Actor Passes Away at 79
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Whitney Rydbeck, the actor known for his role in “Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives,” passed away at 79 on Monday due to complications from prostate cancer. He was in hospice care in Chatsworth, California.
The news was confirmed by Tommy McLoughlin, director of the sixth “Friday the 13th” film, who remembered Rydbeck as a “funny comedian and actor” and “one of the most genuine and kind-hearted human beings.”
Born in Los Angeles, Rydbeck studied theater at Cal State Fullerton and began his acting career in 1970 with a role on “Nanny and the Professor.” He appeared in shows like “The Brady Bunch,” “MAS*H,” and films including “Rocky II” and Steven Spielberg’s “1941.”
Rydbeck was also recognized for portraying “Larry,” a crash test dummy, in 1980s seat belt safety commercials, ending with the line, “You could learn a lot from a dummy. Buckle your safety belt.”
