John Heard

John Matthew Heard Jr. (March 7, 1946 – July 21, 2017) was an American actor. He made his debut appearance in film with the ensemble Between the Lines. He appeared in a number of successful films, including Heart Beat (1980), Cutter's Way (1981), Cat People (1982), After Hours (1985), Beaches (1988), Deceived (1991), and as Peter McCallister in Home Alone (1990) and its sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1999 for his recurring role as corrupt police detective Vin Makazian on The Sopranos (1999–2004).

Other films include C.H.U.D. (1984), The Trip to Bountiful (1985), The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), Big (1988), Awakenings (1990), In the Line of Fire (1993), The Pelican Brief (1993), My Fellow Americans (1996), and White Chicks (2004). He was also known for his roles as Roy Foltrigg on The Client (1995–1996) and Governor Frank Tancredi on Prison Break (2005–2006).

Early life and education John Matthew Heard Jr. was born on March 7, 1946, a son of Helen ( Sperling), who was involved in the arts and appeared in community theatre, and John Heard Sr., who worked for the office of the Secretary of Defense. He was raised as a Roman Catholic, and attended Gonzaga College High School, Clark University (in Worcester, Massachusetts), and Catholic University of America. The film was one of the biggest hits of 1990, and he reprised his role in the sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

Television Heard featured in a television production of The Scarlet Letter (1979) as Arthur Dimmesdale. He played real-life Ku Klux Klan leader D. C. Stephenson in the television miniseries Cross of Fire (1989) and the role of David Manning in the ABC miniseries adaptation of Shirley MacLaine's Out on a Limb, a memoir of her journey toward acceptance of spiritual and extraterrestrial realities. From 1995 to 1996, he played the role of Roy Foltrigg in the television series The Client. Heard also had roles on The Sopranos as the troubled corrupt detective Vin Makazian for which he received an Emmy nomination as outstanding guest actor, and later on Battlestar Galactica as Commander Barry Garner.

He had recurring roles on CSI: Miami (as Kenwall Duquesne, father of Calleigh Duquesne) and Prison Break (as Frank Tancredi, governor of Illinois and father of Sara Tancredi). Among other film and television roles in the 2000s and 2010s, he played the mayor of Chicago on two episodes of the Fox series The Chicago Code.

Legacy In 2008, Heard was asked about his career and he replied,

Personal life Heard married actress Margot Kidder in 1979, but the marriage was dissolved after only six days.

In 1987, he had a son with actress and former girlfriend Melissa Leo. Heard was arrested in 1991 and charged with third-degree assault for slapping Leo. In 1997, he was found guilty of trespassing at Leo's home but was acquitted of charges of trespassing at their son's school.

From his marriage to Sharon Heard, he had two children, a son and a daughter.

On May 24, 2010, Heard married Lana Pritchard in Los Angeles. The couple divorced seven months later.

Death

Heard died from cardiac arrest due to atherosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease on July 21, 2017, at the age of 71. He was found dead by staff in a hotel in Palo Alto, California, where he was reportedly recovering from minor back surgery which he had just undergone at Stanford University Hospital. The back surgery did not play a role in his death. His cause of death was confirmed by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's office. He was buried in South Side Cemetery in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1977 Between the Lines Harry Lucas First Love David Bonner 1978 Rush It Byron On the Yard Paul Juleson 1979 Chilly Scenes of Winter Charles Richardson 1980 Heart Beat Jack Kerouac 1981 Cutter's Way Alex Cutter 1982 Cat People Oliver Yates 1984 C.H.U.D. George Cooper Best Revenge Charlie Violated Skipper 1985 Too Scared to Scream Sid, Lab Technician Heaven Help Us Brother Timothy After Hours Tom Schorr The Trip to Bountiful Ludie Watts 1987 Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam Johnny "Johnny Boy" (voice) Documentary 1988 The Telephone Telephone Man The Milagro Beanfield War Charlie Bloom The Seventh Sign Reverend Big Paul Davenport Betrayed FBI Agent Mike Carnes Beaches John Pierce 1989 The Package Colonel Glen Whitacre 1990 Blown Away Charlie Mindwalk Thomas Harriman The End of Innocence Dean Home Alone Peter McCallister Awakenings Dr. Kaufman 1991 Rambling Rose Willcox Hillyer Deceived Frank Sullivan / Jack Saunders / Dan Sherman 1992 Radio Flyer Officer Jim Daugherty Gladiator John Riley Waterland Lewis Scott Home Alone 2: Lost in New York Peter McCallister 1993 In the Line of Fire Professor Riger Me and Veronica Frankie The Pelican Brief Gavin Verheek 1996 Before and After Wendell Bye My Fellow Americans Vice President Ted Matthews 1997 One Eight Seven Dave Childress Executive Power Walker Men George Babbington Silent Cradle Dr. Brittain 1998 Snake Eyes Gilbert Powell Desert Blue Professor Lance Davidson 1999 Jazz Night John Little Short The Secret Pact Jerome Carver Fish Out of Water Gregor Freak Weather David 2000 Animal Factory James Decker The Photographer Marcello Pollock Tony Smith 2001 The Boys of Sunset Ridge John Burroughs O Dean Bob Brable Dying on the Edge John Fuller 2002 Researching Raymond Burke Raymond Burke Short Fair Play Owen 2004 Mind the Gap Henry Richards White Chicks Warren Vandergeld My Tiny Universe Bobby Under the City Scova 2005 The Chumscrubber Officer Lou Bratley Edison Captain Brian Tilman The Deal Professor Roseman Tracks The Prison Warden Sweet Land Minister Sorrensen 2006 Steel City Carl Lee Gamers: The Movie Gordon's Dad The Guardian Captain Frank Larson 2007 Dead Lenny Dr. Robert Hooker The Great Debaters Sheriff Dozier Brothers Three: An American Gothic Father 2008 P.J. Dr. Alan Shearson Justice League: The New Frontier Ace Morgan (voice) The Lucky Ones Bob 2009 Red State Blues Fritz Short Formosa Betrayed Tom Braxton Little Hercules in 3-D Coach Nimms 2010 The Truth Jonathan Davenport Ivan's House Ivan Short 2011 Whisper Me a Lullaby "Poppy" 2012 The Legends of Nethiah Nethiah's Father A Perfect Ending Mason Westridge Stealing Roses Walter Would You Rather Conway 2013 The Insomniac Paul Epstein Assault on Wall Street Jeremy Stancroft Snake and Mongoose Wally Parks Runner Runner Harry Furst Torn Detective Kalkowitz Buoyancy Frank Short 2014 Warren Jack Cavanee Animals Albert Boys of Abu Ghraib Sam Farmer The Nurse Frank One More Day Tom Short 2015 Boiling Pot Tim Davis 2016 Is That a Gun in Your Pocket? Sheriff Parsons After the Reality Bob Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero J.P. Monroe So B. It Thurman Hil 2017 Searching for Fortune Michael Denton Sr. Counting for Thunder Garrett Stalworth Pray for Rain Markus Gardener Last Rampage Blackwell Posthumous release 2018 The Tale Older Bill Allens Living Among Us Andrew 2019 Imprisoned Police Chief

