Lethal Weapon 2 villain Derrick O'Connor passes away at the age of 77
Irish actor Derrick O'Connor, known for his frequent appearances in Terry Gilliam movies and as the big baddie from the 1989 action thriller 'Lethal Weapon 2', has passed away. The actor was 77-years-old and, according to multiple reports, died last week on Friday (29 June) in Santa Barbara, California.
The news of O'Connor's passing was confirmed by his publicist Jane Ayer on Tuesday, and as per The Hollywood Reporter, it appears that the versatile character actor was suffering from pneumonia. In his lifetime, the Dublin-born actor has played noteworthy parts in many a memorable movie and yet somehow he is etched in fans' memories as a Gillian movies' mainstay.
Although O’Connor hadn't moved to the US until 1990 - living with his wife Mimi in Santa Ynez Valley, north of Santa Barbara - the Irish native, who was raised in London, had started making his presence felt in Hollywood right since the '60s. In fact, three of Gillian's films, including 'Time Bandits', 'Brazil' and 'Jabberwocky', had O'Connor starring in them. While the 1977 feature 'Jabberwocky' saw the actor appearing as "flying hogfish peasant", 'Time Bandits' cast him as Redgrave and the other Gillian classic saw O'Connor play Dowser.
In 1987's World War II autobiographical movie, 'Hope and Glory', the actor would go on to grab eyeballs as Mac, the neighbor. And he followed up that role with yet another star-studded starrer, 1999's movie 'End of Days' alongside none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger. O'Connor would play the role of Thomas Aquinas in the movies, the theologian opposite the Terminator actor. His other prominent features include 2003's 'Daredevil' (as the confidante Father Everett), and 2006's 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'.
However, the one role that perhaps remains most memorable is O'Connor's turn as the villain Pieter Vorstedt in Richard Donner's Lethal Weapon 2. The film about LAPD officers had the late actor serving in antagonistic capacities, doing the dirty work for Arjen Rudd.
Asides the big screen, O'Connor also happened to be a prominent figure on the stage. Having been a part of the Royal Shakespeare Company as well as the Scottish National Theatre, the actor went on to perform for plays like 'The Knack', 'The Dumb Waiter', and 'Born Yesterday'.
O'Connor has also served as a director and producer for the stage productions and as a writer for Irish docudrama 'A Pint of Plain'. The actor is survived by his wife, and a son, Max.