Former Senator, Actor, Fred Thompson Dead At 73 [VIDEO]

A man who made his mark across many professions has died at the age of 73.

Fred Thompson mastered many careers throughout his life: TV and movie actor, radio host, politician. He ran for U.S. President in 2008 but fell short in the Republican primary. Thompson’s family announced his death in a statement:

“It is with a heavy heart and a deep sense of grief that we share the passing of our brother, husband, father, and grandfather who died peacefully in Nashville surrounded by his family,” the statement said.

It continued: "Fred once said that the experiences he had growing up in small-town Tennessee formed the prism through which he viewed the world and shaped the way he dealt with life.  Fred stood on principle and common sense, and had a deep love for and connection with the people across Tennessee whom he had the privilege to serve in the United States Senate.

Thompson served in the senate from December 1994 to January 2003. Following his time in D.C., he played District Attorney Arthur Branch on Law & Order for five seasons.

His movie highlights included roles in The Hunt For Red October and Die Hard 2. After retiring from politics, Thompson also hosted a radio talk show between 2009 and 2011.

Someone edited together many of Thompson's best movie moments here:

And here's a wonderful two minutes of Fred Thompson explaining federalism: