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Bud Cort, 'Harold and Maude' Star, Dies at 77
Hat tip, Swamp Yankee at Joe.My.God.
Swamp Yankee
18 minutes ago
Bud Cort passed away too. My dad and I would go see Harold and Maude every time it played at the midnight show at our local arthouse, so this one kinda hits hard.
18 minutes ago
Bud Cort passed away too. My dad and I would go see Harold and Maude every time it played at the midnight show at our local arthouse, so this one kinda hits hard.
Home > Film > News Feb 11, 2026 11:15am PT
Bud Cort, ‘Harold and Maude’ Star, Dies at 77
By Pat Saperstein
Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort in "Harold and Maude"
Courtesy Everett Collection
Bud Cort, who personified the role of Harold in the 1971 Hal Ashby classic “Harold and Maude,” died Wednesday in Connecticut after a long illness. He was 77. ... His longtime friend Dorian Hannaway reported his death. ... Cort also starred in Robert Altman’s “Brewster McCloud” and had roles in numerous other films and TV shows.
In “Harold and Maude,” which became a beloved and enduring cult classic despite a rocky start at the box office, Cort played a 20-year old man obsessed by thoughts of suicide whose life changes when he meets Maude, a 79-year-old Holocaust survivor played by Ruth Gordon.
Born Walter Edward Cox in Rye, N.Y., he changed his name to avoid confusion with character actor Wally Cox. He went to school in New Rochelle, N.Y. and enjoyed going to Broadway shows.
“I was only fourteen when I met Bud at the backstage door at my sister’s play,” Roslyn Kind recalled in a statement. “He was majoring in art at the time in high school. We became close friends who shared our interest in entertainment. When I got married, Bud and our songwriter friend, Bruce Roberts, wrote a special song that was performed at the ceremony. His unique spirit will always be with me.”
{snip}
Bud Cort, ‘Harold and Maude’ Star, Dies at 77
By Pat Saperstein
Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort in "Harold and Maude"
Courtesy Everett Collection
Bud Cort, who personified the role of Harold in the 1971 Hal Ashby classic “Harold and Maude,” died Wednesday in Connecticut after a long illness. He was 77. ... His longtime friend Dorian Hannaway reported his death. ... Cort also starred in Robert Altman’s “Brewster McCloud” and had roles in numerous other films and TV shows.
In “Harold and Maude,” which became a beloved and enduring cult classic despite a rocky start at the box office, Cort played a 20-year old man obsessed by thoughts of suicide whose life changes when he meets Maude, a 79-year-old Holocaust survivor played by Ruth Gordon.
Born Walter Edward Cox in Rye, N.Y., he changed his name to avoid confusion with character actor Wally Cox. He went to school in New Rochelle, N.Y. and enjoyed going to Broadway shows.
“I was only fourteen when I met Bud at the backstage door at my sister’s play,” Roslyn Kind recalled in a statement. “He was majoring in art at the time in high school. We became close friends who shared our interest in entertainment. When I got married, Bud and our songwriter friend, Bruce Roberts, wrote a special song that was performed at the ceremony. His unique spirit will always be with me.”
{snip}
Bud Cort
Bud Cort in 2008
Born: Walter Edward Cox; March 29, 1948; Rye, New York, U.S.
Died: February 11, 2026 (aged 77); Connecticut, U.S.
Occupations: Actor, comedian
Years active: 1967–2016
Walter Edward Cox (March 29, 1948 – February 11, 2026), known professionally as Bud Cort, was an American actor known for his unorthodox starring roles in Robert Altman's Brewster McCloud (1970), for which he was nominated for a Golden Laurel Award, and Hal Ashby's Harold and Maude (1971), for which he was nominated for both a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award. He also had supporting roles in films such as M*A*S*H (1970), Electric Dreams (1984), Heat (1995), Dogma (1999), Coyote Ugly (2000), Pollock (2000) and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004).
He also voiced Toyman over the course of various series in the DC Animated Universe, including Superman: The Animated Series, Static Shock, and Justice League Unlimited.
{snip}
Filmography
1970 The Strawberry Statement Elliot—Coxswain
{snip}
Bud Cort in 2008
Born: Walter Edward Cox; March 29, 1948; Rye, New York, U.S.
Died: February 11, 2026 (aged 77); Connecticut, U.S.
