T.K. Carter, known for his iconic role in the sci-fi classic The Thing, was found dead in his California home on Friday. A call came in at around 5:42 p.m., law enforcement told TMZ. The cause of death has not been released.
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Carter was born on December 18, 1956, in New York City, but was raised in Los Angeles. It was there that he became interested in performing, specifically stand-up comedy.
For the first 10 years of his career, he honed his comedic skills by performing at popular venues such as The Comedy Store and The Improv. By the late 70s, he had made a name for himself opening for popular acts like James Brown.
In 1976, Carter had his first breakthrough role on the NBC crime drama Police Woman, which led to his eventual breakthrough into film and several guest appearances on popular sitcoms at the time. In 1978, he acted alongside Mark Hamill in Corvette Summer, in which he played a car wash employee. This led to slightly larger roles in films like Seems Like Old Times (1980) and The Thing (1982).
Until the End, T.K. Carter Kept His Faith
Besides playing Nauls, Carter's also known for playing Mike Fuller on Punky Brewster and Gary McCullough on The Corner. He often spoke about his faith and its impact on his acting career.
When discussing his role as Gary McCullough, Carter shared that the role was meant for him, something God-given. He spoke about this on the Live From the Green Room podcast. Playing Gary, a drug addict, was not a task that Carter took lightly. Especially because, before he was cast as McCullough, he was seen by many as just another "funny guy."
"I'm telling you, God gave me that role," he shared. "They didn't want to see me; they thought I was just the 'funny guy' from 'Punky Brewster'. But when God has a door for you, no man can shut it. I had to go into that dark place for Gary, and I asked the Lord, 'Don't let me get lost in it, just let me show the truth.'"
He also spoke on comparison and encouraged younger actors not to worry about what other people are doing. "Stop looking at what the other man is eating and focus on what you're seasoning. If you're good at what you do, they'll smell your kitchen from down the street," he advised. T.K. saw mentoring others as a way of "paying the rent" he owed in his career.
T.K. was only 69 when he died. He is survived by his wife, Janet Carter, and possibly his children, whom he has kept private from the media.
