Senator Fred Thompson, also known for his role of Manhattan District Attorney Arthur Branch on Law & Order, died Sunday after a recurrence of lymphoma, his family confirmed in a statement. He was 73.

In addition to his much-loved portrayal on Law & Order, Thompson is also remembered for playing a politician on Sex and the City and for his role in the film Die Hard 2.

Thompson passed away while surrounded by family in Nashville, TN. "Fred once said that the experiences he had growing up in small-town Tennessee formed the prism through which he viewed the world and shaped the way he dealt with life," the family statement read. "Fred stood on principle and common sense, and had a deep love for and connection with the people across Tennessee, whom he had the privilege to serve in the United States Senate. He enjoyed a hearty laugh, a strong handshake, a good cigar, and a healthy dose of humility. Fred was the same man on the floor of the Senate, the movie studio, or the town square of Lawrenceburg, his home."

The Alabama-born actor portrayed several characters on- and off-screen. In his political career, the real-life litigator helped lead the investigation and subsequent resignation of President Richard Nixon in the Watergate scandal. Thompson served the state of Tennessee for eight years and also made a run for nomination as a Republican presidential candidate.