Veteran comic, actor and Southern California native T.Okay. Carter has died. He was 69.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division deputies arrived on the actor’s Duarte residence Friday night after receiving a name about an unresponsive male, the Related Press reported. He was declared useless on the scene. No foul play is suspected, although officers haven’t but launched a reason behind dying.
Born Thomas Kent Carter in New York Metropolis, Carter was raised within the San Gabriel Valley, in keeping with IMDb.
After a number of small roles in Seventies sitcoms, together with “Good Instances,” “The Waltons” and “The Jeffersons,” he discovered his breakthrough function within the 1982 horror film “The Factor” because the chef Nauls.
He went on to play trainer Mike Fulton in “Punky Brewster” and Clarence Hull in “The Sinbad Present,” amongst a number of different movie and tv credit by way of the Eighties and ‘90s.
In later a long time of his profession, he took on consulting roles along with on-screen appearances.
He labored with Chris Tucker as a dialect coach on the 1998 movie “Rush Hour,” and was introduced on to the set of the 1996 film “Area Jam” to assist the movie’s star, Michael Jordan, be taught strains and really feel extra snug in entrance of the digicam.
“T.Okay. was a terrific actor, and I wished him to assist Michael along with his dialogue,” director Joe Pytka instructed The Instances in 2020.
Whereas Carter was greatest recognized for his comedic work, describing himself in his Instagram bio as a author and performer “born to behave and make you chuckle,” he additionally took on extra critical roles.
He starred within the 2000 HBO miniseries “The Nook,” a drama during which he performed Gary McCullough, a west Baltimore father scuffling with habit.
“I simply completely felt for Gary,” Carter instructed The Instances. “I’ve had drug issues and cocaine habit. I misplaced my father to a drug-related dying. I’ve misplaced a number of buddies. I used to be lucky to come back out on the opposite aspect and get my life collectively. However I haven’t forgotten. I stored Gary with me on a regular basis. I slept Gary. I breathed Gary.”
As information of the actor’s passing unfold, buddies and colleagues took to social media with tributes.
“As a younger child, I seemed as much as T. Okay. as a result of seeing an African American actor starring in a significant movie meant loads to me. I at all times felt he was headed for stardom,” entrepreneur Shavar Ross posted on X. “I need to ship my heartfelt condolences to his household, his buddies, and everybody who liked and admired his work. He’ll at all times be remembered and revered.”
