Alabama native, actor and former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson dies at 73

Fred Thompson, a native of Sheffield, Alabama who went on to a four decades-long career in the public eye as a lawyer, politician and actor, has died at the age of 73.

Thompson was minority counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee in the 1970s and is credited with supplying Republican Sen. Howard Baker with the famous question, “What did the President know, and when did he know it?”

In the 1980s he stumbled into a new career in television and film after being asked to play himself in a movie about Tennessee Governor Ray Blanton’s “clemency for cash” scandal, in which Thompson served as the attorney for the whistleblower who brought the scandal to light. He went on to star in various Hollywood blockbusters, including No Way Out, Die Hard 2 and The Hunt for Red October, but his most famous and long-running role was as conservative District Attorney Arthur Branch in NBC’s television series Law and Order.

In 1994, Thompson was elected to complete then-Vice President Al Gore’s term in the Senate. Two years later he was re-elected to a full term, which concluded in 2003. His lifetime rating with the American Conservative Union was 86.1 percent.

After a short stint in radio and as a syndicated columnist, Thompson launched a presidential bid in 2007. He withdrew from the race in 2008 while running third or fourth in most polls. He spoke at the 2008 Republican National Convention in support of GOP nominee and his former senate colleague John McCain.

Thompson returned to acting and remained a beloved figure in and out of conservative political circles until his death Sunday afternoon after a recurrence of lymphoma.

His family released the following statement announcing his passing:

It is with a heavy heart and a deep sense of grief that we share the passing of our brother, husband, father, and grandfather who died peacefully in Nashville surrounded by his family.

Fred once said that the experiences he had growing up in small-town Tennessee formed the prism through which he viewed the world and shaped the way he dealt with life. Fred stood on principle and common sense, and had a deep love for and connection with the people across Tennessee whom he had the privilege to serve in the United States Senate. He enjoyed a hearty laugh, a strong handshake, a good cigar, and a healthy dose of humility. Fred was the same man on the floor of the Senate, the movie studio, or the town square of Lawrenceburg, his home.

Fred believed that the greatness of our nation was defined by the hard work, faith, and honesty of its people. He had an enduring belief in the exceptionalism of our country, and that America could provide the opportunity for any boy or girl, in any corner of our country, to succeed in life.