Actor Robert Blake, known for his long and controversial career, has died at 89, his niece Noreen Austin confirmed. She said he passed away peacefully at home from heart disease, surrounded by family. In his later years, Blake spent his time playing guitar, watching old films, and listening to jazz.
Blake began acting in the late 1930s, debuting as a child in Bridal Suite (1939). Over the decades, he appeared in nearly 150 productions, including his acclaimed roles in In Cold Blood and the hit TV series Baretta, which earned him an Emmy Award. His final dramatic performance came in David Lynch’s Lost Highway (1997).