Tom Sizemore, best known for his roles in the films Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, and Natural Born Killers, has died at the age of 61 after suffering a brain aneurysm.
With a heavy heart, Mr. Sizemore’s loved ones and colleagues mourn the passing of a formidable actor who leaves behind a loving family and a major film legacy.
Mr. Sizemore “passed away peacefully in his sleep” (on Friday, March 3) at Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, with his two sons (17-year-old twins, Jayden and Jagger), and his brother, Paul Sizemore, by his side, Mr. Sizemore’s manager Charles Lago said in a statement released on behalf of the family.
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of my big brother Tom,” Paul Sizemore said in the statement. “He was larger than life. He has influenced my life more than anyone I know. He was talented, loving, giving and could keep you entertained endlessly with his wit and storytelling ability. I am devastated he is gone and will miss him always.”
Lago said that a private cremation service would be held for Mr. Sizemore, and a larger celebration of life event will be planned in a few weeks.
“The Sizemore family has been comforted by the hundreds of messages of support and love shown to their son, brother, and father,” said Lago, who called Sizemore “a great friend and a mentor of almost 15 years.”
“Tom was one of the most sincere, kind, and generous human beings I have had the pleasure of knowing,” Lago said in the statement “His courage and determination through adversity was always an inspiration to me. The past couple of years were great for him and he was getting his life back to a great place. He loved his sons and his family. I will miss my friend Tom Sizemore. Greatly.”
Mr. Sizemore’s last significant film was the supernatural thriller, Impuratus, filmed in and around Philadelphia and produced by ThunderSmoke Media.
“The producers, cast, and crew of his latest movie, Impuratus, are devastated by the news of Mr. Sizemore’s passing and send our love and prayers to his family,” said Doylestown film producer Guy Quigley.
In mid-February, Mr. Sizemore suffered a brain aneurysm after a stroke at his home was hospitalized, and went into a coma. He remained in Intensive Care since that day and did not regain consciousness. While he was in critical condition, his family had the painful decision of pursuing end-of-life matters after being told by doctors that there was “no further hope.”
For more than 30 years, Mr. Sizemore, a well-known character actor, has made an indelible mark on the film world. In addition to his leading role in Impuratus, Mr. Sizemore has a role in the Netflix series. Cobra Kai. Mr. Sizemore’s last on-screen appearance was a short film called The Donor, which he did in mid-December.
Most recently, he headed to Philadelphia and the surrounding area to make Impuratus, a creepy possession film, about a police detective, Clayton Douglas (Tom Sizemore), who is summoned to a remote state mental hospital to witness a mysterious Civil War veteran’s outrageous death-bed confession that forces the officer to accept the supernatural.
Filmed at the actual Pennhurst Asylum, just outside of Philadelphia, where in the dank, dark asylum basement Detective Douglas sees and hears things that will forever change his life and the lives of his loved ones. Impuratus was written and directed by Michael Yurinko.
Earlier this year in an exclusive interview, Sizemore said there were many reasons he agreed to come to Philadelphia to make Impuratus.
“I enjoyed the script. It was a terrific leading part,” he explained. “This movie had a lot of qualities I like when I’m trying to find a new project. It was a period piece which was interesting, and I really liked the people that were involved.”
After viewing an early cut, Sizemore said he was proud of the movie. “I was blown away. The quality was astounding, the acting (including mine of course),” he joked, “but seriously everyone was outstanding and the photography superb.”
Looking back at his formidable film career, Mr. Sizemore said he has fond memories of his myriad of roles. “Natural Born Killers was such a unique production and the actors were so terrific. Oliver Stone was at the top of his game, and Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan was another one, for obvious reasons.”
He also enjoyed many others, including, Heat, Black Hawk Down, Dreamcatcher, A Broken Life, and The Last Lullaby. “I truly love those movies. I was lucky to have been given the opportunity to work with so many terrific directors.”
When asked earlier this year what Mr. Sizemore attributed his longevity in the movie business, he summed it up this way:
“It was always about my passion for the work. I’ve always loved movies. That’s why I started doing this and after all these years I still adore movies,” Mr. Sizemore added. “So, it’s about just having a real passion for stories and my nascent curiosity. I’m lucky that I like it so much.”