This is a tribute to one of the most amazingly talented actors we have had the good fortune to know through his many performances. Donald Sutherland’s legacy in pictures from some of his many and varied films.
Donald Sutherland in Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965)
Donald Sutherland in Kelley’s Heroes (1970)
Elliot Gould & Donald Sutherland in M*A*S*H (1970)
Donald Sutherland & Jane Fonda in Klute (1971)
Julie Christie & Donal Sutherland in Don’t Look Now (1973)
Donald Sutherland & Jenny Agutter in The Eagle Has Landed (1978)
Brook Adams & Donald Sutherland in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Donald Sutherland & Janet Suzman in A Dry White Season (1989)
Kevin Costner & Donald Sutherland in JFK (1991)
Donald Sutherland & Kristy Swanson in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
Donald Sutherland in Fallen (1998)
Jason Statham & Donald Sutherland in The Mechanic (2011)
Donald Sutherland as President Snow in Hunger Games (2012)
Facts, Rumors, and Hearsay
The Hunger Games
There was a swear jar on the set. Co-writer and director Gary Ross said half of it was contributed by Jennifer Lawrence.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
The dog wandering in District 12 is Donald Sutherland’s dog, Biggles.
JFK
When Oliver Stone spoke at the National Press Club about the movie, someone asked if he meant to insinuate that the government was involved in the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy, as well as JFK’s. He replied with a simple one-word answer: “Yes.”
Donald Sutherland’s monologue, as the mysterious Washington informant known only as X, is sixteen minutes long.
M*A*S*H
Altman’s most innovative technique in the film was the almost constant overlaying of dialogue: as many as four conversations could be happening at once in a given shot. This was considered unorthodox and revolutionary at the time.
Klute
Klute was the first of three theatrical feature film collaborations of actress Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland. The movies are in order: Klute (1971), FTA (1972) & Steelyard Blues (1973).
The Mechanic
Jason Statham and Donald Sutherland also worked together in 2003’s The Italian Job.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Joss Whedon found Donald Sutherland extremely difficult to be around. Sutherland re-wrote the majority of his dialogue and scenes. Whedon felt Sutherland’s rewriting made the scenes incomprehensible. Whedon praised Sutherland’s abilities as an actor, but called his behavior rude and said Sutherland was a dick.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Donald Sutherland was hit by a Volkswagen beetle while filming a shot of Matthew and Elizabeth running. He fell onto the windshield and was able to see the driver saying “Oh God, not you!”
Klute
Sutherland and Fonda developed a nonexclusive romantic relationship off screen which lasted until about June 1972. He was her date to the Oscars when she won Best Actress for this movie.
The Eagle Has Landed
To research the role of Heinrich Himmler, Donald Pleasence spent hours at the Imperial War Museum in London watching footage of him and memorizing Himmler’s gestures, walk and facial expressions.