The Omen Actors You May Not Know Passed Away
Directed by Richard Donner, 1976's "The Omen" left an indelible mark on pop culture as one of the all-time great horror films. Perhaps more than any film of its kind, "The Omen" is responsible for making the cursed child trope a staple of the genre. Even today, the idea that any subsequent movie has executed that concept as well as Donner did is a matter for debate.
In its day, "The Omen" was a major hit, grossing $60.9 million at the box office, according to Box Office Mojo. When adjusted for inflation, that amounts to almost $292 million as of this writing. The movie also garnered two Oscar nominations, netting composer Jerry Goldsmith the honors for Best Original Score.
With so many years having passed since its theatrical release, some of "The Omen's" key cast members are no longer with us. Here are some of the other actors from "The Omen" you may not know passed away.
Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck portrayed "The Omen's" main protagonist, Ambassador Robert Thorn. In the movie, the ambassador finds himself fearing for his wife's sanity when she suffers a miscarriage. So, in order to protect her, he secretly adopts a baby boy and passes the child, Damien, off as the one that she had carried. Despite his later efforts to destroy it, the demon spawn ultimately sends the Thorns to their doom.
Without question, Peck is certified Hollywood royalty. His portrayal of Atticus Finch in the 1962 adaptation of Harper Lee's Pullitzer Prize-winning classic "To Kill a Mockingbird" is one of cinema's most iconic performances. That film was just one of a myriad of critical and/or commercial hits the master thespian was a part of, though. He famously shared the screen with Ava Gardner in "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," as well as Audrey Hepburn in "Roman Holiday" and further appeared in films like "The Yearling," "Spellbound," "Moby Dick" and "Cape Fear." Along the way, he won a number of major awards.
As relayed by The New York Times, Peck passed away in 2003 at the age of 87 as a result of bronchopneumonia.
Lee Remick
Lee Remick played the part of the ambassador's wife, Kathy Thorn, in "The Omen." Although Kathy is unaware that Damien is adopted, she eventually becomes suspicious of the child. However, her fears are ultimately dismissed by Robert, who doesn't come to a similar realization about Damien until it's too late for both of them.
In addition to her work on Donner's classic, Remick turned in incredible performances on films like "The Days of Wine and Roses," "The Women's Room" and "The Blue Knight." For her efforts alongside Jack Lemmon in the former film, she picked up an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. She also played the title role in the miniseries "Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill" and won a Tony for her portrayal of Susy Hendrix in the Frederick Knott play, "Wait Until Dark."
In 1991, at the age of just 55, Remick lost her battle with kidney cancer, per the Associated Press.
Leo McKern
In "The Omen," Leo McKern played Carl Bugenhagen, a priest, exorcist and archaeologist who attempts to warn Robert Thorn about Damien and ultimately gives him a method with which to kill the Antichrist. McKern also appeared in the sequel, "Damien: Omen II," where Bugenhagen meets his untimely end while attempting to warn others about Damien after Thorn's failure in the first film.
The Australian actor enjoyed a lengthy career on the stage, on radio, in films and on television. However, his turn as Thomas Cromwell in "A Man for All Seasons" may be his best work. In his later career, he portrayed Paddy Button in the infamous 1980 adaptation of "The Blue Lagoon," which also featured a 14-year-old Brooke Shields. McKern showed up as Imperius in the 1985 fantasy film "Ladyhawke," which was also directed by Donner.
McKern passed away in July of 2002 at the age of 82 in England after having been in poor health throughout his later years, per The Guardian.
Billie Whitelaw
Billie Whitelaw appeared in the role of Damien's nanny, Mrs. Blaylock in "The Omen." The character is introduced after the child's previous nanny, Holly, hangs herself at his fifth birthday party after encountering a Hellhound. However, Blaylock isn't just an ordinary nanny — she's an apostate devoted to Satan who is charged with fostering the Antichrist's development. And Whitelaw played her to perfection.
The English actress was a part of a number of notable projects on both the big and small screens, including the films "Charlie Bubbles," "The Dark Crystal" and "Hot Fuzz." Along the way, she worked with the likes of Laurence Olivier, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, and Peter Sellers. However, Whitelaw may be best remembered for her work in the theatre, interpreting the words of famed Irish playwright and friend Samuel Beckett. As noted by the New York Writer's Institute, she was widely regarded as Beckett's muse and the preeminent interpreter of his works.
According to The Guardian, Whitelaw passed away in 2014 at the age of 82.
Patrick Troughton
As the priest and former devil worshipper Brennan, Patrick Troughton brought an intensity to "The Omen" as one of the few characters aware of Damien's evil origins. Despite his best efforts, though, Brennan was thwarted in his attempts to warn Robert about who his adoptive son truly is. And, like others who endeavor to stop the Antichrist, he is murdered as a result of his actions.
Troughton's career was varied and brought him to audiences via film, TV and theatre. However, sci-fi and horror was his bread and butter, and his work for a certain, long-running British series about a TARDIS-dwelling Time Lord cemented him as a geek icon for all times. He was the second actor to portray The Doctor in the BBC One staple, "Doctor Who," replacing William Hartnell in 1966. Troughton would continue on in the role until 1969 when he was replaced by the great Jon Pertwee.
Troughton died of a heart attack in 1987 at the age of 67, as relayed by Variety (via the Doctor Who Cuttings Archive).