Donald Gibb, who was best known for his role in the iconic film “Revenge of the Nerds,” passed away at the age of 72.
His son, Travis, told TMZ that he died at his home in Texas on the night of Tuesday, May 12 due to health complications, where he was surrounded by his family including his children.
And now, more details have come out regarding Gibb’s passing.
Donald Gibb Suffered A Heart Attack and Battled Cancer Before His Death
Following news of his passing, TMZ further reported that Gibb battled throat cancer and suffered a heart attack in the weeks before his tragic passing. His son told the outlet that he was battling throat cancer, which ultimately took his life.
Gibb starred as Frederick “Ogre” Palowaski in three “Revenge of the Nerds” films, with his second most notable film being 1988’s Bloodsport, a martial arts film where he played fighter Ray “Tiny” Jackson. He went on to reprise his role in the 1996 sequel, “Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite.”
Across his career, he also made appearances in the films “Any Which Way You Can” (1980), “Stripes” (1981), “Conan the Barbarian” (1982), “Meatballs Part II” (1984), “Lost in America” (1985), “Transylvania 6-5000” (1985), “Jocks” (1986), “They Still Call Me Bruce” (1987), “U.S. Marshals” (1998), “Durango Kids” (1999), and “Hancock” (2008). As for television, he had roles on “Weird Science,” “Step by Step,” “Stand by Your Man,” “Knight Rider,” “Quantum Leap,” “Seinfeld,” “MacGyver,” “Magnum P.I.,” “Night Court,” “Cheers,” “The X-Files,” and “The A-Team.”
His passing comes after Robert Carradine, who played Lewis Skolnik in all four ‘Revenge of the Nerds‘ movies, passed away earlier this year.
Tributes Pour In For Donald Gibb
“This Is a Tough one for us 80’s kids. That’s for sure. We loved that dude,” one person commented.
“71 years of life. Decades of making audiences feel something every time he appeared. That’s a legacy worth celebrating,” another person wrote.
“RIP Donald Gibb. He didn’t have that many big roles in cinema, but one that really marked his career and that everyone knows was the legendary Ray Jackson from *Bloodsport*, Van Damme’s partner. It’s tough seeing the folks who shaped our childhood or teenage years pass away,” someone posted.
“Ok. I am really upset. RIP Donald Gibb. ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ and ‘Bloodsport’ are cinematic staples for my generation,” a fan said.
“Aww man we are losing too many of our childhood actors and heroes rest in peace to him love him in bloodsport,” another fan shared.
“oOoOOoh, my heart thumped! I loved that movie. I am a nerd all the way, but I still think he played his part great on the jock side. Revenge of the Nerds was one of my favorite collection movies,” one fan expressed.