Occupations: Actor, comedian
Years active: 1967–2016
Walter Edward Cox (March 29, 1948 – February 11, 2026), known professionally as Bud Cort, was an American actor known for his unorthodox starring roles in Robert Altman's Brewster McCloud (1970), for which he was nominated for a Golden Laurel Award, and Hal Ashby's Harold and Maude (1971), for which he was nominated for both a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award. He also had supporting roles in films such as M*A*S*H (1970), Electric Dreams (1984), Heat (1995), Dogma (1999), Coyote Ugly (2000), Pollock (2000) and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004).
He also voiced Toyman over the course of various series in the DC Animated Universe, including Superman: The Animated Series, Static Shock, and Justice League Unlimited.
{snip}
Filmography
1970 The Strawberry Statement Elliot—Coxswain
{snip}
The Strawberry Statement (film)
Release date: June 15, 1970
The Strawberry Statement is a 1970 cult film about the counterculture and student revolts of the 1960s, loosely based on the non-fiction book by James Simon Kunen (who has a cameo appearance in the film) about the Columbia University protests of 1968.
Premise
The film details the life of one student. Its setting is not Columbia University in New York City but a fictional university in Stockton, California, which is based on San Francisco State College (later San Francisco State University). Thunderclap Newman's "Something in the Air" and numerous other rock songs are used on the soundtrack.
{snip}
Release date: June 15, 1970
The Strawberry Statement is a 1970 cult film about the counterculture and student revolts of the 1960s, loosely based on the non-fiction book by James Simon Kunen (who has a cameo appearance in the film) about the Columbia University protests of 1968.
Premise
The film details the life of one student. Its setting is not Columbia University in New York City but a fictional university in Stockton, California, which is based on San Francisco State College (later San Francisco State University). Thunderclap Newman's "Something in the Air" and numerous other rock songs are used on the soundtrack.
{snip}
Harold and Maude (1/8) Movie CLIP - Harold Meets Maude (1971) HD
Movieclips
58.9M subscribers
258,884 views Oct 10, 2011
Harold and Maude movie clips: http://j.mp/1J8YHo5
BUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/uucb9x
Don't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6pr
CLIP DESCRIPTION:
Harold (Bud Cort) meets Maude (Ruth Gordon) at the funeral of a stranger.
FILM DESCRIPTION:
A young man with a death wish and a 79-year-old high on life find love in Hal Ashby's cult black comedy. Deadpan rich boy Harold (Bud Cort) keeps staging elaborate suicide tableaux to get the attention of his mother (Vivian Pickles), but she keeps planning his brilliant future for him instead. Obsessed with the trappings of death, Harold freaks out his blind dates, modifies his new sports car to look like a mini-hearse, and attends funerals, where he meets the spirited Maude (Ruth Gordon). An eccentric to the core, Maude lives exactly as she pleases, with avid collecting and nude modeling among her many pursuits. To the disgust of Harold's relatives and the befuddlement of Harold's shrink, Harold falls in love with her. As lilting Cat Stevens tunes play on the soundtrack, Maude teaches Harold a valuable lesson about making the most of his time on earth.
CREDITS:
TM & © Paramount (1971)
Cast: Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon
Director: Hal Ashby
Producers: Colin Higgins, Charles Mulvehill, Mildred Lewis
Screenwriter: Colin Higgins
Movieclips
58.9M subscribers
258,884 views Oct 10, 2011
Harold and Maude movie clips: http://j.mp/1J8YHo5
BUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/uucb9x
Don't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6pr
CLIP DESCRIPTION:
Harold (Bud Cort) meets Maude (Ruth Gordon) at the funeral of a stranger.
FILM DESCRIPTION:
A young man with a death wish and a 79-year-old high on life find love in Hal Ashby's cult black comedy. Deadpan rich boy Harold (Bud Cort) keeps staging elaborate suicide tableaux to get the attention of his mother (Vivian Pickles), but she keeps planning his brilliant future for him instead. Obsessed with the trappings of death, Harold freaks out his blind dates, modifies his new sports car to look like a mini-hearse, and attends funerals, where he meets the spirited Maude (Ruth Gordon). An eccentric to the core, Maude lives exactly as she pleases, with avid collecting and nude modeling among her many pursuits. To the disgust of Harold's relatives and the befuddlement of Harold's shrink, Harold falls in love with her. As lilting Cat Stevens tunes play on the soundtrack, Maude teaches Harold a valuable lesson about making the most of his time on earth.
