After a storied legacy of nearly 45 years on screen,CandymanstarTony Toddhas passed away at the age of 69. Todd holds a unique distinction in Hollywood in having over 200 acting credits to his name, though the horror genre was arguably what he was known best for. This not only stemmed from hiscarrying theCandymanmantleacross its first three installments, but also thanks to his supporting roles in everything from theFinal Destinationfranchise toHatchetand beyond.
Deadlinehas brought word thatTony Todd has died at the age of 69, though were not given a cause of death by the actor’s representatives. Their sources did, however, confirm that Todd passed away in his own home in Los Angeles on November 6. At the time of reporting, it’s unknown how many projects Todd was lined up to star in, or that were already filmed, at the time of his death, though he was set to be a voice actor in the video game,Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Tony Todd’s Career On Stage & Screen
He Was An Eclectic Actor
Todd made his on-screen acting debutwiththe one-two punch of the fantasy dramaSleepwalkand Oliver Stone’s Vietnam War classicPlatoon. Co-starring in everything from Clint Eastwood’sBirdbiopic to the Morgan Freeman-led dramaLean on Me, 1990 would prove to be one of Todd’s true breakout years, as he landed the key role of Ben in Tom Savini’sNight of the Living Deadremake, as well as that of Worf’s brother Kurn inStar Trek: The Next Generation, a role he would carry forward intoDeep Space Ninewhile also playing a variety of other roles in the franchise.
Tony Todd’s 3 Star Trek Roles Explained
Legendary horror actor Tony Todd played three different characters in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager.
A few years later would bringhis biggest role of his career with Daniel Robitaille in 1992’sCandyman, which turned him into a horror genre icon. It would be a title he would carry through the rest of his career, with everything from funeral director William Bludworth intheFinal Destinationfranchise, a character theorized to be Death, to the cult classicWishmaster, which also featured Freddy Krueger star Robert Englund and Jason Voorhees actor Kane Hodder, to theHatchetseries as Reverend Zombie.
Todd was reportedly confirmed to be returning for 2025’sFinal Destination: Bloodlines, with some rumors indicating the movie would finally give information about Bludworth’s backstory.
Outside of the horror genre, Todd has found a wide range of success both in front of and behind the camera. Some of these roles include voicing a variety of iconic comic book characters, including Darkseid in multipleLego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League, Zoom in The CW’sThe FlashandVenom in 2023’sSpider-Man.Todd has also acted both on and off Broadway throughout his career, including in the likes ofThe Captain’s Tiger,OthelloandKing Hedley II, among others.
Tony Todd Is Far More Than That Of A Horror Icon
His Legacy Extends Beyond The Screen
This year has been a truly devastating one with some of the big celebrity deaths, including James Earl Jones and Dame Magie Smith, but as a horror genre fan,Tony Toddis going to be one of the more heartbreaking. Beyond just his work in the genre, Todd was a truly thoughtful person when it came to fan interactions, and, as such, is going to be missed not just on screen, but beyond that.
