Marjoe Gortner, whose childhood was spent under bright revival lights and in front of packed crowds, has died at 82. His extraordinary life began when he was only 4, as his parents took him from town to town to preach, after reportedly having him ordained at age 3 and even perform a wedding at 4. As a teenager, Gortner became one of America’s best-known child evangelists, drawing audiences with dramatic sermons about redemption, sin and eternal punishment. He later said he had been trained to repeat claims about experiencing a vision from God. The family reportedly collected around $3 million by the time he was 16, before his father disappeared with the money. Rather than remain trapped in that world, Gortner made a life-changing choice that would completely change his future.

In 1971, Gortner allowed filmmakers Howard Smith and Sarah Kernochan to document his final revival tour, exposing the techniques used to persuade audiences to donate. Their 1972 film, Marjoe, premiered at Cannes and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Gortner then reinvented himself in Hollywood, appearing in Earthquake, The A-Team, Fantasy Island, Airwolf, Police Story and Falcon Crest, where he played psychic Vince Karlotti. He also became a producer and helped organize celebrity sports events that raised millions for charity. Actor Ian Ziering remembered him as a “force of nature” who brought people together and used his influence to help others. Gortner died October 2 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from complications related to congestive heart failure, according to his family and Variety. He had married Susan Magestro in 2019. His remarkable journey—from a child placed on a stage before he could understand it to an Oscar-winning documentary subject, actor and philanthropist—left behind a story unlike almost any other in Hollywood.