When was the first time you realized you loved Sam Shepard? If you're a rom-com fan [1], maybe it was during Baby Boom, where he keeps Diane Keaton [2] (and the audience) swooning. If you're more of an action-lover, maybe you couldn't get enough of him in Black Hawk Down or appreciated his small-but-memorable role in Swordfish. No matter what genre you prefer, it's obvious that Shepard was a man of many talents, who could effortlessly light up any film he appeared in.
The 73-year-old actor and playwright passed away from complications from ALS [3], or Lou Gehrig's disease, on Thursday, and the news left Hollywood reeling. He leaves behind an impeccable film legacy, full of countless incredible roles that are more than deserving of a repeat watch. Check out our favorite picks ahead.
Days of Heaven
Terrence Malick's 1978 romantic drama Days of Heaven kicked off Sam Shepard's career, where he plays a doomed farmer opposite Brooke Adams and Richard Gere [5].
Watch Days of Heaven on Amazon now. [6]
The Notebook
Sure, The Notebook might be all about Noah and Allie (Ryan Gosling [7] and Rachel McAdams [8]), but as Frank Calhoun, Shepard added an extra dose of warmth.
Watch The Notebook on Amazon now. [9]
Mud
Shepard's role in the 2012 drama Mud left quite the impression on costar Matthew McConaughey [10], who had nothing but kind words to say about his late friend after hearing of his death. "I always told [director] Jeff Nichols this, I said the whole trailer for Mud could be Sam Shepard sitting in that green chair telling the boy about who Mud is," McConaughey said. "We lost one of the great ones. Great writer, great mind."
Watch Mud on Amazon now. [11]
Baby Boom
As swoon-worthy vet Dr. Jeff Cooper, Shepard easily went toe to toe with Diane Keaton [12] in 1987's Baby Boom.
Watch Baby Boom on Amazon now. [13]
Swordfish
Shepard flexes his aptitude for dark and twisted stories in this 2001 thriller, playing a senator who gets in way over his head.
Watch Swordfish on Amazon now. [14]
Black Hawk Down
Shepard pops up as MG William F. Garrison in Ridley Scott's 2001 war film.
Watch Black Hawk Down on Amazon now. [15]
The Right Stuff
This 1983 historical drama about the seven military pilots who were chosen to be astronauts for NASA's Project Mercury earned Shepard an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.
Watch The Right Stuff on Amazon now. [16]
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Shepard is joined by Brad Pitt [17], Casey Affleck [18], Sam Rockwell, and Jeremy Renner in this 2007 biopic.
Watch The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford on Amazon now. [19]
The Pelican Brief
In The Pelican Brief, Shepard plays Julia Roberts [20]'s hot law professor (and secret boyfriend), Thomas Callahan.
Watch The Pelican Brief on Amazon now. [21]
Steel Magnolias
Shepard appears in 1989's Steel Magnolias in one of his smaller roles, as Dolly Parton's husband, Spud Jones.
Watch Steel Magnolias on Amazon now. [26]