Peter Jason, ‘Deadwood’ and ‘Prince of Darkness’ Character Actor, Dies at 80

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80-year-old Peter Jason, an accomplished character actor recognized for his performances in “Deadwood,” “48 Hrs.” and “Prince of Darkness” as well as numerous TV roles, passed away on Thursday at his residence in West Hollywood.

It has been officially announced that Jason passed away due to cancer, and this news was shared by a representative from Tribesmen Pictures. On day X, director John Carpenter of “Halloween” fame paid tribute to the actor, expressing that he was a cherished friend and will be deeply missed.

Matthew Asner, son of the late Edward Asner, also shared a tribute.

My dearest friend, the radiant beacon, selfless spirit, and sociable par excellence, the exceptionally gifted and compassionate Peter Jason, has sadly departed from our stage,” Matthew Asner shared on Facebook. “I am devastated. My friend, who was also my father’s closest companion, Peter Jason, left us today. What a sorrowful loss. He was indeed one of the kindest souls I have ever known. My sympathies are with his wife and daughter. Peter, I wish you and my father are now sharing laughter in the heavens.

In some of his memorable performances, Jason appeared as Con Stapleton in “Deadwood” for 26 episodes from 2004 to 2006, Dr. Paul Leahy in John Carpenter’s “Prince of Darkness”, and the redneck bartender alongside Eddie Murphy, Nick Nolte, Frank McRae, and James Remar in “48 Hrs.”.

Jason made his initial appearance on the big screen in the Western film “Rio Lobo,” directed by Howard Hawks, alongside John Wayne. Subsequently, he featured in movies such as “Impulse” (1984), “Brewster’s Millions” (1985), “They Live” (1988) and “Alien Nation” (1988), collaborating extensively with directors like Frank Marshall, Walter Hill, and Carpenter. More recently, the Coen brothers selected him for their film “Hail, Caesar!” (2016). In 2019, he returned to his role as Con Stapleton in “Deadwood: The Movie.

Besides being a regular cast member in various television series, he also made appearances as a special guest on numerous shows such as “Gunsmoke” from 1970, “Murder, She Wrote” in 1984, “The Golden Girls” in 1985, “Amazing Stories,” produced by Steven Spielberg, in the same year, and “Mad Men” in 2008.

Jason is survived by his wife, Eileen Rosaly, and two children, Robin and Andrew.

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2025-02-21 21:17