Actor Tommy “Tiny” Lister was being remembered by his fellow actors a day after he died at 62 years old of apparent natural causes in his Marina del Rey home.
Deputies were dispatched shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday to Lister’s home in the 4100 block of Via Marina, near Marina Beach and Basin D, according to Deputy Grace Medrano of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Lister’s friends and business associates had reported that they were worried about his wellbeing because they hadn’t heard from him since the night before, Medrano said.
His manager, Cindy Cowan, told TMZ Lister had COVID-19 earlier this year and had again started experiencing some of te same symptoms. “He had many of the common symptoms … he felt lethargic and struggled breathing, but his diabetes also made him high risk, she said.
She said he wasn’t hospitalized but quarantined at home. Recently, his symptoms “got really bad, really quick,” she told CNN.
After he missed several scheduled appearances, deputies entered his home Thursday and discovered him dead inside, according to Medrano.
“Mr. Lister’s death appears to be of natural causes but will ultimately be determined by the Office of Medical Examiner-Coroner,” Medrano said in a statement.
Lister, who was born in Compton and also gained fame as a wrestler, played Deebo in the 1995 movie “Friday,” as well as its sequel “Next Friday.” He also acted in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight,” and Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown,” among dozens of other films.
“Friday” star Ice Cube tweeted “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.”
Rapper and “Law and Order” actor Ice T tweeted he had lost a “very close friend” and was “speechless.”
Lister was remembered by Adam Sandler as “such a sweet funny man,” adding “He will be terribly missed.”