Actor Tony Todd in 2011.
Matt Sayles/AP
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Matt Sayles/AP
The actor Tony Todd has died. He was best known as the star of the Candyman horror movies. Todd died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, his manager Jeffrey Goldberg confirmed. He was 69. The cause of death has not been shared.
“I had the privilege to have Tony as my friend and client for over 30 years and I will miss that amazing man every single day,” Goldberg said in an email to NPR.
At 6’5″, Todd was a very tall, highly versatile actor with hundreds of screen credits to his name, including Platoon, The Rock and Final Destination.
He shot to stardom in 1992 playing the ghost of a murdered Black artist in the horror movie Candyman. Todd reprised the role three more times in subsequent films in the series.
“My beloved. May you rest in power sweet to the sweet in heaven,” said Virginia Madsen, Todd’s Candyman costar in a tearful post on Instagram. “The great actor Tony Todd has left us and now is an angel. As he was in life.”
Tony Todd was born in 1954 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Hartford, Conn. He studied at the Eugene O’Neill National Theater Institute in Waterford, Conn., and Trinity Rep Conservatory in Providence, R.I.
In addition to his on-screen career, Todd also appeared in shows on and off Broadway and was a prolific voice actor with credits in movies, TV shows and video games.
“Those who knew him will remember his warm laugh, generous spirit, and his dedication to his craft,” Goldberg said. “Whether on stage, on screen, or in personal conversations, Tony brought an unyielding honesty that resonated deeply with his friends, family, and fans.”
