American actor Tony Todd, known for his terrifying performance as the hook-handed, fur coat-donning ghost in the “Candyman” horror franchise, as well as his work on “Star Trek: The New Generation” and “Deep Space Nine,” passed away at his home in Marina Del Rey, California on Wednesday, November 6. He was 69.
The news was confirmed by Deadline and Variety and no cause of death has been revealed. IndieWire has reached out to Todd’s representatives for additional comment.
Todd was born in Washington D.C. on December 4, 1954. He grew up in Hartford, Connecticut and was an alumnus of the Artists Collective, Inc. formed there to promote the art and culture of the African diaspora. He attended college at the University of Connecticut, then went on to study theater at the Eugene O’Neill National Actors Theatre Institute in Waterford and later the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island.
In his over 40-year career, Todd would work with the likes of Oliver Stone, Michael Bay, Morgan Freeman, Andy Griffith, and many more, starring in over 100 film and television projects including “Platoon,” “The Crow,” “The Rock,” the “Final Destination” franchise, “Homicide: Life on the Streets,” “24,” and the CW television version of “The Flash.” Off-screen, Todd also had an illustrious career in theater, performing on and off Broadway in shows like August Wilson’s “King Hedley II,” Shakespeare’s “Othello,” and the Elton John/Tim Rice musical “Aida.”
While his face was well-known amongst horror and sci-fi fans, it was his voice that carried him into the superhero fanbase and provided continued success throughout the second half of his career. In addition to providing the voices of Decepticon Dreadwing on the animated series “Transformers: Prime” and Icon on “Young Justice,” Todd also lent his talents to multiple “Star Trek” video games, as well as “Call of Duty: Black Ops II,” “Half-Life: Alyx,” and most recently, Venom in “Spider-Man 2.”
Paying tribute in multiple posts on Instagram, “Candyman” co-star Virginia Madsen wrote of Todd, “A truly poetic man. A voice that made it easy to swoon. Thanks to Bernard Rose, we really created a gothic romance. It’s why the film lives on. A gentle soul with a deep knowledge of the arts. He enjoyed the fans and was never shy when it came to fans approaching, wanting photos. A rare actor who allowed himself to be open to the public attention. Wish I had seen him on the stage. I will miss him so much and hope he haunts me once in a while. But I will not summon him in the mirror! What a gift that Jordon Peele let us live again as lovers. He talked about a prequel using technology so that we, ourselves could tell the tale of how their love began. Imagine that. I do. My dear friend Tony, I do.”
Many have left remembrances and tribute to Todd online, from critics to fans to those who had the great fortune of working with him.
Todd is survived by his two children and sister Monique Dupree.
