Tom Sizemore dies at the age of 61

Tom Sizemore, who had unforgettable supporting roles on True Romance, Saving Private Ryan and more, has died of complications from a brain aneurysm.

Tom Sizemore, an intense presence best known for his supporting roles, died at the age of 61.

Two weeks ago, Tom Sizemore suffered a stroke that caused a brain aneurysm. At the time, his manager Charles Lago said: “He is currently in critical condition and it is a wait and see situation.” As more details emerged, he informed fans: “Sizemore collapsed at his home in Los Angeles and was rushed to a hospital by paramedics. He was found to be suffering from a cerebral aneurism that had occurred as a result of a stroke. Since that day, Tom has been in critical condition, in a coma and in intensive care.” With Sizemore in a coma, doctors soon told the family there was no hope for his recovery or survival.

Tom Sizemore’s career has spanned more than three decades, notably beginning in 1989 with a quartet of small pieces Born on July 4th. Five years later, Oliver Stone would invite him Natural born killers as Detective Jack Scagnetti, tasked with tracking down the titular killers. This role, along with others from the 1990s – Detective Cody Nicholson in true romanceMichael Cheritto in heatSergeant First Class Mike Horvath in The soldier James Ryanand Tom Wolls present Bring the dead to life– remain some of his most memorable. These films, too, showed that great directors—Tony Scott, Michael Mann, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorsese—saw something in his unconventional demeanor that would lend itself to the project.

Substance abuse issues, sexual misconduct allegations and more plagued Tom Sizemore’s career, making him an easy target for Hollywood punchlines. Still, Sizemore has stayed busy, releasing films every year since its debut in 1989. Even as his career dwindled and his films became less searched (when you get to the point where you play yourself in an Insane Clown Posse movie…), Sizemore still displayed his love of the craft and a non-stop paycheck about four dozen projects in the last five years.

Still, one cannot ignore his best performances and his undeniable presence on screen. What is your favorite Tom Sizemore performance? Where did he excel most in a supporting round?

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