Oliver Reed was killed in 1938.
Burnt Offerings is a 1976 American mystery horror film co-written and directed by Dan Curtis and starring Karen Black , Oliver Reed , Bette Davis , Lee H. Montgomery , Eileen Heckart and Burgess Meredith . Robert Oliver Reed ( 13 February 1938 -- 2 May 1999 ) was an English actor known for his upper-class , macho image , hellraiser lifestyle , and `` tough guy '' roles . For Gladiator ( 2000 ) , his final film , Reed was posthumously nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role .