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Deadwood and Karate Kid Actor Peter Jason Dead at 80; Exploring His Life and Legacy as Tributes Pour in From Colleagues
The legendary actor known for playing Con Stapleton in HBO's Deadwood passed away at 80. Peter Jason has played many memorable roles in his seven-decade-long career. Take a look!
Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of death.
Legendary actor Peter Jason tragically passed away at the age of 80. The news was confirmed on Thursday, February 20, by Halloween director John Carpenter, among other colleagues. Carpenter took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce the heartbreaking news, remembering his dear friend Jason as “one of the great character actors in cinema.”
Over his decades-long career, Jason played numerous roles but was most memorably known for portraying the dim-witted card dealer Con Stapleton in HBO’s Deadwood. His career began in the mid-1960s with the CBS comedy sketch show The Red Skelton Show.
The 1970 movie Rio Lobo marked his big-screen debut. His other credits include the Western series Here Come the Brides and Gunsmoke, among others. He also appeared in the Pierce Brosnan-led series Remington Steele. Although his role was small, Jason is also remembered for playing the soccer coach in The Karate Kid.
Born in July 1944, Jason grew up in Newport Beach and studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University. After news of his passing broke, Jason’s friends and colleagues expressed their grief and offered condolences to his loved ones.
Actor Billy Zane paid tribute to his “dear friend,” describing him as the “brightest light” with the most generous soul. Late actor Ed Asner’s son, Matthew, remembered his father’s best friend with a heartfelt tribute. In a Facebook post, he admitted to being “heartbroken” over the news and described Jason as one of the sweetest people he had ever known.
Matthew also extended his deepest condolences to the late actor’s family and close friends. Concluding his tribute on a lighter note, he wrote, “Peter, I hope you and my dad are up there laughing your asses off.”
Jason is survived by his wife, Eileen, and the rest of his extended family.
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