LOS ANGELES: Actor-turned-US politician Fred Thompson has lost his battle with cancer. He was 73. Thompson passed away at his home in Nashville, Tennessee on November 1 from a recurrence of lymphoma, according to a statement from his family, reported CNN.

“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 read.

Thompson began his career as an attorney, as he took on cases in both Nashville and Washington, DC, and also served as a lobbyist in the nation’s capital. He later tried his hand in showbiz and took on the role of a district attorney on classic legal drama Law & Order, serving as a show regular for five years until 2007, and reprising his role on several episodes of Law & Order spin-offs including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

He also appeared on TV series such as Roseanne, Matlock, and The Good Wife, and his big screen credits included The Hunt For Red October, Days of Thunder, Die Hard 2, Cape Fear, Curly Sue and In the Line of Fire.