American professional football player and actor OJ Simpson died on Wednesday April 10 of cancer at the age of 76. He was accused of murdering his wife in what became known as the “OJ Simpson Affair.”
Professional American football player and actor, OJ Simpson was best known in cinema for his role as the down-on-his-luck cop Nordberg in the comedy series “Is There a Cop” with Leslie Nielsen. Accused of the murder of his wife, his trial and its fallout, what became known as the “OJ Simpson Affair” ignited the entire world.
His family confirmed his death on X : “On April 10, our father Orenthal James Simpson succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that we respect his wishes for privacy and grace.”
The OJ Simpson Affair
In 1994, OJ Simpson was accused of murdering his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. Found not guilty during his criminal trial, he was found responsible three years later in civil proceedings and ordered to pay the Goldman family $33.5 million in damages. His case was the subject of the first season of the series American Crime Story. Simpson was played by Cuba Gooding Jr.
Debut as an extra
After a few tiny appearances on TV in 1968, OJ Simpson played an extra in the feature film A Fistful of Leads (1969), before having more notable roles in The Man of the Clan, The Infernal Tower or The Mercenaries. He then appeared in the hit miniseries Roots, and after filming The Gun in the Hand (1979), starred in several headlining TV films including the two “Goldie and the Boxer”.
The adventure “Is there a cop”
He then obtained a role in the “Is There a Cop” saga from the first opus, Is There a Cop to Save the Queen? (1988), in which he played the down-on-his-luck detective Nordberg, partner of Captain Ed Hocken played by George Kennedy. He will then return in Is There a Cop to Save the President? (1991) and Was There a Cop to Save Hollywood? (1994).
New business
In 2008, he was convicted in a case of armed robbery and kidnapping. He had served nine years in prison out of the required 33 years of imprisonment, before being released in October 2017 on parole, having exceeded the age of 70.