Television Year Title Role Notes 1984 Kate & Allie Max McArdle Episode: "A Weekend to Remember"1985 Tales from the Darkside Billy Malone Episode: "Ring Around the Redhead" Alfred Hitchcock Presents Bill Callahan Episode: "Breakdown" 1986 Miami Vice Laurence Thurmond Episode: "One Way Ticket" 1987 The Equalizer Ron Parrish Episode: "In the Money" 1989 Screen Two Michael Johnson Episode: "Virtuoso" 1994–1999 Law & Order Mitch Burke / Walter Grobman 2 episodes 1995 American Masters Montresor Episode: Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul The Outer Limits Paul Stein Episode: "Dark Matters" 1995–1996 The Client District Attorney Roy "Reverend Roy" Foltrigg 21 episodes 1999–2004 The Sopranos Detective Vin Makazian 5 episodes 2001 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Larry Wiegert Episode: "The Pardoner's Tale" 2002 Touched by an Angel Allen Episode: "Secrets and Lies" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Gregory Rossovitch / Peter Sipes Episode: "Disappearing Acts" Hack Paul Ballinger Episode: "Songs in the Night" 2003–2005 CSI: Miami Kenwall Duquesne 4 episodes 2004–2005 Jack & Bobby Dennis Morgenthal 5 episodes 2005 Numb3rs Peter Houseman Episode: "Soft Target" 2005–2006 Prison Break Governor Frank Tancredi 10 episodes 2006 Battlestar Galactica Commander Barry Garner Episode: "The Captain's Hand" 2007 Cavemen Tripp Episode: "Her Embarrassed of Caveman" 2007–2010 Entourage Richard Wimmer 2 episodes 2008 My Own Worst Enemy Peter Episode: "Down Rio Way" 2009 The Beast Dr. Blake Episode: "Mercy" Southland Ben Sherman Sr. 2 episodes 2010 Gravity B.C. 3 episodes 2011 The Chicago Code Mayor McGuinness 2 episodes 2013 Perception Congressman Evan Rickford 2 episodes Adam DeVine's House Party Dregory Episode: "Dregory" Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories Lawyer Episode: "Haunted House" 2014 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Roger Ridley Episode: "Love for Sale" Modern Family Gunther Thorpe Episode: "The Feud" Person of Interest Roger McCourt Episode: "Death Benefit" Mistresses Bruce Sappire Episode: "Coming Clean" NCIS: Los Angeles Michael Thomas 3 episodes 2016 Elementary Henry Watson Episode: "Miss Taken" 2017 MacGyver Arthur Ericson Episode: "Pliers" APB Joe Reeves Episode: "Daddy's Home" Outsiders Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky Episode: "What Must Be Done"

TV films, miniseries, and specials

Awards and honors Source unless otherwise noted: 1977 Theatre World Award for his performance in G.R. Point 1976–77 Obie Award, Best Performance, G.R. Point 1979–80 Obie Award, Best Performance, Othello and Split 1999 Emmy Award nomination, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (1999)

In 2003, he was inducted into the Gonzaga College High School Theatre Hall of Fame.