‘Friday’ Star Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister Dead at 62

Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister, the hulkish character actor whose pro wrestler frame and menacing on-screen disposition highlighted the first two Friday films, Jackie Brown and dozens of other movies, died Thursday at the age of 62. His manager confirmed the actor’s death to Variety. A cause of death was unknown, but his manager told Variety that he was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles apartment “after displaying symptoms of COVID-19 in recent days.”

The 6-foot-5 actor’s range spanned from President Lindberg in The Fifth Element to Adam Sandler’s brother in Little Nicky to the wrestling heel Zeus in No Holds Barred. His acting extended beyond the silver screen into two stints as a pro wrestler, with Lister taking on his No Holds Barred co-star Hulk Hogan at multiple WWE events.

But it was his role as the bully Deebo in 1995’s Friday and 2000’s Next Friday that made Lister a star. “When me and Ice Cube sat in his motorhome, we were watching the dailies and … we knew Friday was gonna make a lot of noise,” Lister told DJ Vlad in 2015. The series would go on to become stoner cult classics and make Lister a beloved, if intimidating, actor.

“RIP Tiny ‘Deebo’ Lister,” Ice Cube wrote on Twitter. “America’s favorite bully was a born entertainer who would pop into character at the drop of a hat terrifying people on and off camera. Followed by a big smile and laugh. Thank you for being a good dude at heart. I miss you already.”

Thomas Lister Jr. was born June 24th, 1958 in Compton, CA. He was born blind in one eye due to a detached retina, but excelled early as an athlete in college. Lister first married his athletic ability with desire to entertain as a wrestler under the name Zeus and ZGangsta before making his on-screen debut in 1985’s Runaway Train. Small roles in Armed and Dangerous, 8 Million Ways to Die, and Beverly Hills Cop II followed before a regular stint as Otis in the HBO football comedy 1st and Ten.

 

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