Linda Manz, best known for starring in the films Days Of Heaven and Out Of The Blue, has died aged 58.
The actor’s death was confirmed by her family, who said she died of pneumonia and lung cancer.
Writing on a GoFundMe page set up for her funeral, her son, Michael Guthrie, wrote: “Linda was a loving wife, a caring mom, a wonderful grandma and a great friend who was loved by many.”
Born in 1961 in New York City, Manz was best known for her role as the narrator in Terrence Malick’s Days of Heaven (1978). The director cast her in the movie starring Richard Gere when she was 15, and enhanced her role after being impressed with her improvisational skills.
The actor’s other credits include Philip Kaufman’s The Wanderers (1979), Dennis Hopper’s cult film Out Of The Blue (1980), and in 1997 she starred in Gummo, directed by Spring Breakers‘ Harmony Korine.
She also appeared as Frankie in the TV series Dorothy (1979), and had a small role in David Fincher’s thriller The Game (1997), which starred Michael Douglas and Sean Penn.
Tributes for Manz have begun to be paid on social media, including one from her The Wanderers co-star Ken Wahl.
Sharing a number of polaroids from their time on the set of the film, Wahl wrote: “She was great to work with and I am grateful that I got to speak with her before she passed this morning. RIP Pee Wee.”
These are Linda Manz's Polaroids. (From the movie, The Wanderers 1979) She was great to work with and I am grateful that I got to speak with her before she passed this morning. RIP Pee Wee (Linda Manz.)
Posted by KEN WAHL on Friday, August 14, 2020
Primal Scream, who sampled Manz’s voice on their 2000 song ‘Kill All Hippies’, paid tribute, writing: “R.I.P. We sampled Linda’s voice from Dennis Hopper’s Out of the Blue on Kill All Hippies. ” Subvert normality , fuck you ! Anarchy ! disco sucks ! kill all hippies !”
Linda Manz R.I.P. We sampled Linda's voice from Dennis Hopper's Out of the Blue on Kill All Hippies. " Subvert normality , fuck you ! Anarchy ! disco sucks ! kill all hippies !" pic.twitter.com/KQXobbvKiY
— Primal Scream (@ScreamOfficial) August 15, 2020
Russian Doll‘s Natasha Lyonne, who once described Manz’s performance in Out Of The Blue as one of her “safe havens” in the world, posted a series of stills of the actor at work.
Rest In Peace #LindaManz
pic.twitter.com/ixoZNXvgnX
— natasha lyonne (@nlyonne) August 15, 2020
Director Stephen Cone (Princess Cyd) added: “I can count on two hands the movies that mean as much to me as Days of Heaven, & on *one* the performances and scenes that mean as much as Linda Manz’s and this final grace note. I’m so sad she’s gone. Just barely of this Earth.”
I can count on two hands the movies that mean as much to me as DAYS OF HEAVEN, & on *one* the performances and scenes that mean as much as Linda Manz's and this final grace note. I'm so sad she's gone. Just barely of this Earth. https://t.co/Wo8LCITlYh
— Stephen Cone (@stephendcone) August 15, 2020
See more tributes below:
"This girl, she didn't know where she was gonna go or what she was gonna do. Maybe she'd meet up with a character. I was really hopin' things would work out for her. She was a good friend of mine."
Rest in peace, Linda Manz. pic.twitter.com/Dhrl7IYlDt
— Bilge Ebiri (@BilgeEbiri) August 15, 2020
Very sad to see reports on Facebook of the death of Linda Manz, whose work in (and narration of) Terrence Malick's Days of Heaven is one of those those performances that, as soon as you see it, you know will stay with you forever.
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) August 15, 2020
R.I.P. Linda Manz, one of the greats pic.twitter.com/MkbaRF7n66
— Harry Eskin (@harryeskin) August 15, 2020
RIP Linda Manz. Unforgettable in DAYS OF HEAVEN and OUT OF THE BLUE. pic.twitter.com/43j6aMqX8T
— Michael Glover Smith (@whitecitycinema) August 15, 2020
Safe travels, Linda Manz
Days of Heaven (1978)
Malick pic.twitter.com/NL8HLsA5tG— Reconsidering Cinema (@coenesqued) August 15, 2020
I’m hearing that Linda Manz passed away. Best remembered for her performance and naturalistic narration in DAYS OF HEAVEN. This sudden cut to her about halfway through the film at once stopped and broke my heart. RIP pic.twitter.com/6hWOxiSoxh
— Jesse Hawken (@jessehawken) August 15, 2020
Actor Ken Wahl just posted on Facebook that Linda Manz died this morning. One of my favorite actresses, loved her in The Wanderers, Days of Heaven, etc. She was younger than I am! RIP pic.twitter.com/nivGbDxzN0
— James L Neibaur (@JimLNeibaur) August 15, 2020
I love that Fincher used Linda Manz in The Game twice.
If you have sharp eyes you'll see her photo from Days of Heaven on the wall in the Chinese restaurant. pic.twitter.com/4Kf416SooG— Will McCrabb (@mccrabb_will) August 15, 2020
RIP Linda Manz of Days Of Heaven, one of our favourite films pic.twitter.com/sRVy0WbPDc
— Young Galaxy (@younggalaxy) August 15, 2020
The post ‘Days Of Heaven’ and ‘Out Of The Blue’ actor Linda Manz has died appeared first on NME Music News, Reviews, Videos, Galleries, Tickets and Blogs | NME.COM.
