Actor Michael Madsen, known for iconic roles in Quentin Tarantino films such as 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Kill Bill', died of cardiac arrest July 3 at his Malibu home 
. His assistant, Dougie Smith, discovered him unresponsive and called 911 
. Madsen, 67, had recently undergone a medical checkup at UCLA for a rotator cuff issue and received a clean bill of health. His last conversation with his assistant on Tuesday was reported as positive, with Madsen sounding 'great' .
At the time of his death, Madsen was actively involved in several independent film projects, including 'Resurrection Road', 'Concessions', and 'Cookbook for Southern Housewives' 
. He was also preparing to publish a new book titled 'Tears for My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems' 
.
Industry colleagues have paid tribute to the actor, with his sister Virginia Madsen describing him as 'thunder and velvet' and 'a poet disguised as an outlaw' 
. Fellow actors James Woods and Robert Rodriguez remembered him as 'sweet', 'larger than life', and 'one of the greats' . Madsen once reflected on his career, saying, 'I could have been a bricklayer... But I got lucky. I got lucky as an actor' 
.
Throughout his four-decade career, Madsen appeared in over 300 films 
, starting with 'WarGames' in 1983 
and including memorable roles in 'Thelma & Louise', 'Free Willy', and 'Die Another Day' 
. His net worth at the time of death was estimated at $500,000, and he leaves behind five surviving children, including actor Christian Madsen .
Actor Michael Madsen, known for iconic roles in Quentin Tarantino films such as 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Kill Bill', died of cardiac arrest July 3 at his Malibu home . His assistant, Dougie Smith, discovered him unresponsive and called 911 . Madsen, 67, had recently undergone a medical checkup at UCLA for a rotator cuff issue and received a clean bill of health. His last conversation with his assistant on Tuesday was reported as positive, with Madsen sounding 'great' .
At the time of his death, Madsen was actively involved in several independent film projects, including 'Resurrection Road', 'Concessions', and 'Cookbook for Southern Housewives' . He was also preparing to publish a new book titled 'Tears for My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems' .
Industry colleagues have paid tribute to the actor, with his sister Virginia Madsen describing him as 'thunder and velvet' and 'a poet disguised as an outlaw' . Fellow actors James Woods and Robert Rodriguez remembered him as 'sweet', 'larger than life', and 'one of the greats' . Madsen once reflected on his career, saying, 'I could have been a bricklayer... But I got lucky. I got lucky as an actor' .
Throughout his four-decade career, Madsen appeared in over 300 films , starting with 'WarGames' in 1983 and including memorable roles in 'Thelma & Louise', 'Free Willy', and 'Die Another Day' . His net worth at the time of death was estimated at $500,000, and he leaves behind five surviving children, including actor Christian Madsen .
✅Neutral reporting,
based on 62 🗞 sources
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