‘Home Alone’ Dad John Heard’s Cause of Death Revealed

John Heard, who played Peter McAllister on Home Alone, died of a heart attack brought on by heart disease, TMZ reports.

The 72-year-old actor was found in a hotel in Palo Alto, California, on July 21.

The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and determined that Heard died of a “sudden cardiac death due to atheroscerotic and hypertensive heart disease.”

Two days before his death, Heard underwent minor back surgery at Stanford Medical Center and was staying in the hotel while he recovered. Officials say, however, that his surgery didn’t play a role in his death.

Toxicology results have not yet been made public.

Although Heard was well-known for his role as Macauley Culkin’s dad in the family film and its sequel, he also appeared in films like Beaches, After Hours, Pelican Brief, and Cat People.

He had multiple stings on television, as well, taking on roles in Miami Vice, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Sopranos, where he won an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Gues Actor, Variety reports.

Heard was briefly married to actress Margot Kidder. He had a son with actress Melissa Leo, as well as a daughter from a later marriage. His second son, Max, died in December of last year.

Photo Credit: Twitter / @latestcelebnew, Getty / Mark Mainz