The actor portraying Blake's father in 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' was reportedly surrounded by his five children and wife of 42 years Elaine at the time of his death.
- Jun 10, 2021
AceShowbiz - Blake Lively's father Ernie Lively has died. The actor, who portrayed Blake's dad in the two "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" films, reportedly passed away at the age of 74 after suffering cardiac complications.
Ernie's family confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that he breathed his last on Thursday, June 3 in Los Angeles. He was surrounded by his wife of 42 years Elaine Lively and their five children, including, 54-year-old Lori Lively, 53-year-old Jason Lively, 49-year-old Robyn Lively, 39-year-old Eric Lively and 33-year-old Blake.
Having numerous acting credits under his belt, Ernie appeared in several movies which included "Passenger 57", "Turner & Hooch", "The Man in the Moon" and "Showdown in Little Tokyo". He was also known for starring in "Air America" and "Shocker".
Ernie also made appearances on a number of TV shows, such as, "The Dukes of Hazzard", "The X-Files", "Seinfeld", "That '70s Show" and "Murder, She Wrote". He also starred as Mr. Loch / Georgia Congressman on "The West Wing".
Before stepping into the film industry, the father of five was an English professor and a captain in the U.S. Marine Corp, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He also had served as a lieutenant in the Vietnam War.
Back in 2013, Ernie underwent heart surgery in Utah upon learning his heart was only partially functioning. After connected with Dr. Amit Patel, a professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine's Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, he became the first known patient to undergo retrograde gene therapy for the heart, in which his own stem cells were injected into his heart to repair damaged muscle and arteries.
"I woke up the other morning and told my wife, 'I haven't felt this good in years,' " he told PEOPLE after the medical procedure. "I moved to Utah because of the snow, but I haven't been able to ski. I literally didn't have the heart to do it. Now, I'm excited about living the rest of my life instead of sitting around. Dr. Patel saved my life."
