Stacy Keach, star of stage and ‘Mike Hammer’ series, dies at 85

Stacy Keach, one of America’s finest stage actors who became best known for playing scruffy private eye Mike Hammer on TV and whose career was nearly derailed after he was imprisoned in 1984 for trying to smuggle cocaine into Britain, died Tuesday. He was 85. Keach died at home in Magdalenka, Poland, “after a long and difficult battle with a serious heart condition and heart failure,” his wife, Malgosia Tomassi Keach, said in a statement. Keach had previously suffered a heart attack onstage in Chicago in June 2017. kAm%9@F89 96 H2D 4@?D:56C65 2 AC66>:?6?E :?E6CAC6E6C @7 $92<6DA62C6 2?5 2 72G@C:E6 @7 DF49 =686?52CJ 5:C64E@CD 2D y@9? wFDE@?[ z6249 H2D :?56=:3=J =:?<65 H:E9 9:D E2<6 @? E96 92C5\3@:=65 w2>>6C[ E96 7:4E:E:@FD %' AC:G2E6 56E64E:G6 4C62E65 3J 4C:>6 ?@G6=:DE |:4<6J $A:==2?6]k^Am kAm&?H:==:?8 E@ 5@ E96 D2>6 E9:?8 @G6C 2?5 @G6C[ z6249 =67E 369:?5 2 4C2KJ BF:=E @7 C@=6D[ A=2J:?8 2 DE@?6C 4@A @? 7:=>[ z:?8 {62C @?DE286 2?5 2=D@ ?2CC2E:?8 “(@C=5’D |@DE p>2K:?8 ':56@D” @? %'] w6 A=2J65 2 56C2?865 4@=@?6= :? “%96 }:?E9 r@?7:8FC2E:@?” W2=D@ :?2E65 5C2>2 “}63C2D<2[” 2?5 A=2J65 2 }6H *@C< 2C493:D9@A :? 2 C64FCC:?8 C@=6 @? E96 rq$ A@=:46 5C2>2 “q=F6 q=@@5D]” {2DE J62C[ 96 925 2? 6I46==6?E EFC? 2D v6@C86 r=@@?6J’D 3:EE6C 72E96C :? “y2J z6==J]”k^Am kAm“|J @3;64E:G6 H2D E@ 92G6 2D G2C:65 2 D6=64E:@? @7 C@=6D 2D A@DD:3=6] xE AC@323=J 5:5 9FCE >J 42C66C[” 96 E@=5 }6H *@C< >282K:?6 :? a_`a] “|J 49@:46D 92G6 925 2 4@DE 2EE24965 E@ :E] qFE x’G6 8@EE6? E@ A=2J w2>=6E[ 2?5 #:492C5 xxx[ 2?5 z:?8 {62C[ 2?5 x H@F=5 ?@E 8:G6 E92E FA 7@C 2?JE9:?8]”k^Am kAmp4E@C {@F s:2>@?5 !9:==:AD[ H9@ A=2J65 z6249’D D@? :? E96 a__g %' >@G:6 “{@?6 #:56C[” D2:5 :? 2 A@DE @? ) E92E z6249 H2D 2 “4@?DF>>2E6 24E@C[ 8C24:@FD[ 8:G:?8 2?5 :?4C65:3=J <:?5 6G6? H9:=6 96 925 E96 AC6D6?46 @7 2 D>@=56C:?8 G@=42?@] ~?6 @7 E96 8C62ED] !C@F5 E@ 92G6 D92C65 D@>6 7C2>6D H:E9 9:>]”k^Am kAmw6 A=2J65 uC6?49 A2:?E6C yF=:6? |:DEC2= :? E96 rq$ >:?:D6C:6D “|:DEC2=’D s2F89E6C[” 2 #FDD:2? AC:?46 :? E96 >:?:D6C:6D G6CD:@? @7 yF5:E9 zC2?EK’D ?@G6= “!C:?46DD s2:DJ[” q2C2332D :? uC2?4@ +677:C6==:’D “y6DFD @7 }2K2C6E9” 2?5 |2;] y@?2D $E66=6 :? “%96 q=F6 2?5 E96 vC2J]” w6 H@? 2 v@=56? v=@36 A=2J:?8 tC?6DE w6>:?8H2J :? 2 D:I\9@FC >:?:D6C:6D[ 7@C H9:49 96 82:?65 bd A@F?5D W`e <:=@8C2>DX]k^Am kAmz6249 62C?65 2 %@?J pH2C5 ?