'Apollo 13' and 'Titanic' actor Bill Paxton dies at 61
Lindsey Bahr, Ap Film Writer
Updated 10:09 pm, Sunday, February 26, 2017
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bill Paxton, a prolific and charismatic actor who had memorable roles in such blockbusters as "Apollo 13" and "Titanic" while also cherishing his work in "One False Move" and other low-budget movies and in the HBO series "Big Love," has died from complications due to surgery. He was 61.
A family representative issued a statement Sunday on the death but provided no further details.
Paxton's death added a sad note to Sunday night's Academy Awards ceremonies. Paxton was never nominated but appeared in several Oscar-winning movies and was beloved and respected throughout Hollywood and beyond. Although his death wasn't noted in the "In Memoriam" section on Sunday, his name was mentioned by its host, Jennifer Aniston.
Actress Ginnifer Goodwin, who starred in "Big Love" with Paxton, said on the Oscar red carpet: "Bill had the biggest heart. He was more alive than the others. I'm having a lot of trouble understanding his being gone from my life and the world."
Photo: Richard Shotwell, Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
FILE - In this May 31, 2015, file photo, Bill Paxton arrives at the Critics' Choice Television Awards at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. A family representative said prolific and charismatic actor Paxton, who played an astronaut in "Apollo 13" and a treasure hunter in "Titanic," died from complications due to surgery. The family representative issued a statement Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, on the death. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
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FILE - In this May 31, 2015, file photo, Bill Paxton arrives at the Critics' Choice Television Awards at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. A family representative said prolific and charismatic
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Photo: Richard Shotwell, Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009, file photo, Bill Paxton, a cast member in the HBO series "Big Love," poses at the show's third season premiere in Los Angeles. A family representative said prolific and charismatic actor Paxton, who played an astronaut in "Apollo 13" and a treasure hunter in "Titanic," died from complications due to surgery. The family representative issued a statement Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, on the death.
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FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009, file photo, Bill Paxton, a cast member in the HBO series "Big Love," poses at the show's third season premiere in Los Angeles. A family representative said prolific and
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Photo: Chris Pizzello, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Actor Bill Paxton poses for a Portrait Session at the Napa Valley Film Festival on November 13, 2014 in Napa, California. (Photo by Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images)
Actor Bill Paxton poses for a Portrait Session at the Napa Valley Film Festival on November 13, 2014 in Napa, California. (Photo by Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images)
Photo: Chelsea Lauren, Getty Images
Bill Paxton
Bill Paxton
Photo: Time & Life Pictures, Getty
Apollo 13 starred Tom Hanks, left, Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon.
Apollo 13 starred Tom Hanks, left, Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon.
Photo: Ron Batzdorff
Actors Kevin Costner (L) and Bill Paxton arrive at a screening of The History Channel's "Hatfields & McCoys" at the Aero Theater on May 20, 2012 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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Actors Kevin Costner (L) and Bill Paxton arrive at a screening of The History Channel's "Hatfields & McCoys" at the Aero Theater on May 20, 2012 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty
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Photo: Kevin Winter
Actor Bill Paxton in a 1997 photo.
Actor Bill Paxton in a 1997 photo.
Photo: JERRY TELFER, STAFF
Actors Bill Paxton (L) and Justin Cornwell attend the People's Choice Awards 2017 at Microsoft Theater on January 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Actors Bill Paxton (L) and Justin Cornwell attend the People's Choice Awards 2017 at Microsoft Theater on January 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Photo: Kevork Djansezian
Actor Bill Paxton poses with his sunglasses during a photocall for the series "Texas Rising" during the MIPTV (Marche International des Programmes de Television), in Cannes, on the French Riviera, on April 13, 2015.
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Actor Bill Paxton poses with his sunglasses during a photocall for the series "Texas Rising" during the MIPTV (Marche International des Programmes de Television), in Cannes, on the French Riviera, on April 13,
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Photo: Valery Hache, AFP / Getty Images
"Twister" - One of the standards of "bad weather" films, Twister gave us Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt dodging growling tornadoes (top-notch special effects) but also knew how to have fun.
