John Anthony Carmine Michael "Jackie" Basehart (11 October 1951 – 16 May 2015) was an American-Italian actor.

Parents

Richard Basehart
Valentina Cortese

Life and career

Born in Santa Monica, California, Basehart was the son of actor Richard Basehart and actress Valentina Cortese, who had met while making a film together.

For a few years, between the mid-1970s and the early 1980s, he was among the most requested young actors in Italian cinema, appearing in all sorts of films, even though mainly in supporting roles. At that time he was hailed for "genius and recklessness" because of his excesses, which had ample space in the Italian gossip columns.

Last years and death

Struck by a rare disease, which progressively involved difficulty in swallowing, obesity, several hospitalizations and operations, and gradual paralysis, he died at his home in Milan on 16 May 2015, at age 63, predeceasing his mother.

Partial filmography

• La linea del fiume (1976) - Owen
• Mimì Bluette... fiore del mio giardino (1976) - David Ross
• The Black Corsair (1976) - Corsaro Rosso
• The Inglorious Bastards (1978) - Berle
• The Iron Hand of the Mafia (1980) - Tony
• Sesso e volentieri (1982) - The Prince
• Viuuulentemente mia (1982) - Frank Lovejoy
• Odd Squad (1983) - Pvt. Kirk Jones
• Mai con le donne (1985)
• Festival (1996)
• The Return of Sandokan (1996) - Sir Burton
• Tea with Mussolini (1999) - Count Bernardini (final film role)