Actor/athlete Frank McRae attends the “Last Action Hero” Westwood premiere on June 13, 1993 at the Mann Village Bruin Theatres in Westwood, California.
Frank McRae, the American actor who appeared in films such as “Licence to Kill” and “Last Action Hero,” has died. He was 80.
McRae died in Santa Monica, Calif. on April 29 as a result of a heart attack, his daughter-in-law confirmed to Variety.
McRae was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He brief stint in the American football league NFL as a defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams. He later found fame in the film industry.
In his 30-plus years as a character actor, he appeared in over 40 films. Standing at approximately six-and-a-half feet tall, McRae quickly made a name for himself playing burly tough guys in films like “Hard Times,” “Big Wednesday” and “F.I.S.T.” with Sylvester Stallone. McRae would go on to appear in three more films with Stallone in the ’70s and ’80s, including “Paradise Alley,” “Lock Up” and “Rocky II.”
Frank McRae and Sylvester Stallone in “Lock Up” (1989) – Alamy Stock Photo
The performer is perhaps best known for playing the James Bond ally Sharkey in the 1989 spy flick “License To Kill.”
James Bond’s official Twitter account also paid homage to McRae, writing: “We are sorry to hear that Frank McRae, who played Sharkey in Licence To Kill, has passed away. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
McRae is survived by his son Marcellus and his grandchildren Camden, Jensen and Holden. Donations in his memory can be made to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an orphan elephant rescue and wildlife rehabilitation program in Kenya.
