'Mad Max' star Hugh Keays-Byrne dies at 73; Ted Geoghegan pens emotional note

Hugh Keays-Byrne, popular for his roles as iconic villains in Mad Max: Fury Road and Toecutter in the original Mad Max movie in the year 1979, has died at the age of 73 years. Brian Trenchard-Smith who directed The Man From Hong Kong took to his Facebook handle and informed his fans that Hugh died peacefully in a hospital on Tuesday, i.e. December 1, 2020. Many of his friends and family paid tribute to the late actor on their social media handles.

Mad Max actor Hugh Keays-Byrne dies at the age of 73

Also read: Charlize Theron Calls It 'heartbreaking' To Not Star In 'Mad Max: Fury Road' Sequel

Filmmaker Ted Geoghegan took to his Twitter handle and remembered the late actor. He called Hugh Jeays-Byrne 'an unsung hero of Aussie cinema' and continued that he is 'continually floored' that he played Toecutter, the central antagonist of 1979’s Mad Max and Immortan Joe, the central antagonist 2015’s MAD MAX: FURY ROAD. "Thanks for all the entertainment, sir," he wrote.

He further penned an emotional note and said that Hugh Keays-Byrne 'was an absolutely wonderful human who fought very hard for environmental and humanitarian issues'.

"This photo of him from earlier this year says it all. You will ride eternal, shiny and chrome,'' he wrote.

Also read: 'Black Beauty' Trailer Out: Featuring Voice Of Kate Winslet, Movie To Release On Nov 27

Brian Trenchard while paying tribute to the Mad Max star confirmed the death on December 2, 2020. He wrote, “Hugh had a generous heart, offering a helping hand to people in need, or a place to stay to a homeless teenager. He cared about social justice and preserving the environment long before these issues became fashionable”. “His life was governed by his sense of the oneness of humanity. We will miss his example and his friendship. Vale. Hugh”, he added.

Also read: Mad Max: Fury Road And The Franchise Is Based On Real-life Apocalypse Of 1970s?

Hugh Keays was born in Kashmir, India in the year 1947. He started his acting career in Australia and gained credits and recognition in the television series Bellbird in the year 1967 which was created by Barbara Vernon. Throughout the 60s and early 70s, he continued to essay various roles such as Morrie Grosse in Brian Trenchard’s action drama The Dragon Flies in the year 1975. Moreover, the late actor rose to fame with George Miller’s Mad Max in the year 1979, however in the original action drama, Keays-Byrne was featured as Toecutter, the head of the movie’s biker troupe. After almost thirty-six years later, the actor played Immortan Joe in Mad Max: Fury Road in the year 2015.

Image Source: A still from Mad Max: Fury Road

Also read: Angelina Jolie To Direct Tom Hardy In British Photographer Don McCullin's Biopic