Wings Hauser, the fan-favorite character actor and father of Yellowstone star Cole Hauser, has died at 77.
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The official Wings Hauser Facebook page revealed that the prolific veteran actor passed away over the weekend. “Movie icon Wings Hauser took flight in the arms of his film & music partner, Cali Lili Hauser, at their studio this weekend,” the post read.
A cause of death has not been disclosed.
According to JoBlo.com, in the 1970s, Hauser went through tough times, including a period of homelessness when he and his infant daughter, Bright, lived in an empty garage. Things started to improve after the release of Your Love Keeps Me Off the Streets and a guest role on Cannon, which helped him join the Screen Actors Guild. These achievements allowed him to find stable housing for himself and his daughter.
Meanwhile, from 1975 to 2019, he built an extensive career in film and television, appearing in over 110 projects. His credits include popular TV shows like Magnum, P.I., The A-Team, Murder, She Wrote, CSI: Miami, and Criminal Minds, as well as films such as A Soldier’s Story, Tales from the Hood, and The Insider. Known for his roles in action movies and thrillers, he starred in titles like Deadly Force, Marked for Murder, and The Siege of Firebase Gloria.
Wings Hauser Sketches Beyond Acting with Writing and Directing
Hauser showcased his versatility by both starring in and directing films like Skins, Living to Die, and Coldfire. He co-wrote the screenplays for Skins and No Safe Haven, contributed to the script for Beastmaster 2, and developed the story for the 1983 film Uncommon Valor. Although he didn’t act in Uncommon Valor, his work earned him a credit as an associate producer.
Meanwhile, Hauser is fondly remembered for his turns in direct-to-video action and horror films of the 80s and 90s. Just two weeks ago, Hauser’s 1988 horror action film Nightmare at Noon was profiled by YouTubers Red Letter Media.
Prolific horror movie host and culture critic Joe Bob Briggs also paid tribute to Hauser on X.
“In the early 90s, Wings Hauser was living on a little boat in the Marina Del Rey harbor,” Briggs wrote. [He] was always up for a few beers at sunset. Telling funny stories about the acting life and his love/hate of it. He was a bro in all the good senses of the word. RIP.”
Wings Hauser was first married to Jane Boltinhouse, with whom he had a daughter named Bright. He later married Cass Warner Sperling, and together they had a son, actor Cole Hauser. At the time of his passing, he was married to Cali Lili Hauser.