John Heard Dead: ‘Home Alone’ Actor Dies at 72 – Celebrity News

John Heard, the actor best known for his role as Peter McCallister in the original Home Alone movies, died on Friday, July 21, Us Weekly confirms. He was 72.

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According to TMZ, which was first to report the news, Heard was found dead in a hotel in Palo Alto, California, by the maid service. He was pronounced dead at the scene after police were called to the hotel for a report of a medical emergency.

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The County of Santa Clara coroner’s office tells Us the cause of death is still under investigation. The Emmy nominee had undergone “minor back surgery” at Stanford Medical Center on Wednesday, July 19, and was recovering at the hotel, his rep told TMZ. Us has also reached out to Heard’s rep.

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In addition to his beloved roles as the patriarch in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Heard starred in films including Big, Heart Beat, Awakenings and The Pelican Brief. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 1999 for his guest-starring role as Detective Vin Makazian on The Sopranos.