The Tragic Death Of Actor Earl Boen

Earl Boen, Hollywood legend and acclaimed actor, has died at the age of 81. On January 6, TMZ reported that the longstanding actor passed away in Hawaii. While the family member who revealed that info to TMZ refrained from giving exact details about his cause of death, Boen –– who is survived by his wife Cathy –– was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2022, per Variety. Before his tragic death, Boen cultivated a long and successful career within the movie and television sphere.

With over 200 credits to his name, the revered talent starred in popular projects like "Kojak," "9 to 5," and "Seinfeld," per IMDb. Boen also made waves as a voice-over artist for award-winning game franchises like "Call of Duty," "World of Warcraft" and "Tales of Monkey Island." However, it was the actor's portrayal of Dr. Silberman in James Cameron's "The Terminator" franchise that resulted in the 81-year-old's breakthrough on the pop culture map. In light of the disheartening news, tributes have begun to pour out for the late actor on social media.

Since the news of Earl Boen's death, fans of the beloved actor have uploaded tributes to social media. One fan on Twitter wrote: "I didn't realize he was in 'Alien Nation,' which was cool, albeit not nearly as much as the first two 'Terminator' films. I remember being amused when he showed up in ['Terminator 2']. RIP." Another person wrote: "What an amazing character actor. Never the star, and yet who doesn't know that face RIP Earl Boen."

Throughout his career, Boen has always expressed gratitude for his various film projects, especially regarding the "The Terminator" franchise. When asked about his character's longevity in the franchise, Boen told The Arnold Fans: "I'm like the cockroach that wouldn't die. I just keep turning up and showing up." He added: "Besides [Arnold Schwarzenegger], I'm only one that was in all of the first three Terminator movies. Him and I, we are the only two that can say that." 

While the franchise only had three entries at the time of the interview, Boen stated that he was open to filming more "Terminator" films in the future. "I'm old now [...] but if they called me, I would do it," he revealed. Rest in power, Earl Boen.