"Twister" - One of the standards of "bad weather" films, Twister gave us Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt dodging growling tornadoes (top-notch special effects) but also knew how to have fun.
Photo: Warner Bros., Associated Press
Bill Paxton, Gloria Stuart and Suzy in a scene from 1997's Titanic.
Bill Paxton, Gloria Stuart and Suzy in a scene from 1997's Titanic.
Photo: Merie W. Wallace, 20th Century Fox/paramount
Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein and Bill Paxton in� Kathryn Bigelow's "Near Dark" (1987).
Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein and Bill Paxton in� Kathryn Bigelow's "Near Dark" (1987).
Photo: De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
Charlize Theron and Bill Paxton in 1999's Mighty Joe Young.
Charlize Theron and Bill Paxton in 1999's Mighty Joe Young.
Photo: Walt Disney Pictures
Actor Bill Paxton (left) and Director James Cameron chat at the after party for the premiere of Walt Disney Pictures "Aliens Of The Deep" at the Universal City Walk IMAX theatre on January 20, 2004 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Matthew Simmons/Getty Images)
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Actor Bill Paxton (left) and Director James Cameron chat at the after party for the premiere of Walt Disney Pictures "Aliens Of The Deep" at the Universal City Walk IMAX theatre on January 20, 2004 in Universal
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Photo: Matthew Simmons
This undated publicity photo released by HBO shows actor Bill Paxton in his role as polygamist Bill Henrickson in the HBO series "Big Love."
This undated publicity photo released by HBO shows actor Bill Paxton in his role as polygamist Bill Henrickson in the HBO series "Big Love."
Photo: DOUG HYUN, AP
"Aliens" actors Michaerl Biehn, Bill Paxton and Jenette Goldstein reunite together to celebrate their iconic film "Aliens" at the panel discussion "Aliens Exposed" during the Calgary Comic and Entratainment Expo on April 26, 2014 in Calgary, Canada.
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"Aliens" actors Michaerl Biehn, Bill Paxton and Jenette Goldstein reunite together to celebrate their iconic film "Aliens" at the panel discussion "Aliens Exposed" during the Calgary Comic and Entratainment
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Photo: Phillip Chin, Getty
Actor Bill Paxton attends the 5th annual Critics' Choice Television Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on May 31, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
Actor Bill Paxton attends the 5th annual Critics' Choice Television Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on May 31, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
Photo: Jason LaVeris, Getty
Kevin Bacon, Tom Hanks, and Bill Paxton talking in ship in a scene from the film 'Apollo 13', 1995.
Kevin Bacon, Tom Hanks, and Bill Paxton talking in ship in a scene from the film 'Apollo 13', 1995.
Photo: Universal Pictures, Getty
Bill Paxton as Sam Houston leads an all-star cast in TV saga, 'Texas Rising.'
Bill Paxton as Sam Houston leads an all-star cast in TV saga, 'Texas Rising.'
Photo: PRASHANT GUPTA
Sam Houston (BILL PAXTON) in "Texas Rising" on History channel.
Sam Houston (BILL PAXTON) in "Texas Rising" on History channel.
