Tom Sizemore, Star of Saving Private Ryan, Is Dead
Tom Sizemore has passed away after suffering a stroke last month that led to a brain aneurysm.
Tom Sizemore, the 61-year-old film and TV veteran best known for his roles in Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down, died on Friday. Deadline reports that he died after a stroke leading to a brain aneurysm on February 18, which put him in a coma. He leaves behind two twin sons, Jayden and Jagger, aged 17.
Tom Sizemore was a prolific actor, having performed in more than 200 movies and TV shows since beginning his career in 1989 — a year when he appeared in four movies — Lock Up, Rude Awakening, Born on the Fourth of July, and Penn & Teller Get Killed — along with an episode of the short-lived crime drama Gideon Oliver. His appearance in high-profile films such as Passenger 57, Natural Born Killers, and True Romance led to his getting a major role in the 1998 Steven Spielberg war epic Saving Private Ryan.
In Saving Private Ryan, Tom Sizemore played Tech Sergeant Mike Horvath, a close friend of Tom Hanks’ character Captain John H. Miller. He was seen storming the beaches at Normandy before joining Miller on their search for Private James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers died during the war. The character was often seen looking after Corporal Timothy E. Upham, the translator who had never seen battle in his life.
The film proved to be a pivotal career moment for Tom Sizemore and other actors who went on to make names for themselves. The movie also featured a young Vin Diesel, who would go on to star in the Fast & Furious franchise, along with an as-yet-unknown Nathan Fillion, who would later gain fame for his roles in Firefly and Castle.
After Saving Private Ryan, Tom Sizemore’s career really took off. He appeared in 11 films in the next two years, including Pearl Harbor, Black Hawk Down, Get Carter, and Red Planet. He continued to be equally busy throughout the rest of his career, appearing across a wide range of media, including the TV series Hawaii 5-0 and Shooter, along with the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and 24: The Game. He also had the dubious honor of appearing in the 2006 film Zyzzyx Rd, which famously only grossed $30 in box office receipts during its opening run, making it (at the time) the lowest-grossing film in U.S. history.
Throughout his life, Tom Sizemore has struggled with substance abuse problems, which began at age 15. These issues lasted until at least 2019, when Sizemore was arrested in Burbank, California, for drug possession. It is unclear whether these issues are related to his later stroke and brain aneurysm.
Tom Sizemore’s proclivity means that we’ll still be seeing much more of him in the years after his death. He is listed as an actor in 30 as-yet-unreleased projects, 17 of which are either already completed or in post-production. Ten of his projects will be released this year, including American Trash, Woods Witch, and K-Town.
