Bud Cort, best known for his iconic role in the cult favorite “Harold and Maude,” passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at an assisted living facility in Norwalk, Connecticut. He was 77. According to his friend and producer, Dorian Hannaway, he died from pneumonia complications following a prolonged illness.
Born Walter Edward Cox on March 29, 1948, in New Rochelle, New York, Cort was raised in nearby Rye, where his early enthusiasm for theater shaped his future path. He briefly attended NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and studied under renowned acting teacher Stella Adler before beginning his professional journey. As a teenager, he frequently traveled to Manhattan for Broadway matinees, often waiting by stage doors hoping to spot Barbra Streisand after “Funny Girl” performances.
“Bud Cort was a true talent in both acting and theater, and his love for the craft began at a very early age,” Hannaway told The Hollywood Reporter.
Cort’s career took off in 1970 when director Robert Altman discovered him, casting him in “M*A*S*H” and later giving him the starring role in “Brewster McCloud.” However, it was his turn as Harold in Hal Ashby’s 1971 dark comedy “Harold and Maude” that solidified his legacy in film history.
In the movie, Cort portrayed a young man preoccupied with death who forms an unexpected romantic connection with Maude, played by 79-year-old Holocaust survivor Ruth Gordon. Though critics initially dismissed the film and audiences overlooked it — with Paramount Pictures offering little promotion — it later developed a passionate following. Over time, it became a cherished cult classic and eventually ranked ninth on the American Film Institute’s list of the top 10 romantic comedies.
His performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy and a BAFTA nomination for Most Promising Newcomer. Yet the role also boxed him in. Often cast in eccentric parts, he declined roles like Billy Bibbit in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” because he didn’t want to portray mental illness—the role ultimately brought Brad Dourif major acclaim as the film dominated the Oscars.
In 1979, Cort was involved in a severe crash on the Hollywood Freeway after striking an abandoned car. He sustained a fractured skull, several broken bones, and significant facial injuries that required multiple reconstructive surgeries. The accident sidelined him for years, and when he eventually returned, Hollywood had shifted away from the intimate, character-focused films of the 1970s to large franchise blockbusters.
Nevertheless, Cort continued acting for more than 50 years, appearing in over 80 film and television roles. His diverse body of work included “Electric Dreams” (1984), Kevin Smith’s “Dogma” (1999), in which he played a comatose homeless man revealed to be God, Ed Harris’s “Pollock” (2000), and Wes Anderson’s “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” (2004). On television, he made guest appearances on shows such as “Ugly Betty,” “Criminal Minds,” “Arrested Development,” and “Columbo.”
Another car accident in 2011, during which his arm was nearly severed, further limited his ability to find acting work.
Cort also built a significant voice acting career, most notably as Toyman in various DC Animated Universe series, including “Superman: The Animated Series,” “Static Shock,” and “Justice League Unlimited.” His final credited performance was as The King in the 2015 animated adaptation of “The Little Prince.”
Outside of film and television, Cort co-founded LA Classic Theatre Works alongside Richard Dreyfuss and Rene Auberjonois, demonstrating his enduring dedication to live theater. In 1991, he wrote, directed, and starred in the dark comedy “Ted and Venus.”
Filmmaker Edgar Wright honored Cort, calling him “a mesmerizing presence in every project fortunate enough to feature him,” and praising his performance in “Harold and Maude” as “a perfect mix of dark wit and enduring romance.”
Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), who composed the “Harold and Maude” soundtrack, wrote: “May God, the Most Merciful, bless and forgive the soul of our dear friend Bud Cort… who became Harold for all of us.”
Cort never married and did not have children.