CREDITS:
TM & © Paramount (1971)
Cast: Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon
Director: Hal Ashby
Producers: Colin Higgins, Charles Mulvehill, Mildred Lewis
Screenwriter: Colin Higgins
Harold and Maude (3/8) Movie CLIP - Can I Give You a Lift? (1971) HD
Movieclips
58.9M subscribers
103,773 views Oct 10, 2011
Harold and Maude movie clips: http://j.mp/1J8YHo5
BUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/uucb9x
Don't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6pr
CLIP DESCRIPTION:
Maude (Ruth Gordon) gives Harold (Bud Cort) a ride, in his own hearse.
FILM DESCRIPTION:
A young man with a death wish and a 79-year-old high on life find love in Hal Ashby's cult black comedy. Deadpan rich boy Harold (Bud Cort) keeps staging elaborate suicide tableaux to get the attention of his mother (Vivian Pickles), but she keeps planning his brilliant future for him instead. Obsessed with the trappings of death, Harold freaks out his blind dates, modifies his new sports car to look like a mini-hearse, and attends funerals, where he meets the spirited Maude (Ruth Gordon). An eccentric to the core, Maude lives exactly as she pleases, with avid collecting and nude modeling among her many pursuits. To the disgust of Harold's relatives and the befuddlement of Harold's shrink, Harold falls in love with her. As lilting Cat Stevens tunes play on the soundtrack, Maude teaches Harold a valuable lesson about making the most of his time on earth.
CREDITS:
TM & © Paramount (1971)
Cast: Eric Christmas, Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon
Director: Hal Ashby
Producers: Colin Higgins, Charles Mulvehill, Mildred Lewis
Screenwriter: Colin Higgins
WHO ARE WE?
The MOVIECLIPS channel is the largest collection of licensed movie clips on the web. Here you will find unforgettable moments, scenes and lines from all your favorite films. Made by movie fans, for movie fans.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MOVIE CHANNELS:
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Movieclips
58.9M subscribers
103,773 views Oct 10, 2011
Harold and Maude movie clips: http://j.mp/1J8YHo5
BUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/uucb9x
Don't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6pr
CLIP DESCRIPTION:
Maude (Ruth Gordon) gives Harold (Bud Cort) a ride, in his own hearse.
FILM DESCRIPTION:
A young man with a death wish and a 79-year-old high on life find love in Hal Ashby's cult black comedy. Deadpan rich boy Harold (Bud Cort) keeps staging elaborate suicide tableaux to get the attention of his mother (Vivian Pickles), but she keeps planning his brilliant future for him instead. Obsessed with the trappings of death, Harold freaks out his blind dates, modifies his new sports car to look like a mini-hearse, and attends funerals, where he meets the spirited Maude (Ruth Gordon). An eccentric to the core, Maude lives exactly as she pleases, with avid collecting and nude modeling among her many pursuits. To the disgust of Harold's relatives and the befuddlement of Harold's shrink, Harold falls in love with her. As lilting Cat Stevens tunes play on the soundtrack, Maude teaches Harold a valuable lesson about making the most of his time on earth.
CREDITS:
TM & © Paramount (1971)
Cast: Eric Christmas, Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon
Director: Hal Ashby
Producers: Colin Higgins, Charles Mulvehill, Mildred Lewis
Screenwriter: Colin Higgins
WHO ARE WE?
The MOVIECLIPS channel is the largest collection of licensed movie clips on the web. Here you will find unforgettable moments, scenes and lines from all your favorite films. Made by movie fans, for movie fans.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MOVIE CHANNELS:
MOVIECLIPS: http://bit.ly/1u2yaWd
ComingSoon: http://bit.ly/1DVpgtR
Indie & Film Festivals: http://bit.ly/1wbkfYg
Hero Central: http://bit.ly/1AMUZwv
Extras: http://bit.ly/1u431fr
Classic Trailers: http://bit.ly/1u43jDe
Pop-Up Trailers: http://bit.ly/1z7EtZR
Movie News: http://bit.ly/1C3Ncd2
Movie Games: http://bit.ly/1ygDV13
Fandango: http://bit.ly/1Bl79ye
Fandango FrontRunners: http://bit.ly/1CggQfC
HIT US UP:
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1y8M8ax
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1ghOWmt
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/14wL9De
Tumblr: http://bit.ly/1vUwhH7
Wed Mar 29, 2023: On this day, March 29, 1948, Bud Cort, of "The Strawberry Statement" & "Harold and Maude," was born.
