John Heard, "Home Alone" actor, dead at 71

John Heard, the actor best known for his roles in "Home Alone" and "The Sopranos," has died, the Santa Clara Medical Examiner-Coroner confirmed to CBS News. He was 71.

Early reports from TMZ said Heard was found dead in his hotel room in Palo Alto, California.

Earlier this week, representatives for Heard told TMZ the actor underwent minor back surgery at Stanford Medical Center on Wednesday. They said he planned to stay at the hotel during his recovery.

His appearance manager, Dominic Mancini, told CBS News that Heard was an amazing talent.

"I spoke with John last week and he mentioned he was focused on improving his health and was having a procedure done to help his back pain. I called his cell phone and there is no answer," he said.

Mancini added, "I don't have contact with anyone in his family. I will miss John. He was truly one of a kind and an amazing talent. His blend of comedy and quirkiness was unmatched."

Heard is widely known for his portrayal of Peter McCallister, the father in the 1990 film "Home Alone" and its 1992 sequel "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York."

Heard also appeared in "Big," "After Hours" and "Beaches." He received an Emmy nomination in 1999 for his guest role in "The Sopranos" as Vin Makazian, a corrupt police detective from Newark, New Jersey.

"At the time, we didn't know the movie was funny," Heard told the Baltimore Media Blog in 2016. "We were playing the parents who lost their kid, so we didn't how funny-stupid we could be."

The coroner has launched an investigation into the cause of Heard's death, which is unclear at this time.

Friends and fellow Hollywood stars remembered Heard on Saturday.

Jeff Bridges, his co-star in "Cutter's Way," tweeted, "My heart goes out to his family and loved ones. We miss & love you, John."

Bridges added, "I got to experience his artistry and dedication firsthand."

Elijah Wood, who starred in 1992's "Radio Flyer" with Heard, tweeted, "Sad to hear of John's passing."

       
NOTE: This story has been corrected to show John Heard was 71, not 72.