'Nashville' actor Allen Garfield dead at 80 due to coronavirus complications

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Actor Allen Garfield, known for his roles in films like “The Conversation,” “The Candidate,” “The Stunt Man” and “Nashville,” died at age 80 due to complications from the coronavirus, according to multiple reports.

Actress Ronee Blakely, who played Garfield’s on-screen wife in “Nashville,” shared the news of the actor’s death in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

“RIP Allen Garfield, the great actor who played my husband in ‘Nashville’, has died today of Covid; I hang my head in tears; condolences to family and friends; I will post more later; cast and crew, sending love,” she wrote.

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Garfield’s sister, Lois Goorwitz, confirmed the news of his death to The Hollywood Reporter. After suffering a stroke just before he was set to appear in Roman Polanski's “The Ninth Gate” in 1999, he had another one in 2004. As a result, Garfield moved to the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, Calif. However, it's unclear if he was there at the time of his death.

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Representatives for the facility did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.

Born Allen Goorwitz on Nov. 22, 1939, Deadline reports that the Newark, New Jersey native got his start as an amateur boxer and worked as a sportswriter and editor at The Star-Ledger before being bit by the acting bug. He went to New York and studied under the acclaimed Lee Strasberg at The Actors Studio. Garfield began his acting career on the stage before pivoting over to movies in the 1970s.

Actor Allen Garfield died at age 80 due to the coronavirus. (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

He was often cast as nervous, jumpy or corrupt types on screen. Some may remember him as the bristly chief of police in the Eddie Murphy comedy “Beverly Hills Cop II” or from Woody Allen’s “Bananas, The Organization.” His resume also includes other roles such as “The Cotton Club,” “A State of Things” and “Until the End of the World.”

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He is survived by his sister.