The actor was best known for his role of the on-screen father who left his son to fend for himself just a few days prior to Christmas in the iconic film Home Alone. According to media reports, the actor was discovered lifeless in a Palo Alto Hotel on Friday. He was remembered to be a true artist. - A man with immesaurable talent.

Writing about the veteran,actor Daniel Stern who co-starred alongside Heard  as the goofy robber MArv Merchents in the Home Alone franchise wrote "Every actor wanted to be as intense as him." The actor further elaborated, "He was defiant, he was poetic, he was ridiculuously generous and he was poetic as hell."

According to reports, the 71 year old seasoned actor was staying in Palo Alto to recover from a minor back surgery that he had at the Stanford Medical centre on Wednesday. It was further reported, he was found dead by the housekeeping service and the police responded to the hotel after receiving a report of medical emergency.

A spokesperson with the Palo Alto Police Department informed the media that Heard's death was not considered "suspiscious at this time."

It has also been reported, the medical examiner completed an autopsy last morning, Santa Clara County officials said in a prepared statement, "The cause of death has not been determined, pending the medical examiner conducting further testing, including toxicology, which can take anywhere from three to four weeks," the statement said.

Heard was looking forward to having the back surgery Wednesday so he could resume work again, as is evident from his Facebook post on Tuesday which jocundly said, "Having surgery tomorrow (sic) and i want all the sympathy i can get!!!!! HA!" 

On Wednesday just before the surgery he thanked people for their good wishes: 'wow WOW!!! thanks folksgoing in now, just wanted to say thank you for such love just amazing you band of big hearted folks!!!! so grateful!!"

Heard playd Peter McCallister, the father of Macauley Culkin's character, Kevin in the Home Alone movies. After it became a big hit he was reluctant to revisit the role. But his agent convinced him, his money was too good to pass up.

In an interview with an online portal in the year 2013 he was quoted as saying "I don't want to be the Home Alone dad for the rest of my life.