Ned Beatty, star of Superman and Deliverance, dies aged 83
The Oscar-nominated actor was best known for character roles.
Oscar nominee Ned Beatty has died aged 83 from natural causes.
His manager, Deborah Miller, confirmed the news, telling Deadline Beatty had passed away in his sleep, surrounded by his family and loved ones.
“Ned was an iconic, legendary talent, as well as a dear friend,” Miller said, “and he will be missed by us all.”
The Kentucky native began acting at the age of 19 and had a successful career in theatre before he was cast as Bobby Trippe in Deliverance alongside Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds.
In 1976, Beatty was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Supporting Actor category for portraying Arthur Jensen, a television network's corporation-loving chairman of the board in the 1976 film Network. His scene was only around three minutes but the speech his character gives is often credited as an acting masterpiece. Network co-star Peter Finch was also nominated for Best Actor, which he won posthumously.
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The actor also had a brief but impactful appearance in 1976's All The President's Men. Fans took to Twitter to pay tribute to the actor, celebrating his ability to make a long-lasting impression in minimal screen time.
One fan Tweeted: "R.I.P Ned Beatty. To illustrate how good an actor Ned Beatty was, in 1977 he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Network. His total amount of screen time in the film was 5 minutes and 53 seconds. But those few minutes and seconds were electric."
Another wrote: "Ned Beatty was on screen for less than 2 minutes in 'All the President's Men"...but his portrayal of investigator Martin Dardis always stood out and will forever bring a smile to my face. A wonderful man who will be sorely missed and always remembered."
Beatty went on to appear in 1978's Superman as Lex Luthor's inept henchman Otis, a role he reprised for the sequel.
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Most recently, Beatty voiced Toy Story 3 villain Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear. The film's director, Lee Unkrich, also posted a tribute on Twitter, saying: "Just heard that Ned Beatty passed away in his sleep. It was a joy and and an incredible honor to work with him.Thanks, Ned, for bringing Lotso to life — both his good side and his not-so-good side. We’ll miss you."
The actor counts more than 160 acting credits in film and television. His TV roles include appearances in the likes of The Waltons, M*A*S*H, The Rockford Files, Murder, She Wrote, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Boys, Roseanne and Homicide: Life on the Street.
He is survived by his wife, Sandra Johnson, and eight children and grandchildren.
