John Heard Biography: Wife, Age, Kids, Height, Net Worth, Movies & TV Shows, Wiki

John Heard was a highly respected American actor known for his versatile performances in film, television, and theater.

His iconic role as Peter McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, along with his Emmy-nominated performance in The Sopranos, cemented his legacy as a talented character actor with a career spanning over four decades.

Profile

• Full Name: John Matthew Heard Jr.
• Stage Name: John Heard
• Born: March 7, 1946
• Died: July 21, 2017 (Age: 71 years old)
• Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Actor
• Height: 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m)
• Parents: John Henry Heard, Helen Sperling
• Siblings: Cordis Heard, Matthew Heard
• Spouse: Margot Kidder (m. 1979, div. 1979), Sharon Heard (m. 1988, div. 1996), Lana Pritchard (m. 2010, div. 2010)
• Children: John Matthew Heard III (Jack), Annika Heard, Maxwell Heard
• Relationship: Single
• Net Worth: $3.5 million USD

Early Life and Education

John Heard was born on March 7, 1946, in Washington, D.C., to John Henry Heard, who worked for the office of the Secretary of Defense, and Helen Sperling, a community theater performer and museum guide. Raised in a Catholic household with two siblings—sister Cordis, an actress, and brother Matthew, who passed away in 1975—John developed an early interest in theater.

He attended Gonzaga College High School, where he was known as a class clown and performed in school plays. He studied theater at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, and later enrolled at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., but left before graduating to pursue professional acting. His early exposure to the arts through his mother and his Jesuit education shaped his disciplined yet creative approach to acting.

Career

John Heard began his career in the 1970s with stage work, appearing off-Broadway in The Wager (1974) and as Guildenstern in Hamlet (1975) at the Delacorte Theatre, understudying Sam Waterston. He won Obie Awards for his performances in Othello and Split (1979–80) and a Theatre World Award for Streamers (1976).

His film debut came in Between the Lines (1977), followed by a starring role in Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979). He gained critical acclaim as Alex Cutter in Cutter’s Way (1981) and appeared in films like Cat People (1982), The Trip to Bountiful (1985), Big (1988), and Awakenings (1990). His role as Peter McCallister in Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) brought him widespread recognition. On television, he starred as Roy Foltrigg in The Client (1995–1996) and played Vin Makazian in The Sopranos (1999–2004), earning an Emmy nomination.

Other notable roles include Governor Frank Tancredi in Prison Break (2005–2006), Kenwall Duquesne in CSI: Miami, and the mayor of Chicago in The Chicago Code (2011). Heard‘s final roles included The Tale (2018) and Living Among Us (2018), released posthumously.

Social Media

• John Heard was not active on social media

Personal Life

John Heard was married three times: to actress Margot Kidder in 1979 for six days, to Sharon Heard from 1988 to 1996, with whom he had two children (Annika and Maxwell, the latter passing away in 2016 at age 22), and to Lana Pritchard in 2010 for seven months. He had a son, John Matthew Heard III (Jack), born in 1987 with ex-girlfriend Melissa Leo, with whom he had a tumultuous relationship, including a 1991 arrest for third-degree assault (later acquitted of related trespassing charges).

At the time of his death on July 21, 2017, from a heart attack in Palo Alto, California, Heard was single and estranged from his son Jack. He was recovering from minor back surgery at Stanford University Hospital when found by hotel staff. Heard was a devout Catholic, enjoyed theater, and supported arts education and healthcare charities privately. He resided in New York and California, maintaining a low-profile lifestyle.

Selected Filmography:

• Between the Lines (1977) – Ensemble (Film)
• Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979) – Charles (Film)
• Cutter’s Way (1981) – Alex Cutter (Film)
• Cat People (1982) – Oliver Yates (Film)
• The Trip to Bountiful (1985) – Ludie Watts (Film)
• After Hours (1985) – Tom Schorr (Film)
• Big (1988) – Paul Davenport (Film)
• Beaches (1988) – John Pierce (Film)
• Home Alone (1990) – Peter McCallister (Film)
• Awakenings (1990) – Dr. Kaufman (Film)
• Deceived (1991) – Jack Saunders (Film)
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) – Peter McCallister (Film)
• The Pelican Brief (1993) – Gavin Verheek (Film)
• The Client (1995–1996) – Roy Foltrigg (TV series)
• The Sopranos (1999–2004) – Vin Makazian (TV series)
• Prison Break (2005–2006) – Frank Tancredi (TV series)
• White Chicks (2004) – Warren Vandergeld (Film)
• The Chicago Code (2011) – Mayor (TV series)
• The Tale (2018) – Bill (Film, posthumous)

Net Worth

John Heard‘s net worth was estimated at $3.5 million USD at the time of his death in 2017. His wealth was primarily derived from his extensive acting career in film, television, and theater, with significant earnings from roles in Home Alone, The Sopranos, and The Client. Additional income came from stage performances and minor music video appearances.