Photo: PRASHANT GUPTA
Tom Hanks, left, Kevin Bacon, center, and Bill Paxton appear in character in Universal Pictures "Apollo 13." The film was nominated for Best Picture in the 68th Annual Academy Awards announced in Los Angeles Tuesday, Feb. 13, 1996. The ceremony will be held Monday, March 25
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Tom Hanks, left, Kevin Bacon, center, and Bill Paxton appear in character in Universal Pictures "Apollo 13." The film was nominated for Best Picture in the 68th Annual Academy Awards announced in Los Angeles
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Photo: Ron Batzdorff, AP
This undated image released by History shows Bill Paxton portraying Randall McCoy in a scene from the History network's miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys." The History network is planning another big miniseries after the breakout success of "Hatfields & McCoys," and is even bringing back one of that project's stars. Paxton will star as Sam Houston in "Texas Rising," an eight-hour miniseries that tells of Texas' revolution against Mexico and the rise of the Texas Rangers. History announced Wednesday, March 12, 2014, that the series is planned to air sometime next year. (AP Photo/History, Chris Large, File)
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This undated image released by History shows Bill Paxton portraying Randall McCoy in a scene from the History network's miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys." The History network is planning another big miniseries
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Photo: Chris Large, Associated Press
'Apollo 13' and 'Titanic' actor Bill Paxton dies at 61
Paxton, a Fort Worth, Texas, native, appeared in dozens of movies and television shows and seemed to be around when history was made both on and off screen. As a boy, he was in the crowd that welcomed President John F. Kennedy in Texas on the morning of Nov. 22, 1963, hours before Kennedy was killed in Dallas. As a young man, he worked in the art department for "B'' movie king Roger Corman, who helped launch the careers of numerous actors and filmmakers.
Paxton's movie credits included some of the signature works of the past 40 years, from "Titanic" and "Apollo 13" to "The Terminator and "Aliens." Television fans knew him for his role as a polygamist, with three wives who expected the best from him, in the HBO series "Big Love," for which he received three Golden Globe nominations.
"Bill Paxton was a big-hearted, thoughtful and honorable person," his "Big Love" co-star Chloe Sevigny said in a statement. "He always had a smile on his face and could entertain any room with his wonderful stories of his many amazing years in Hollywood."
Paxton was currently starring in the CBS drama "Training Day," which premiered Feb. 2. The network has not yet announced whether it will continue to air the completed episodes.
Paxton is survived by his wife of 30 years, Louise Newbury, and their two children. His first marriage, to Kelly Rowan, ended in divorce.
Nearly 200 storm chasers paid tribute Sunday to the late actor by spelling out his initials using GPS coordinates on a map depicting the heart of Tornado Alley. The effort was to honor the leading man in the disaster movie "Twister," which inspired a generation of storm chasers.
Paxton brought a reliably human dimension to big-budget action adventures and science fiction. He was, sci-fi fans like to point out, the only actor killed by a Predator, a Terminator and an Alien. But Paxton, famously genial and approachable, defined his career less by his marquee status than as a character actor whose regular Joes appeared across the likes of "One False Move," ''A Simple Plan" and "Nightcrawler."
"''I'm a frustrated romantic actor," he told The Associated Press in 2006. "I wanted to play the Bud part in 'Splendor in the Grass,' I wanted to play Romeo — the great, unrequited, tragic love stories. I've gotten to mix it up a bit with the ladies but the romance has been a subplot, running from the tornado or whatever."
"I feel like I'm a regionalist and a populist who's never fit in among the intellectuals," he added. "I think there's where the heart of American art is. My greatest roles have been in regional films, whether it was 'One False Move' or 'Frailty' or 'Simple Plan' or 'Traveller.'"
Paxton often spoke warmly of his upbringing, and how his father exposed him early to movies and the stage. His father, John Paxton, also shared his son's knack for being around famous people. A childhood neighbor was the artist Thomas Hart Benton. John Paxton later belonged to the same golfing club as the great Ben Hogan, whom Bill Paxton got to know growing up.
One of the industry's busiest actors, Paxton once said the hardest part of his career wasn't the work itself, but the time in between.
"You know all the time I've been in this business which is a long, long time now, I go from having incredible days like shooting the part of Sam Houston and then all of a sudden I'm home and I'm out of work and it's two o'clock in the afternoon, I'm in my boxer shorts watching Turner Classic Movies," he told the AP in 2015. "And all I can tell you is, thank God for Turner Classic Movies and Robert Osborne. "
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AP Film Writer Jake Coyle, AP National Writer Hillel Italie, AP Television Writer Lynn Elber and reporters Ryan Pearson and Lauri Neff contributed to this report.