Stacy Keach, star of ‘Mike Hammer,’ no more

Actor Stacy Keach, best known for his roles in “Fat City” and “The New Mike Hammer”, has passed away. He was 85.

Actor Stacy Keach, best known for his roles in “Fat City” and “The New Mike Hammer”, has passed away. He was 85. The news of his demise was confirmed by his wife, Małgosia Tomassi, as per Variety.

In a statement, she said he died “after a long and difficult battle with a serious heart condition and heart failure” at the family’s home in Magdalenka, Poland. “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,” the statement said.

“His passing leaves an immeasurable emptiness in our lives. But his extraordinary spirit, his unforgettable voice and the love he gave so generously will remain with us forever. Continuing to work across stage, film and television well into his eighties, Keach built an extensive screen career with appearances in films such as The Bourne Legacy and Nebraska, as well as television shows including Two and a Half Men and Ray Donovan.

He also had a recurring voice role on The Simpsons and played Cardinal Kevin Kearns in Blue Bloods. His television credits further included Man with a Plan and The Blacklist. His final film appearance was in the 2025 release Jay Kelly, in which he portrayed the father of the titular character, played by George Clooney. In 2010, he received a Helen Hayes Award for his performance of “King Lear,” for Shakespeare Theater Co., one of many stage honors over the course of his career, as per Variety.

Keach got his Tony nomination for playing Buffalo Bill in the 1969 Broadway production “Indians” early on but garnered even more fame as “Mike Hammer.” The CBS series aired from 1984-87 and he reprised the role in the 1989 TV movie “Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All” and the syndicated series “Mike Hammer, Private Eye” in 1997-98. (ANI)