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 lifeless on the scene. No foul play is suspected, although officers haven’t but launched a reason for loss of life.
Born Thomas Kent Carter in New York Metropolis, Carter was raised within the San Gabriel Valley, in accordance 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 instructor Mike Fulton in “Punky Brewster” and Clarence Hull in “The Sinbad Present,” amongst a bunch 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, study traces and really feel extra snug in entrance of the digicam.
“T.Okay. was a terrific actor, and I wished him to assist Michael together with his dialogue,” director Joe Pytka advised The Instances in 2020.
Whereas Carter was finest recognized for his comedic work, describing himself in his Instagram bio as a author and performer “born to behave and make you snicker,” he additionally took on extra severe roles.
He starred within the 2000 HBO miniseries “The Nook,” a drama through which he performed Gary McCullough, a west Baltimore father fighting habit.
“I simply completely felt for Gary,” Carter advised The Instances. “I’ve had drug issues and cocaine habit. I misplaced my father to a drug-related loss of life. I’ve misplaced a number of mates. I used to be lucky to come back out on the opposite facet 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, mates and colleagues took to social media with tributes.
“As a younger child, I regarded as much as T. Okay. as a result of seeing an African American actor starring in a serious movie meant loads to me. I all the time felt he was headed for stardom,” entrepreneur Shavar Ross posted on X. “I wish to ship my heartfelt condolences to his household, his mates, and everybody who beloved and admired his work. He’ll all the time be remembered and revered.”