@>:?2E:@? 7@C 9:D A@CEC2J2= @7 qF772=@ q:== :? E96 qC@25H2J A=2J “x?5:2?D[” A=2J65 t5>F?5 @AA@D:E6 {66 y] r@33 :? “z:?8 {62C” @? qC@25H2J 2?5 925 @E96C @?DE286 C@=6D E96C6 :? “%96 z6?EF4A2?J 42DE @7 “uC@DE^}:I@?[” A@CEC2J:?8 E96 72==6? AC6D:56?E[ 2?5 H6?E @? E@FC H:E9 “$=6FE9” H:E9 |2IH6== r2F=7:6=5 2D 9:D 4@\DE2C] w6 DE2CC65 :? 2 a__e AC@5F4E:@? @7 “z:?8 {62C” 2E E96 v@@5>2? %962EC6 :? r9:428@ 2?5 C6EFC?65 :? a_`f 7@C “!2>A=@?2[” 2 @?6\>2? D9@H 23@FE w6>:?8H2J[ H96C6 96 4@==2AD65 @?DE286[ =625:?8 E@ E96 CF?’D 42?46==2E:@?]k^Am kAm(9:=6 96 H2D DE:== 5@:?8 “|:4<6J $A:==2?6’D |:<6 w2>>6C” W=2E6C E:E=65 “%96 }6H |:<6 w2>>6C”X[ z6249 H2D 2CC6DE65 :? `hgc 2E {@?5@?’D w62E9C@H p:CA@CE 27E6C ECJ:?8 E@ D>F88=6 `]b @F?46D @7 4@42:?6 4@?462=65 :? 2? 26C@D@= D92G:?8 4C62> 42? 2?5 6=D6H96C6 :? 9:D =F88286] p=D@ 2CC6DE65 H2D 9:D D64C6E2CJ]k^Am kAm“pD >J D6?E6?46 H2D C625 — ?:?6 >@?E9D :? AC:D@? — x 76=E =:<6 D@>6@?6 925 <:4<65 >6 :? E96 8C@:? H:E9 =625 4=62ED[” 96 HC@E6 :? 9:D a_`b 3@@<[ “p== :? p==i p? p4E@C’D {:76 ~? 2?5 ~77 E96 $E286]” w6 25565i “xE H2D E96 =@H6DE >@>6?E @7 >J =:76]”k^Am kAmw6 H2D 92?54F7765 2?5 E2<6? E@ AC:D@?[ 2 46== E96 D:K6 @7 2 4=@D6E 2?5 H96C6 2? @C2?86 A=2DE:4 3F4<6E H@F=5 D6CG6 2D 9:D E@:=6E] q67@C6 96 H6?E :?D:56[ 2? @77:46C 2D<65 9:> E@ 2FE@8C2A9 2 4@AJ @7 E96 3@@< “%96 q=F6 2?5 E96 vC2J]”k^Am kAm%96 E96?\cc\J62C\@=5 24E@C H2D D6?E E@ #625:?8 !C:D@?[ 2 >65:F>\D64FC:EJ =@4:?:>F>\D64FC:EJ ;2:= H@F=5 92G6 AC@G:565 E@@ 62DJ 2446DD 7@C C6A@CE6CD] w6 H2D C6=62D65 27E6C D:I >@?E9D]k^Am kAmx? 9:D 3@@<[ z6249 HC@E6 E92E H9:=6 :? AC:D@? 96 8@E H2C> =6EE6CD 7C@> vC68@CJ !64<[ qFCE #6J?@=5D[ #@86C |@@C6 2?5 p= !24:?@] w6 H2D AFE :? 492C86 @7 D9@H:?8 2 >@G:6 @?6 $F?52J A6C >@?E9 2?5 C642==D @?46 A:4<:?8 9:D @H?[ “%96 {@?8 #:56CD]” w6 D2:5 E96 6IA6C:6?46 H2D “G6CJ =@?6=J[ G6CJ 56AC6DD:?8[ G6CJ D25] x DA6?E 2 =@E @7 >J E:>6 ECJ:?8 E@ C6\6G2=F2E6 >J @H? DEFA:5:EJ]”k^Am kAmp7E6C AC:D@?[ 96 ?2CC2E65 E96 %' 5@4F>6?E2CJ “w:89 @? E96 y@3[” 2?5 E6DE:7:65 367@C6 r@?8C6DD[ E6==:?8 2 w@FD6 A2?6= 9@H 96 7:CDE 3642>6 9@@<65 @? 4@42:?6 :? E96 >:5\`hf_D] “%96C6 :D ?@ 8C62E6C :>AC:D@?>6?E E92? E92E @7 36:?8 56A6?56?E @? 2 496>:42= DF3DE2?46 7@C @?6’D 6I:DE6?46[” 96 E6DE:7:65]k^Am kAmz6249 E@@< 9:D H2C?:?8D E@ 4@==686 42>AFD6D 2?5 C6923 46?E6CD] w6 2=D@ >2CC:65 !