US actor Bud Cort, best known for his role in the 1971 cult classic Harold and Maude, has died aged 77.
Writer and producer Dorian Hannaway, a close friend, said he died after "a long illness". The BBC has reached out to Cort's representatives.
A veteran actor of stage and screen, Cort appeared in more than 80 films and TV series, including Wes Anderson's quirky comedy The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.
But it was his star turn as a young, death obsessed Harold who falls in love with Maude, a charming elderly Holocaust survivor played by Ruth Gordon, in Hal Ashby's beloved film that stayed with audiences throughout his 50-year career.
While Harold and Maude was originally a commercial and critical flop, it later gained traction in the 1970s through a loyal cult following thanks to its unique dark humour and quirky romantic pairing.
