How did Jack Hedley die? Tributes pour in as "For Your Eyes Only' and 'Lawrence of Arabia' star passes away at 92

Actor Jack Hedley passed away on December 11. He was 92 years old at the time of his death and The Times of London has stated that no funeral is being planned as per his request.

Jack was well-known for his powerful performances in movies and TV series and was born as Jack Snowdon Hawkins in 1929. He had 99 acting credits to date and his final appearance was in the drama mini-series, St. Paul, back in 2000.

Jack Hedley’s cause of death explored

According to The Times of London, the Lawrence of Arabia star died as a result of a short illness. However, it is unknown if this was related to COVID-19 or a different health complication.

An official statement is still awaited from Hedley’s family and it has not been revealed if the actor was at the home or was hospitalized at the time of his death.

Twitter users pay tribute to Jack Hedley

Although Jack Hedley was not offered the major roles in films and TV series, his performances were always appreciated by everyone. The public and other well-known personalities paid tribute to Hedley when the news went viral on the internet.

Hedley retired from acting in 2000 and is survived by his wife Alex and two sons from his first marriage, Jonathan and James.

Journey of Jack Hedley in the film industry

Jack Hedley was a popular actor known for his appearances on films and television. He enrolled at the Royal Naval College in Darmouth, and following his graduation, he served as a marine commando for eight years.

Hedley eventually became a lieutenant but had to discontinue his service after being shot twice in the leg. He then worked in his mother's business for 18 months. He auditioned for an acting course at RADA, and received a diploma for it towards the end of the course in 1957.

Hedley made his stage debut as Doctor Doolittle in Pygmalion and soon became a popular face on television. He started with military-themed action dramas and crime thrillers.

Hedley made his screen debut with a 13-minute documentary, A Life to be Lived, in 1950. The documentary was based on polio.

Hedley was known for his appearance in the 1962 historical drama film, Lawrence of Arabia. Although he had an uncredited role in the film as a reporter, he was still loved by the public.

Jack Hedley was also chosen to play an important role in the James Bond film, For Your Eyes Only, in 1981. He was seen as Sir Timothy Havelock, a marine archeologist from the British Secret Service.

Personal life

Hedley married thrice and his first marriage was to Jean Fraser in 1965. They met while shooting for The Very Edge in Ireland, where Hedley played the role of a detective and Fraser was an assistant to the producer. They divorced in 1984.

Hedley then married Elspeth in 1986 and they later divorced. After his separation from Elspeth, he tied the knot with Alex in 2001.

About the author

Anupal is a pop culture writer at Sportskeeda with a degree in Political Science. He developed a keen interest in the lives of celebrities, films, TV shows, and box office collections since an early age. After accumulating significant experience as a content writer across varied fields at companies such as The Indian Wire, DigiStatement, and QuirkyByte Media, he eventually settled on writing about his favorite genre - pop culture.

Anupal believes in conducting in-depth research while writing about any topic and relies on varied sources to ensure he produces holistic articles. He also often glances through content that was published in the 80s and 90s to gain a better understanding of the subject he is covering.

Anupal admires Robert Downey Jr., who played one of his favorite Marvel superheroes, Iron Man. He is inspired by the actor's resilience and the determination in overcoming past struggles to building a successful Hollywood career and admires the way he articulates his thoughts while speaking in interviews.

If Anupal could travel back in time, he would love to experience James Cameron's 2009 film 'Avatar' in a theatre full of fans. When he's not busy working, he binges on the latest OTT titles across languages.

Know More