@=:D9 24E@C |2=8@D:2 %@>2DD:[ H9@> 96 >6E H96? D96 2AA62C65 :? E96 “w2>>6C” D6C:6D] w6 D2:5 96 EC62DFC65 96C A9@E@D 2?5 =6EE6CD 369:?5 32CD]k^Am kAmz6249[ H9@ H2D >2CC:65 7@FC E:>6D[ :D DFCG:G65 3J |2=8@D:2[ 2?5 9:D 49:=5C6?[ $92??@? 2?5 z2C@=:?2]k^Am kAmw:D 7:CDE C@=6 27E6C 9:D C6=62D6 H2D :? E96 rq$ >@G:6[ “x?E:>2E6 $EC2?86CD” H:E9 %6C: v2CC[ 2?5 :E 3642>6 E96 E9:C5\9:896DE C2E65 %' >@G:6 @7 E96 `hgd\ge D62D@?] w:D ?6IE 7:=>[ “%96 #6EFC? @7 |:4<6J $A:==2?6’D |:<6 w2>>6C[” 2=D@ A=2J65 H6==[ 2?5 E96? E96 “|:<6 w2>>6C” D6C:6D[ H9:49 925 366? @? E96 AC@5F4E:@? D96=7 D:?46 9:D 2CC6DE[ H2D 8:G6? 2 D=@E @? rq$’ `hge\gf D4965F=6]k^Am kAm|2?J J62CD =2E6C[ :? E96 %' D6C:6D “!C:D@? qC62<” E92E 2:C65 7C@> a__d\a__f[ z6249 A=2J65 2 AC:D@? H2C56? 2?5 D2:5 96 EC:65 E@ >@56= 9:D 492C24E6C 27E6C 9:D C62=\=:76 H2C56? :? t?8=2?5[ H9@> 96 D2:5 925 8C62E 4@>A2DD:@? 2?5 H2?E65 E@ 96=A :?>2E6D C6923:=:E2E6 E96>D6=G6D]k^Am kAmq@C? :? $2G2??29[ v6@C8:2[ z6249 H2D E96 D@? @7 24E@CD H9@ >6E 2E }@CE9H6DE6C? &?:G6CD:EJ] z6249 2EE6?565 E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 r2=:7@C?:2[ q6C<6=6J[ H96C6 96 62C?65 568C66D :? t?8=:D9 2?5 5C2>2E:4 2CE]k^Am kAmx? E96 DF>>6C @7 `heb[ 96 H@C<65 H:E9 E96 ~C68@? $92<6DA62C6 u6DE:G2= 2?5 A=2J65 w6?CJ '[ |6C4FE:@ 2?5 {@C5 q6C@H?6] w6 2EE6?565 E96 *2=6 $49@@= @7 sC2>2 2?5[ :? E96 DF>>6C @7 `hec[ A=2J65 D6G6C2= C@=6D 2E }6H *@C<’D !F3=:4 %962E6C :? “w2>=6E” H:E9 yF=:6 w2CC:D] w6 H6?E E@ DEF5J 2E E96 {@?5@? p4256>J @7 |FD:4 2?5 sC2>2E:4 pCE 2D 2 uF=3C:89E D49@=2C 2?5 C6EFC?65 E@ }6H *@C< E@ 5@ G2C:@FD DE286 C@=6D]k^Am kAmz6249 >256 9:D 7:=> 563FE :? `heg :? “%96 w62CE xD 2 {@?6=J wF?E6C” 2?5 A=2J65 DE@?6C 4@A $6C862?E $E656?<@ 7C@> E96 r96649 2?5 r9@?8 >@G:6D] w6 H@C<65 7@C 5:C64E@C y@9? wFDE@? EH:46[ :? “u2E r:EJ” 2?5 “%96 {:76 2?5 %:>6D @7 yF586 #@J q62?” 2?5 925 C@=6D :? “p>6C:42? w:DE@CJ )” H:E9 t5H2C5 }@CE@? 2?5 “%96 q@FC?6 {6824J]” w6 A=2J65 2 E@F89 ECF4<6C :? “#@2582>6D[” H2D 6=64EC@4FE65 :? “r9:=5C6? @7 E96 r@C?” 2?5 2 C@3@E C6>@G65 9:D 962CE :? “r=2DD @7 `hhh]”k^Am kAmw:D 3:886DE 3C62<[ E9@F89[ 42>6 H:E9 E96 C@=6 @7 w2>>6C[ H9@> 96 A=2J65 2D 2 >@56C?\52J A:@? @7 E96 F?56C5@8]k^Am kAm“z6249 >2<6D 2 52D9:?8[ 52AA6C w2>>6C] w6 =@@@DE ;2F?EJ :? 9:D E:=E65 8C2J 765@C2[” D2:5 uC65 #@E96?36C8[ 2 %' HC:E6C 7@C %96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD[ :? `hgb] “w6