‘American Graffiti’ Actor Bo Hopkins’ Cause of Death Revealed

Actor Bo Hopkins died at the age of 84 Saturday after suffering a heart attack on May 9, his wife of 33 years, Sian Eleanor Green, told Entertainment Weekly Sunday. The actor, who appeared in movies and television shows such as The Wild Bunch and American Graffiti throughout his storied career, passed away at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys, California following his cardiac event.

“It is with great sadness that we announce that Bo has passed away,” reads a statement on Hopkins’ official website. “Bo loved hearing from his fans from around the world, and although he was unable to respond to every email over the last few years, he appreciated hearing from each and every one of you.” Hopkins “loved his life in Hollywood, especially the many friends he made in his movies,” his representative said in a statement to USA Today. “He made friends that ran the gamut of each film and most of those friendships lasted a lifetime.”

Hopkins was born on Feb. 2, 1938, in Greenville, South Carolina and first began acting at the famous Desilu Playhouse under the guidance of Uta Hagen. His first major film role was in the western classic The Wild Bunch, directed by Sam Peckinpah, in which he played opposite Ernest Borgnine and William Holden in 1969. Hopkins would go on to work with Peckinpah for two more villainous performances – once opposite Steve McQueen in 1972’s The Getaway and again alongside James Caan in 1975’s The Killer Elite.

Hopkins’ most well-known role is that of the leader of the Pharaohs in American Graffiti in 1973, but he would also play roles on the side of the law throughout his career, including in movies like 1976’s A Small Town in Texas, 1989’s The Bounty Hunter, 1995’s Texas Payback, and 2001’s A Crack in the Floor. Hopkins was also no stranger to television roles, appearing in a number of well-known shows including Dynasty, Charlie’s Angels, Fantasy Island, Hotel, The A-Team, and Murder, She Wrote throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Hopkins’ final film credit was in Ron Howard’s 2020 film Hillbilly Elegy, in which he played J.D. Vance’s grandfather. Hopkins is survived by his wife and two children, Matthew and Jane.