Michael Madsen, star of ‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’, dies at 67
Madsen's death brings to a close a decades-long career that saw him embody some of cinema’s most intense, unpredictable, and quietly magnetic characters.
Following his death, Madsen’s team released a heartfelt statement. “In the last two years, Michael Madsen had been doing some incredible work with independent films…”
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Michael Madsen cause of death: Michael Madsen, the gruff-voiced actor who made his mark in some of Hollywood’s most unforgettable films, has died at the age of 67. Known for his roles in ‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’, Madsen passed away on July 3 at his Malibu home.
The details surrounding his death have now been officially out.
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According to a death certificate obtained by TMZ, Madsen died from cardiac arrest brought on by multiple serious health issues. The certificate lists cardiomyopathy, a disease that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood, as a contributing factor.
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He also suffered from coronary artery disease, which restricts blood flow to the heart, and chronic alcoholism, which likely worsened his condition over time.
Additionally, Madsen was dealing with thromboembolic disease, a dangerous condition where blood clots form in the body and can travel to block blood vessels, sometimes fatally.
NBC4 Los Angeles reported that Madsen’s cardiologist personally signed his death certificate, confirming that his passing was due to natural causes related to heart failure. Because of this, an autopsy was not performed.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department has officially closed its investigation.
On the morning of July 3, deputies responded to a 911 call from Madsen’s Malibu residence. When they arrived, they found him unresponsive.
His manager, Ron Smith, later confirmed, “What we understand is Michael had a cardiac arrest and was found unresponsive in his Malibu home earlier this morning.”
Following his death, Madsen’s team released a heartfelt statement. “In the last two years, Michael Madsen had been doing some incredible work with independent films and was really looking forward to this next chapter in his life,” his managers and publicist shared.
They also revealed that he was preparing to publish a new book, ‘Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems’, which was still under editing at the time of his death.
Madsen leaves behind a legacy of iconic performances. He first broke into mainstream fame as the razor-wielding Mr. Blonde in Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992), a role that became a pop culture landmark. He collaborated with Tarantino several times after that, playing Budd in ‘Kill Bill: Volume 1’ (2003) and ‘Volume 2’ (2004), “Grouch” Douglass in ‘The Hateful Eight’ (2015), and Sheriff Hackett in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ (2019).
Beyond the Tarantino universe, Madsen’s film credits include memorable roles in ‘Thelma & Louise’ (1991), ‘Free Willy’ (1993), and ‘Donnie Brasco’ (1997), where he portrayed real-life mobster Dominick “Sonny Black” Napolitano.
Madsen’s personal life was as complex as some of the characters he portrayed. He had married three times: first to ‘General Hospital’ actress Georganne LaPiere, Cher’s half-sister. Then to actress Jeannine Bisignano, and later to DeAnna Morgan, whom he married in 1996.
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