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Canadian actor Donald Sutherland, at right, was also a big Montreal Expos fan.
Here he is, in 1981, with Dick Williams. then manaer of the Expos.
Source: From the Montreal Gazette archives
(may be subject to copyright)
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He is one of the greatest actors to never win an Oscar.
That all changed in 2017 when he received an Academy Honorary Award
for his contributions to cinema.
His career started in earnest in 1967 with “The Dirty Dozen” and
continues to this day, with roles in major motion pictures such as “The Hunger
Games” as he celebrated his 85th birthday on July 17.
Aside from a couple roles of note in the early part of the 1980s, his
career kind of flatlined (all pun intended with his son starring in
“Flatliners”), but picked up steam as the decade ended and his career kicked
into high gear in the ‘90s and beyond.
Yet, I have some memories of Donald Sutherland in the 1980s, even
though the movies were not always made then.
A snoozer
The first time I recall seeing Donald Sutherland was playing "Hawkeye" Pierce on the movie “M*A*S*H” – well sort of.
The first time I saw the movie was on the farm and it was on late. I
never made it that far because I fell asleep. The next time I was at my Uncle
Ed’s. My parents had gone out for the night, and I was staying with my uncle and aunt. I
saw the movie right up to the first surgery – then fell asleep. That happened
another time when my cousin Fred was visiting, and we decided to stay up late
to watch "M*A*S*H". That was the first time I noticed the opening theme song
“Suicide is Painless” was being sung. On the TV show, they just play the music. Well, again, I fell asleep.
It became so absurd, I actually acquired a copy of "M*A*S*H" on video from
a friend named Trish when I moved to Claresholm. She suggested watching it at
my apartment. Once again, it started strong but, you guessed it, I fell asleep.
To this day, I cannot tell you definitively whether I liked Donald
Sutherland in "M*A*S*H" or not. I liked his hat though.
Animal House
It was back on the farm that I first saw the classic comedy,
“National Lampoon’s Animal House”. I remember Donald Sutherland as the
professor. It turns out, Director John Landis convinced Sutherland to be in
“Animal House” because he thought he needed more star power in addition to John
Belushi, who really stole the show. In fact, all of Sutherland’s scenes were
shot on one day. His performance was very professorly.
S*P*Y*S
I had heard that Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould, off their success
in M*A*S*H, appeared in another movie together called "S*P*Y*S" in 1974. It was
about two spies trying to stay alive after two KGB agents are inadvertently
killed and, instead of retaliation, the CIA offers to kill two of its own
agents. Sutherland and Gould play those agents trying to stay alive.
I never actually saw the movie, but I got the book at a garage sale,
and started reading it. I never got too far in though. I do remember the two characters
were Eric Bruland and Douglas Griffin. Turns out Sutherland played Bruland and
Gould played Griff.
It was interesting this movie used the same asterisks in the title as "M*A*S*H". Wikipedia said that was intentional to invoke that, but there was
no other link between the movies.
Ordinary People
At the dawn of the 1980s, Sutherland played another memorable role,
as the grieving father of two boys, one who dies accidentally and the other who attempts
suicide, in “Ordinary People”. He starred opposite Mary Tyler Moore, who was
nominated for an Oscar for her role, and Timothy Hutton, who won an Oscar for
his. However, I never did see this movie either.
I did read the book, after I bought it at a bookstore in Qualicum
Beach on Vancouver Island, and it was very good.
The voice of music
It took a few minutes, but the voice was unmistakable. When I was in
high school, after my interest in music had been sparked, CBC re-ran a three-part
documentary series on the history of Canadian pop and rock music called “Heart of Gold”. It was in the summer of 1985 or 1986, over three weeks. It had initially aired in December of 1982. Stitching
all the stories together about The Guess Who, Lovin’ Spoonful, Mamas and the
Papas, Anne Murray, The Band, Bryan Adams and so, so much more was Donald
Sutherland narrating.
He did an exceptional job. His voice is more memorable than any story
I remember.
Take me out to the ball game
Seemingly lost in the sands of time was the fact Donald Sutherland was
a massive baseball fan and loved the Montreal Expos. He was frequently seen at
Olympic Stadium for Expo home games, and was a fixture as they made their run
all the way to the National League East title in 1981.
What made it more memorable was Sutherland broke his arm in September. He kept on going to Expo games, sporting his arm in a sling with an Expos sticker stuck to it.
Bad to the bone
Sutherland ended the decade in 1989 starring opposite Sylvester
Stallone as the evil warden in the prison movie “Lock Up”. He was chilling and
enraging as he tormented Stallone throughout.
That role would be a spring board for the next phase of his career,
which became busier than ever.
The years after
Donald Sutherland would go on in the 1990s and beyond to become more
successful and well-known than ever. He would appear in a variety of theatrical
roles, both as a good guy and a bad guy, in movies such as “Backdraft”; “A Time to Kill”; “JFK”;
“Space Cowboys”; “Cold Mountain”; and so much more including “The Hunger Games”
series.
He also migrated to television with roles in “Commander-in-Chief”; “
Dirty Sexy Money”; and others.
Parting thoughts
Donald Sutherland was well-established as an actor as the 80s began,
and he continued to build on that career, before his career took off again in
the years after. For me, my memories of Donald Sutherland, are just as much
about him narrating “Heart of Gold”, his love of the Montreal Expos, and
the movies I did see and read about.
He was already a veteran actor in the 1980s, so it is a tribute to his
longevity that he continues to work.
And what better way to pay tribute than when he was honoured with an Academy Honorary Award.
It is well deserved.
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