Academy Award-winning actor Karl Malden dead!

Karl Malden dead! Karl Malden is dead at the age of 97. Academy Award-winning actor Karl Malden died July 1 at his home in Los Angeles. No cause of his death was reported. Karl Malden was best known for his role as Lt. Mike Stone on the ABC series The Streets of San Francisco and American Express “Don’t Leave Home Without It” commercials that ran in the 70s and 80s.

The academy award-winning actor excelled in plainspoken, working-class roles and was memorable as the shy suitor in “A Streetcar Named Desire” and as a brave priest in “On the Waterfront.” He played the lead role in the short-lived NBC series Skag in 1980, but most of his roles were in movies, including Patton, On The Waterfront, A Streetcar Named Desire, Kiss of Death, How The West Was Won, Birdman of Alcatraz, Murderer’s Row, and Meteor.

Karl Malden also played the pushy father of Red Sox outfielder Jimmy Piersall in the 50s movie Fear Strikes Out. His last role was a first season episode of The West Wing. Malden’s last appearance in general was a few weeks ago. AFI gave a Life Achievement Award to Michael Douglas and Malden videotaped a congratulations for him. Douglas costarred in The Streets of San Francisco with Malden for several years. The show will air on TV Land July 19.

RIP Karl Malden