Stacy Keach, Mike Hammer And Blue Bloods Star, Dead At 85

Stacy Keach, who starred as private eye Mike Hammer in a pair of CBS series before playing authority figures on "Titus" and "Blue Bloods," has died at the age of 85.

"It is with profound sadness and a broken heart that I announce the passing of my darling husband, Stacy Keach, who passed away on November 10th, 2026, at our family home in Magdalenka, Poland," his wife Malgosia said in a statement.

"After a long and difficult battle with a serious heart condition and heart failure, Stacy peacefully departed this world," the statement continued. "He fought for so long, with extraordinary courage, determination and strength. He was a true warrior, facing his illness with the same remarkable spirit and resilience that defined his life. Stacy was not only a legendary actor, admired and loved by audiences the world over, but also my beloved husband, my companion and the heart of our family. His passing leaves an immeasurable emptiness in our lives. But his extraordinary spirit, his unforgettable voice and the love he gave so generously will remain with us forever."

Stacy Keach began his career on the stage, earning accolades for his work with the New York Shakespeare Festival. He also had a number of memorable film roles, including as Sergeant Stedenko in the Cheech and Chong stoner classic "Up in Smoke." But TV fans know him best as Mike Hammer, the hard-boiled private investigator he played first in "Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer," which debuted on CBS in 1984 and earned Keach a Golden Globe nomination. The series ran for two seasons before abruptly ending when Keach was sentenced to nine months in prison for drug smuggling, but was revived after he was released with a 1986 TV movie and then a new series, "The New Mike Hammer," which ran for one additional season and ended in 1987. He later returned to the role in "Mike Hammer, Private Eye," which aired for a season in syndication from 1997 to 1998.

Keach went on to play the title character's hard-drinking dad in the Fox sitcom "Titus" and recurred as warden Henry Pope on "Prison Break." He also recurred on the CBS drama "Blue Bloods" as Archbishop (and later Cardinal) Kevin Kearns, who often consulted with Tom Selleck's character Frank Reagan. Plus, he narrated the long-running CNBC true-crime docuseries "American Greed." His other TV credits included "The Blacklist," "Man With a Plan," and "NCIS: New Orleans."