Veteran actor Peter Jason, best known for his role as Con Stapleton in the HBO Western series Deadwood, has died at age 80. At this time, a cause of death for the NCIS star has not yet been revealed. His death was confirmed by his colleagues, including Halloween director John Carpenter, who described him as "one of the great character actors in cinema." Carpenter expressed his sorrow, saying, "He was a dear friend and I’ll miss him terribly," on X.
On Thursday, Billy Zane, who appeared alongside Jason in the 2008 film The Man Who Came Back, shared a heartfelt tribute honoring his late friend. “If there are no words, then there certainly is no music... My dear, dear friend, the brightest light, most generous soul and gregarious of men, the supremely talented and kind Peter Jason has left the set,” Zane wrote.
Zane continued with personal reflections, stating, “Survived by his lovely wife Eileen and his children, the vacuum felt by his passing gut punched me as I saw it coming.” He also noted his efforts to choose appropriate music for the tribute, humorously concluding, “See you on the back 9 my friend!”
Matthew Asner, son of the late actor Ed Asner, took to Facebook to share his heartbreak over Jason’s passing, saying, “My dear friend and my father’s best friend, Peter Jason, passed away today. What a loss! He was truly one of the sweetest people on the planet. My heart goes out to his wife and daughter.” He added, “Peter, I hope you and my dad are up there laughing your a**es off.”
Not only did fellow actors express their grief, but fans of Jason also took to X to mourn the actor and celebrate his legacy. “He was great in everything! That voice!! His legacy is strong but he will be missed,” one fan wrote. Another added, “I loved him. He was one of the great character actors ever.” A third remarked, “He was incredible. Loved him on Deadwood as well. He seemed like the nicest of men and an absolutely fabulous actor.”
Throughout his prolific career, Jason earned more than 260 film and TV credits. Notably, he starred as Con Stapleton from 2004 to 2006 across 26 episodes of Deadwood and even reprised his role for the 2019 film, Deadwood: The Movie.
His acting career began with an unnamed role as duty officer in the 1967 TV movie A Bell for Adano. He went on to appear in productions like Here Come the Brides, Gunsmoke, Rio Lobo, and The Blue and the Gray. Among his notable roles, Jason famously played a soccer coach in the 1980s cult classic The Karate Kid, featured prominently on Remington Steele, and starred in horror-slasher films such as Trick or Treats, Prince of Darkness, and In the Mouth of Madness.
Jason also made memorable guest appearances on NCIS, portraying Robert King, and had roles on shows like Desperate Housewives and Arrested Development. He contributed his voice to the video games Gears of War 2 and Fallout 2 and appeared in the music video for Meat Loaf’s Bat of Hell II.
Born in Hollywood, Jason grew up in Balboa Peninsula, Newport Beach, where he attended local schools. He graduated from Orange Coast College and later studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University. The actor was married to Eileen Jason from 1979 until his death, and together, they welcomed their daughter Robin Goldwasser, who is now a playwright and the wife of musician John Flansburgh.
Peter Jason's impressive career and the emotional tributes following his passing reflect his enduring legacy and the impact he made on those who knew him and the audiences he captivated. His contributions to film and television have left a lasting mark, ensuring he will be remembered fondly by friends, family, and fans alike.