It is with sadness that we report the death of legend Tony Todd at the age of 69. Deadline initially reported his passing, stating that Todd’s “reps confirmed the news to Deadline but did not provide a cause of death.” Todd died at his Los Angeles residence.
Todd began his career in the 1980s, getting a big break in Oliver Stone’s 1986 military drama Platoon. He quickly got roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Kurn, Tom Savini’s 1990 adaptation of Night of the Living Dead as Ben, The Crow as Grange, Wishmaster as Johnny Valentine, and numerous other films and television shows.
Todd had a prolific career, but he is best remembered for his role as Candyman in the 1992 horror film of the same name. Based on Clive Barker’s “The Forbidden” from Books of Blood and directed by Bernard Rose, the movie cemented his status as a horror icon. Todd reprised his role in Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) and Candyman: Day of the Dead (1999).
Todd played mortician William Bludworth in three Final Destination films. He also appeared as Reverend Zombie in Adam Green’s Hatchet (2006) and Hatchet II (2010), which starred Kane Hodder.
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Tony Todd’s many acting credits also include voice acting. He provided the voices of Dr. Rogers in Back 4 Blood, Venom in Sony’s Spider-Man 2, Scareglow in Masters of the Universe: Revolution, and other characters.
Todd never slowed down, and IMDb lists 13 upcoming titles (some unconfirmed), including Draven Blayne’s Cigarettes & Coffee, Kevin MacDonald’s The Witching Hour, Cara Claymore and Jackie Payne’s Werewolf Game, and Gregori J. Martin’s The Raven, based on the Edgar Allan Poe story. This year, Todd had four feature releases and a starring role in the podcast series Winnie Taylor’s 4th & Inches.
This is a massive loss for the horror community. Our thoughts are with Tony Todd’s family, friends, and fellow fans.