Whitney Rydbeck, ‘Friday the 13th’ actor, dead at 79

Whitney Rydbeck, known for his role in “Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives,” has died at the age of 79.

He passed away last Monday, July 15 2024 due to complications from prostate cancer while in hospice care in Chatsworth, California.

Director Tommy McLoughlin, who worked with Rydbeck on the sixth “Friday the 13th” film, confirmed the actor’s death and paid tribute to him on Instagram.

McLoughlin described Rydbeck as “a truly funny comedian and actor” and one of the “most good-hearted human beings” he had ever known.

Born in Los Angeles, Rydbeck studied theater at Cal State Fullerton and began his career as a mime. His acting debut came in a 1970 episode of “Nanny and the Professor.”

Over the years, he appeared in notable TV shows like “The Brady Bunch,” “M*A*S*H,” and “Monster Squad,” as well as films including “Love at First Bite,” “Rocky II,” and “1941.”

In “Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives,” Rydbeck played Roy, a paintball soldier who becomes a victim of the infamous Jason Voorhees. He was also known for portraying the crash test dummy “Larry” in 1980s seat belt safety PSAs.

Rydbeck continued acting through the 1980s and 1990s with roles in shows like “7th Heaven,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” and “Murder, She Wrote,” as well as movies such as “Oliver & Company” and “A Very Brady Sequel.” He retired from acting after the 2007 short film “The Oates’ Valor.”

In recent years, Rydbeck was reported to be a drama teacher at Pasadena City College.