Stacy Keach, actor of ‘Bourne Legacy,’ ‘Mike Hammer’ and ‘Blue Bloods’ fame, dead at 85
Actor Stacy Keach died Tuesday after a battling a heart condition.
The veteran actor, best known for his rugged roles on screen in “Bourne Legacy,” “Blue Bloods” and more, was 85 years old.
Keach’s wife, Malgosia Keach, said he died in his family home in Magdalenka, Poland.
The actor had “a long and difficult battle with a serious heart condition and heart failure,” she shared in a statement obtained by Variety.
“Stacy was not only a legendary actor, admired and loved by audiences the world over, but also my beloved husband, my companion and the heart of our family,” she said.
“His passing leaves an immeasurable emptiness in our lives,” she continued. “But his extraordinary spirit, his unforgettable voice and the love he gave so generously will remain with us forever.”
Keach’s manager shared with Page Six, “I worked with him for 30 years and will miss him very much. He was the most generous and kind person and a truly great actor.”
Keach was working well into his 80s. His last role was in 2025’s “Jay Kelly,” which starred George Clooney and Adam Sandler.
He also leaves behind an accomplished legacy in theater. In 1969, he was nominated for a Tony Award for best actor in a play for his performance in “Indians.” He was also nominated for the Obie Award for distinguished performance by an actor both in 1967 for “MacBird!” and in 1973 for “Hamlet.”
He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2015.
Keach played memorable characters on television as well. He played private detective Mike Hammer on the CBS sitcom “Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer,” for which he earned a Golden Globe nomination in 1985 in the best performance by an actor in a television series – drama category.
More recently, he was known for playing Cardinal Kevin Kearns on CBS’ “Blue Bloods.”
His numerous television credits included roles in “Two and a Half Men,” “Ray Donovan,” “Prison Break” and a recurring voice role on “The Simpsons.”
As for his film roles, Keach memorably co-starred with Jeff Bridges in the boxing drama “Fat City” in 1972.
He appeared in iconic films throughout the years, including Cheech and Chong’s 1978 film “Up in Smoke,” 1998’s “American History X” with Edward Norton, and 2012’s “The Bourne Legacy” with Jeremy Renner.
He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019.
Keach was born in Savannah, Georgia, but grew up mostly in Los Angeles. Acting was in his blood — his mom, Mary Cain Peckham, was an actress, while his father, Walter Stacy Keach Sr., was a theatre director, drama teacher, and actor.
He received bachelor’s degrees in English and dramatic art from UC Berkeley, as well as a master’s degree from the Yale School of Drama.
He is survived by his wife and their two children, Karolina and Shannon Keach.
