‘Basic Instinct,’ ‘S.W.A.T.’ star Denis Arndt dead at 86

Denis Arndt, the Tony Award-nominated actor whose many onscreen roles included starring in “S.W.A.T.” and famously interrogating Sharon Stone in “Basic Instinct,” has died. He was 86.

Arndt died “peacefully in his bed” at his longtime cabin home in Ashland, Oregon on Tuesday, his family announced in an obituary published Wednesday.

“In his own way, Dad lived his life as a full and generous performance, known for his incredible wit, charm, rebel spirit, irreverence, sense of humor, grittiness, and passion for his art,” Arndt’s family wrote.

“His legacy, both on and off stage, will live on in the hearts of family, friends, and community members,” they continued. “He was charming, handsome, present in the moment, spontaneous, and magnetic – a true Renaissance man.”

Arndt was born in Issaquah, Washington on Feb. 23, 1939 – which his family noted was the same year that the classic movie “The Wizard of Oz,” was released and pioneered the use of Technicolor in cinema.

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“That was like Dad’s life,” his family wrote. “It started out in black and white and blossomed into a life of color, brilliance, daring adventure, and passion.”

Arndt served as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War and was awarded the Purple Heart twice. After leaving the military, Arndt flew helicopters in Alaska before moving to Seattle, where he launched his acting career after a friend convinced him to audition at a local theater.

“Of course, Dad got the main role,” his family wrote. “And he was brilliant. He carried his brilliance, passion, and dedication into his second career as an actor, both on stage and on screen.”

Arndt’s family noted that he “spent multiple seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival” in Ashland before embarking on a career in Hollywood.

The actor made his onscreen debut in the 1974 TV movie “Runaway on Rogue River” and his early television career included guest appearances in “The Wonder Years,” “Murder, She Wrote” and “Life Goes On.”

Arndt played the husband of Mary Tyler Moore’s titular character in the TV series “Annie McGuire” from 1988 to 1989. From 1990 to 1991, he had a recurring role in David E. Kelly’s “L.A. Law.” Kelley would later cast Arndt in a number of his other legal dramas including “Picket Fences,” “Ally McBeal,” “The Practice” and “Boston Legal.”

 “He has earned a standing ovation for the remarkable life he led,”

— Denis Arndt’s family

One of Arndt’s earliest film roles was in the 1992 erotic thriller “Basic Instinct.” He portrayed Lieutenant Phillip Walker, one of the investigators who interrogated Sharon Stone’s character Catherine Tramell in one of movie’s most iconic scenes. 

He appeared in the 1995 drama “How to Make An American Quilt” and the 2001 sports drama “Undisputed.”

In 2003, Arndt starred as Sgt. Howard in “S.W.A.T.,” the action thriller movie based on the 1970s series of the same name.

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In addition to his appearances in Kelley’s TV shows, Arndt’s later television work included guest roles in “Grey’s Anatomy,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Vanished,” “Supernatural” and “The Good Fight.”

Arndt’s final onscreen work included a 2018 guest appearance on the TV show “How to Get Away with Murder” and a role in the 2023 short film “The Do-Over.”

In his obituary, Arndt’s family wrote that he “reached the pinnacle of his career” when he received a Tony Award nomination for his performance in the Broadway play “Heisenberg” in 2017.

Arndt’s family noted that they would hold a private funeral service for the actor, adding “in lieu of flowers, he would request you go grab life by the balls and follow your passion.”

“As the final curtain falls, we bid farewell to our Dad, knowing he has earned a standing ovation for the remarkable life he led,” the obituary concluded.

Arndt is survived by his wife of 45 years, Magee Downey, his seven children and “many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great- grandchildren” as well as his niece.