Ernie Lively, actor and father of Blake Lively, dies at 74
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Ernie Lively, a character actor who had turns in the likes of Turner and Hooch and The Dukes of Hazzard, has died. He was 74.
Lively was the father of actor Blake Lively, and his other children, Jason, Eric, Robyn, and Lori, are also actors. He played Blake's father on-screen in two Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants films.
Lively died Thursday, June 3 of cardiac complications, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
He had over 100 credits as an actor with projects that included Passenger 57, Saving Grace, The West Wing, Mulholland Falls, Baywatch, Shocker, The Man in the Moon, and the 1993 film adaptation of The Beverly Hillbillies.
Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage Ernie Lively and Blake Lively
He was born Ernest Brown Jr. on Jan. 29, 1947, in Baltimore, Md. Before becoming an actor, he worked as an English professor and served in the military, moving from lieutenant to captain in the U.S. Marine Corps while serving in Vietnam.
Lively made his screen debut in 1975 as a railroad conductor on an episode of The Waltons. Besides his prolific credits, predominantly as a guest star on television, he also starred with Phil MacHale in Hardee's commercials from 1979-81 as part of the duo Runner & Ernie.
He was also an acting coach, mentoring many young actors throughout his time in the business, including his own children.
Lively is survived by his wife, Elain, and their eight children.
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