John Cazale Cause of Death, What Happened to him?

Who was John Cazale?

John Holland Cazale was an actor from the United States who starred in five films across a period of seven years, all of which were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. These films included The Godfather (1972), The Conversation (1974), The Godfather Part II (1974), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and The Deer Hunter (1978), with the latter two and the two Godfather films winning. Prior to his film career, Cazale began as a theatre actor in New York City, appearing in a range of productions, from regional to off-Broadway and Broadway shows, alongside notable actors such as Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, and Sam Waterston.

John Cazale Cause of Death

Nine months before The Deer Hunter was published, on March 13, 1978, early in the morning, John Cazale passed away at Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital. John Cazale died of lung cancer, and he was just 42 years old at the time of his death. Streep remained by his side throughout. Israel Horovitz, a colleague, described John Cazale as “a tiny perfection” in his eulogy. Al Pacino still extols Cazale to this day, claiming, “John, I believe, taught me more about acting than anyone else. He was motivating. He improved you.”

How Did John Cazale Die?

In 1977, Cazale received a diagnosis of lung cancer, which was likely linked to his past habit of chain smoking. Despite undergoing various treatments and procedures, his health rapidly deteriorated as cancer spread to his bones. On March 13, 1978, at the age of 42, Cazale passed away, with Meryl Streep by his side throughout his illness. Despite the terminal diagnosis, he continued his work with Meryl Streep, along with Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken, and John Savage, in The Deer Hunter. Despite the critical and commercial success of his films, John Cazale was never given an Oscar nomination by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 

John Cazale Obituary

John Cazale was lucky to have a partner like Meryl Streep while he was alive. Starting from 1976 until his death, John Cazale was romantically involved with actress Meryl Streep. He died on March 13, 1978, with Streep remaining by his side until the very end of his life. According to Cazale’s close friend Al Pacino, Streep was deeply in love with Cazale and remained devoted to him throughout his illness. She never left his side, providing him with comfort and care during his final days.

What Happened to John Cazale?

In 1977, while filming his fifth and final movie, “The Deer Hunter,” John Cazale received a diagnosis of lung cancer. During this film, he worked alongside Robert De Niro, who is now considered a Hollywood legend. John Cazale was born to an Irish-American mother, Cecilia Holland, and an Italian-American father, John Cazale, in Revere, Massachusetts. He had an older sister named Catherine and a younger brother named Stephen. John Cazale was brought  up in Winchester and studied high school at the Buxton School in Williamstown, where he joined the drama club.

What Did John Cazale Die From?

John Cazale passed away after a long battle with lung cancer. In 1968, Cazale made his sole television appearance as Tom Andrews in the episode “The Peep Freak” on the police drama series N.Y.P.D. Following this, he joined the Long Wharf Theatre Company in 1969, where he performed for the next three seasons in various productions, including Tartuffe, The Country People, The Skin of Our Teeth, The Iceman Cometh, and You Can’t Take It With You. His final stage appearance was on April 29, 1977, in the title role of Agamemnon at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.

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