctor_ and _Gorky Park_ . > [@Hatchie](#): > > Accidental Tourist. > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I think **Kiss of the Spider Woman** should not go without mention. _Body Heat_ for me although to be honest, most of my attention was on Kathleen Taylor. Still, I noticed him. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/37 "2022-03-14T22:20:06Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > I kept mixing up his name with John Hurt. William was the better actor IMHO so no similarity there. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/38 "2022-03-14T22:21:36Z")
Were you thinking of William instead? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/39 "2022-03-14T22:26:58Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > _Body Heat_ for me although to be honest, most of my attention was on Kathleen Taylor. Kathleen Turner ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992/40 "2022-03-14T22:36:28Z")
D’oh! I even made sure I spelled Kathleen right [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-hurt-rip-at-age-71/960992.md?page=3)