Donald Sutherland Profile/Bio
Donald McNichol Sutherland is a well-known Canadian performer. He is most recognised for his performances in films such as ‘The Dirty Dozen,’ ‘M*A*S*H,’ and ‘Klute.’ He was an engineer before becoming an actor, and he also has a degree in theatre. He, therefore, decided to pursue theatre instead of engineering. He began his career by working as a radio DJ before establishing himself as a full-fledged actor. He has appeared in over 200 programmes and films over his acting career. He has left a lasting influence on the American cinema business due to his flexibility.
| Real Name | Donald McNichol Sutherland |
| Nickname | Donald Sutherland |
| Profession | Actor |
He has received numerous important honours, including a ‘Golden Globe Award’ and a ‘Primetime Emmy Award.’ Despite never being nominated for an ‘Academy Award,’ he was given an ‘Academy Honorary Award’ in 2017. In addition, he has been honoured into the Canadian and Hollywood Walks of Fame. Donald has five children from three marriages, including the well-known Kiefer Sutherland. Rachel, Kiefer’s twin sister, is also a post-production supervisor in the film industry. His granddaughter is the ‘Veep’ actress Sarah Jude Sutherland.
Donald Sutherland Personal Life/Wiki
Donald Sutherland was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada on July 17, 1935, to Dorothy Isobel (née McNichol) and Frederick McLea Sutherland. His mother was a math teacher, while his father was a salesman.
| Date of Birth | 17 July 1935 |
| Age (as in 2021) | 86 |
| Birthplace | Saint John, Canada |
| Hometown | Saint John, New Brunswick |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Zodiac Sign/Sun Sign | Cancer |
| Religion | Atheist |
Donald Sutherland Family Information
| Father Name | Frederick McLea Sutherland |
| Mother Name | Dorothy Isobel McNichol |
| Brother Name | John Sutherland |
| Sister Name | Betty Sutherland |
Donald Sutherland Education Details
He was raised in a middle-class household. He is from German, Scottish, and English ancestors. His great grandmother was President Rutherford Hayes’ third cousin. He is also connected to Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont. He had the rheumatic disease, hepatitis, and poliomyelitis as a youngster. Poliomyelitis had caused one of his legs to be shorter than the other. He began working as a news journalist for the local radio station CKBW when he was 14 years old. He graduated from ‘Bridgewater High School,’ then attended ‘Victoria College,’ the University of Toronto, where he earned a double degree in engineering and theatre. He later abandoned engineering to become a sculptor, but eventually settled for a career in acting.
| School | LAMDA, Bridgewater Jr High School |
| College/University | University of Toronto, Victoria University |
| Educational Qualification | N/A |
He won his first part in a student production of Edward Albee’s ‘The Male Animal’ during his junior year of college. He also joined the UC Follies, a comedy company in Toronto, Ontario. Before pursuing dramatics professionally, he worked in a variety of jobs. He subsequently travelled to England to study at the ‘London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art’ from 1958 to 1960.
Donald Sutherland Girlfriends, Affairs & More
| Marital Status | Lois Hardwick ( m. 1959; div. 1966) Shirley Douglas ( m. 1966; div. 1970) Francine Racette ( m. 1972) |
| Girlfriends | N/A |
| Children’s | Kiefer Sutherland, Rachel Sutherland, Rossif Sutherland, Angus Sutherland and Roeg Sutherland |
Donald Sutherland Money Factor
Sutherland spent a year and a half with the ‘Perth Repertory Theatre’ in Scotland after graduating from the ‘London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.’ In the mid-1960s, he began appearing in minor roles in British films and television series such as ‘The Saint’ and ‘Court Martial.’ In 1964, he co-starred with Christopher Lee in the horror film ‘Castle of the Living Dead,’ and in 1966, he participated in the BBC play ‘Oswald Assassin.’ Sutherland made his big break in 1968 with the blockbuster successful military film ‘The Dirty Dozen,’ in which he played a minor but vital role. Following that, he left London and relocated to Hollywood to pursue a career in the American film business. In 1970, he portrayed the lead in the black comedy war picture ‘M-A-S-H.’ Throughout the 1970s, he appeared in a number of films, including ‘Don’t Look Now,’ ‘The Eagle Has Landed,’ and ‘Eye of the Needle.’ His unconventional approach, on-screen presence, and adaptability guaranteed that he was never typecast. In 1971, he appeared in the film ‘Klute.’ Apart from being a watershed moment in Sutherland’s career, the picture also catapulted Jane Fonda to stardom. She won an ‘Oscar’ for her performance in the film. In the 1980 film ‘Ordinary People,’ he co-starred with Robert Redford. The film received the ‘Best Picture Award’ after receiving two ‘Oscar’ nominations. Sutherland’s performance, however, was disregarded once again by the ‘Academy Awards’ committee.
| Net Worth (approx.) | $60 Million |
He portrayed the character of a Montreal doctor named ‘Norman Bethune in the popular Canadian television series ‘Witness to Yesterday.’ Over the next few years, he appeared in a number of popular films, including those in which he portrayed unusual parts. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he has not slowed down with age. “I’m going to work till I’m assisting them with the shovel,” he once declared. He met his first wife, Lois Hardwick while studying at the University of Toronto’s Victoria College. They married in 1959, but the marriage terminated seven years later in divorce. They were not married and did not have any children. In 1966, after divorcing Lois Hardwick, he married actress, Shirley Douglas. The couple’s twin twins, Kiefer and Rachel, were born. The marriage lasted four years. In 1972, he married actress Francine Racette, with whom he had three sons: Rossif, Angus, and Roeg. The couple split after a decade of marriage. In 1979, he experienced a near-death experience due to illness. Doctors informed him that he had died for an extended period of time, and he claimed to have experienced an out of body experience
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