March 29 was Speedy Keen's birthday too. He also contributed to "The Strawberry Statement."
Wed Mar 29, 2023: On this day, March 29, 1945, Speedy Keen, of "Thunderclap Newman," was born.
Tue Mar 29, 2022: On this day, March 29, 1945, Speedy Keen, of "Thunderclap Newman," was born.
Thu Mar 29, 2018: Born on this day in 1945, Speedy Keen, of "Thunderclap Newman." Hitting the big 7-0, Bud Cort.
10 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
This is one of my top ten favorite movies. It is the "best feel" movie, ever!
RIP Bud Cort.
I found Harold and Maude strange at first but it grew on me. I love the film now. I haven't seen it in ages.
BUSINESS > HOLLYWOOD & ENTERTAINMENT
Bud Cort, Star Of Cult Classic ‘Harold And Maude,’ Dies At 77
By Marc Berman, Senior Contributor. Marc Berman is a New York-based reporter who covers media.
Feb 11, 2026 at 02:39pm EST Feb 11, 2026 at 02:40pm EST
LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 20: The movie "Harold and Maude", directed by Hal Ashby and written by Colin Higgins. Seen here, Bud Cort as Harold. Initial theatrical release December 20, 1971. Screen capture from theatrical trailer. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
CBS VIA GETTY IMAGES
Character actor Bud Cort, best known for his iconic role as Harold in the 1971 cult favorite Harold and Maude, died Wednesday in Connecticut after a long illness. He was 77. ... Born Walter Edward Cox on March 29, 1948, in New Rochelle, New York, Cort was discovered by director Robert Altman while performing in a stage revue. Altman cast him in two of his 1970 films: M*A*S*H and Brewster McCloud.
Cort made his screen debut in 1969 with an uncredited role in Up the Down Staircase and soon appeared in numerous television guest spots, including The Doctors, Room 222, and The Governor & J.J. ... His enduring fame came with Harold and Maude, in which he played a death-obsessed young man who forms an unlikely bond with a quirky elderly woman, portrayed by Ruth Gordon. Though it initially underperformed at the box office, the film became an international cult classic and is now ranked No. 69 on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 Greatest Romantic Comedies.
DECEMBER 20: Actors Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon perform in a scene from the movie "Harold & Maude" which was released December 20, 1971 in the United States. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
GETTY IMAGES
In 1979, Cort’s career was significantly impacted by a severe car accident on the Hollywood Freeway. Though he eventually recovered, the accident curtailed many acting opportunities and caused years of financial difficulty.
{snip}
Bud Cort, Star Of Cult Classic ‘Harold And Maude,’ Dies At 77
By Marc Berman, Senior Contributor. Marc Berman is a New York-based reporter who covers media.
Feb 11, 2026 at 02:39pm EST Feb 11, 2026 at 02:40pm EST
LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 20: The movie "Harold and Maude", directed by Hal Ashby and written by Colin Higgins. Seen here, Bud Cort as Harold. Initial theatrical release December 20, 1971. Screen capture from theatrical trailer. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
CBS VIA GETTY IMAGES
Character actor Bud Cort, best known for his iconic role as Harold in the 1971 cult favorite Harold and Maude, died Wednesday in Connecticut after a long illness. He was 77. ... Born Walter Edward Cox on March 29, 1948, in New Rochelle, New York, Cort was discovered by director Robert Altman while performing in a stage revue. Altman cast him in two of his 1970 films: M*A*S*H and Brewster McCloud.
Cort made his screen debut in 1969 with an uncredited role in Up the Down Staircase and soon appeared in numerous television guest spots, including The Doctors, Room 222, and The Governor & J.J. ... His enduring fame came with Harold and Maude, in which he played a death-obsessed young man who forms an unlikely bond with a quirky elderly woman, portrayed by Ruth Gordon. Though it initially underperformed at the box office, the film became an international cult classic and is now ranked No. 69 on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 Greatest Romantic Comedies.
DECEMBER 20: Actors Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon perform in a scene from the movie "Harold & Maude" which was released December 20, 1971 in the United States. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
GETTY IMAGES
In 1979, Cort’s career was significantly impacted by a severe car accident on the Hollywood Freeway. Though he eventually recovered, the accident curtailed many acting opportunities and caused years of financial difficulty.
{snip}
