Donald McNichol Sutherland CC (born July 17, 1935-June 20, 2024) was a Canadian actor whose film career spans over eight decades. He has been nominated for nine Golden Globe Awards, winning two for his performances in the television films Citizen X (1995) and Path to War (2002); the former also earned him a Primetime Emmy Award. An inductee of the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Canadian Walk of Fame, he also received a Canadian Academy Award for the drama film Threshold (1981). Multiple film critics and media outlets have cited him as one of the best actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination. In 2017, he received an Academy Honorary Award for his contributions to cinema. In 2021, he won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries for his work in the HBO miniseries The Undoing (2020).
Sutherland rose to fame after starring in films including The Dirty Dozen (1967), M*A*S*H (1970), Kelly's Heroes (1970), Klute (1971), Don't Look Now (1973), Fellini's Casanova (1976), 1900 (1976), The Eagle Has Landed (1976), Animal House (1978), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), Ordinary People (1980), and Eye of the Needle (1981). He later went on to star in many other films where he appeared either in leading or supporting roles such as A Dry White Season (1989), JFK (1991), Outbreak (1995), A Time to Kill (1996), The Assignment (1997), Without Limits (1998), Space Cowboys (2000), Big Shot's Funeral (2001), The Italian Job (2003), Cold Mountain (2003), Pride & Prejudice (2005), Aurora Borealis (2006), The Mechanic (2011) and The Hunger Games franchise (2012–2015).
He is the father of actors Kiefer Sutherland, Rossif Sutherland, and Angus Sutherland.
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Studio | Distributor | Country | Role | Notes | Format | Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | The World Ten Times Over | Associated British Picture Corporation Cyclops Production |
Warner-Pathé Distributors | UK | Tall Man in Nightclub | Uncredited | Theatrical film | |
| 1967 | The Shuttered Room | Troy-Schenck Productions Seven Arts Productions |
Warner Bros.-Seven Arts | UK | Zebulon | Voice | Theatrical film | |
| 1970 | Start the Revolution Without Me | Norbud Productions | Warner Bros.-Seven Arts | UK France USA |
Charles / Pierre | Theatrical film | ||
| 1971 | Klute | Gus Productions | Warner Bros. | USA | John Klute | Theatrical film | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture | |
| 1973 | Steelyard Blues | Bill/Phillips Productions Steelyard Blues Productions |
Warner Bros. | USA | Jesse Veldini | executive producer | Theatrical film | Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actor |
| 1973 | Lady Ice | Tomorrow Entertainment | National General Pictures | USA | Andy Hammon | Theatrical film | ||
| 1979 | Murder by Decree | Canadian Film Development Corporation Famous Players Highlight Murder by Decree Productions |
Columbia-EMI-Warner Distributors AVCO Embassy Pictures |
UK Canada |
Robert Lees | Theatrical film | ||
| 1979 | Bear Island | Selkirk Films Canadian Film Development Corporation Bear Island Films |
United Artists Columbia-EMI-Warner Distributors Taft International Pictures |
UK Canada |
Frank Lansing | Theatrical film | ||
| 1983 | The Winter of Our Discontent | Lorimar Productions Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions |
CBS | USA | Ethan Hawley | TV film | ||
| 1985 | Revolution | Goldcrest Films | Warner Bros. Columbia-Cannon-Warner Distributors |
UK | Sergeant Major Peasy | Theatrical film | ||
| 1985 | Heaven Help Us | HBO Pictures Silver Screen Partners |
TriStar Pictures | USA | Brother Thadeus | Theatrical film | ||
| 1987 | The Trouble with Spies | HBO Pictures | De Laurentiis Entertainment Group | USA | Appleton Porter | Theatrical film | ||
| 1987 | The Rosary Murders | The Samuel Goldwyn Company | New Line Cinema | USA | Father Robert Koesler | Theatrical film | ||
| 1991 | JFK | Le Studio Canal+ Regency Enterprises Alcor Films Ixtlan Corporation |
Warner Bros. | USA | L. Fletcher Prouty (Mr. X) | Theatrical film | ||
| 1993 | Six Degrees of Separation | Maiden Movies New Regency |
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (USA/Japan) Warner Bros. (Non-USA) |
USA Italy |
Flan Kittredge | Theatrical film | ||
| 1994 | Disclosure | Baltimore Pictures Constant C. Productions |
Warner Bros. | USA | Bob Garvin | Theatrical film | ||
| 1995 | Outbreak | Punch Productions, Inc. | Warner Bros. | USA | Major General Donald McClintock | Theatrical film | ||
| 1995 | Citizen X | HBO Pictures Citadel Entertainment |
HBO | USA | Colonel Mikhail Fetisov | TV film | ||
| 1996 | A Time to Kill | Regency Enterprises | Warner Bros. | USA | Lucien Wilbanks | Theatrical film | ||
| 1996 | Natural Enemy | HBO Pictures HBO Filmline International Phoenician Films Screen Partners |
HBO C/FP Distribution |
Canada USA |
Ted Robards | TV film | ||
| 1998 | Fallen | Turner Pictures Atlas Entertainment |
Warner Bros. | USA | Lieutenant Stanton | Theatrical film | ||
| 1998 | Without Limits | Cruise/Wagner Productions | Warner Bros. | USA | Bill Bowerman | Theatrical film | Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Nominated — National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor (2nd Place) | |
| 1999 | The Hunley | Adelson Entertainment TNT Productions |
TNT | USA | Gen. Pierre G.T. Beauregard | TV film | ||
| 2000 | Space Cowboys | Village Roadshow Pictures Clipsal Films Malpaso Productions Mad Chance Productions |
Warner Bros. | USA | Captain Jerry O'Neill | Theatrical film | ||
| 2000 | The Art of War | Morgan Creek Productions Franchise Pictures Amen-Ra Films |
Warner Bros. 20th Century Fox |
USA | United Nations Secretary-General Douglas Thomas | Theatrical film | ||
| 2001 | Uprising | Brooklyn Films | Warner Bros. Television | USA | Adam Czerniaków | TV film | ||
| 2002 | Path to War | HBO Films Avenue Pictures Edgar J. Scherick Associates |
HBO | USA | Clark M. Clifford | TV film | ||
| 2004 | Salem's Lot | TNT Productions Coote Hayes Productions Mark M. Wolper Production The Wolper Organization |
TNT Warner Bros. Television |
USA | Richard Straker | TV miniseries | ||
| 2008 | Fool's Gold | De Line Pictures | Warner Bros. | USA | Nigel Honeycutt | Theatrical film | ||
| 2011 | Horrible Bosses | New Line Cinema Warner Bros. Rat Entertainment |
Warner Bros. New Line Cinema |
USA | Jack Pellitt | Theatrical film | ||
| 2013 | The Best Offer | Paco Cinematografica Warner Bros. |
Warner Bros. | Italy | Billy Whistler | Theatrical film | ||
| 2020 | The Undoing | HBO Originals David E. Kelley Productions Blossom Films Made Up Stories |
HBO | USA | Franklin Reinhardt | TV miniseries |
