Edward Albert, the actor-son of the late screen veteran Eddie Albert who first gained fame starring opposite Goldie Hawn in the 1970s film "Butterflies Are Free" and later became an outspoken environmental activist, passed away on September 22, 2006. He was 55. "No Regrets" was one of his last starring roles and teamed him with the love of his youth, Kate Jackson, whom he hadn't seen in thirty years.

Edward Laurence Albert was born in Hollywood, California on February 20, 1951, the son of Eddie Albert (Green Acres, Heartbreak Kid, Roman Holiday, etc.). He grew up surrounded by some of the most remarkable people of our times and many of the greats of stage and the Golden Era of screen. His godfather and namesake is Lord Laurence Olivier (Hamlet, etc.). His friend and mentor was Orson Welles. And he traveled with Muhammad Ali and Buckminster Fuller.

Edward starred in his first film in 1961 at the age of eleven (Fool Killer) though his first appearance was on television at the age of one. His stage debut in Los Angeles was at the Mark Taper Forum in Gordon Davidson's Hamlet. His London debut was directed by Orson Welles (A Terribly Strange Bed). He had nearly ninety feature films to his credit. He won numerous awards from his fans and his peers (Golden Globe winner and multiple nominee, two Golden Eagles, the Broadcast Media Award, etc.). On television, Edward starred as a regular in several series (Time Force, Beauty and the Beast, etc.) and guest starred on a number of others.

He directed feature films (Forbidden Planet, The House, etc.) and public service shorts (California State Parks), worked successfully as a screenwriter (Icerunner, Accidents, Okavango, etc.) and as an award-winning poet and newspaper columnist (The Dolphin's EYE). He has traveled extensively as a photojournalist and has had his work published (National Geographic, PACE, etc.) and shown internationally (Lisson Gallery, London). More >

Educated at UCLA (psychology and art majors) and at Oxford University in England (Shakespeare, Russian poetry), Edward was a 'Distinguished Visiting Professor' and 'Guest Lecturer' who taught at notable universities. Latino on his mother's side, Edward also taught at Plaza de la Raza, a community arts center for Latino children that he helped co-found in 1974. He worked successfully with gang members, making a series of videos for LAUSD and starting the ELA film school in the heart of the barrio with world-class lecturers and teachers.

During his lifetime commitment to public service and political activism, Edward created extensive legislation and shepherded bills to law in the areas of children's education, environmental protection and Native American Indian rights. He was honored and commended by the United Nations,and the U.S. Senate. He was Native American Commissioner and California State Coastal Commissioner, appointed by both Republican and Democratic Governors of California.

Edward lived with his family in a home he helped build with his own hands. Since 1980, he and his actress wife Kate Woodville operated an equestrian training/boarding facility, Hawks Ranch Sport Horses, at their seaside ranch in Malibu, which is where Edward died in his sleep after a battle with lung cancer. He was surrounded by his immediate family and a few close friends, including a Chumash medicine woman, who performed a traditional ceremony.

Edward devoted the last decade of his life to caring for his father, who had Alzheimer's disease and died in 2005 at age 99. Edward's survived by his wife, Kate, and their daughter, Thais, a singer-songwriter for the rock band Sugar in Wartime. < Previous