Actor Whitney Rydbeck, who is most remembered for his work on ‘Friday The 13th’ (Jason Lives) passed away early last week. He died from prostate cancer complications, at a hospice care facility in Chatsworth California. He was 79.
Rydbeck’s friend director, Tommy McLoughlin, posted the sad news to Instagram.
“We lost not only a truly funny comedian and actor…but one of the most good hearted human beings I’ve ever known. God Bless You and Rest in Peace..Whitney Rydbeck. Our Loss is Heavens’ Gain.”
Rydbeck’s career spans many decades, beginning in the early 1970s. A lot of his work consisted of guest appearances on popular tv series. One of his most notable roles was in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” where he portrayed the character of Chief Engineer Argyle in the first season. This role endeared him to the show’s fan base.
In addition to “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” Rydbeck has appeared in a range of other popular TV series. He had guest roles on “Murder, She Wrote,” “M*A*S*H,” “Scrubs”, “The A-Team,” “Knight Rider,” and “The Dukes of Hazzard.” Each of these roles allowed him to demonstrate his ability to adapt to different character types.
Rydbeck’s film credits include roles in movies like “The Kentucky Fried Movie” (1977) and “The Nude Bomb” (1980).
Whitney left a safety message legacy when he starred as a crash test dummy Larry in public safety announcements. The key message being “wear your seat belt, it saves lives.”
In his later years, Rydbeck worked as a Drama instructor at Pasadena City College. He leaves behind his partner Claire.
Rest In Peace
