Tom Towles, the character actor who played the antagonist in dozens of films, including several of director Rob Zombie's, has died at the age of 65.
Towles died Thursday in Pinellas, Florida, from complications from a stroke, according to
his spokeswoman Tammy Dupal, the Los Angeles Times reported. Zombie confirmed the death of Towles on his Facebook page Sunday
I just got word that our buddy Tom Towles has died. He was such a great guy and I am so grateful that we got to work together several times. He will be really missed.
Posted by Rob Zombie on Sunday, April 5, 2015
The actor appeared in Zombie movies like "House of 1000 Corpses" and "The Devil's Rejects."
"Tom was a personal friend, a fantastic actor, and a lovely man," Zombie said in a statement. "We worked together, we laughed and cried together. Not many fans knew the soft heart behind the tough exterior. Tom was one of a kind, never to be repeated."
The Times said Towles' most notable roles came as the serial-killer sidekick in 1986's "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer," and as a zombie apocalypse survivor in the 1990 remake of "Night of the Living Dead." Other performances include appearances in "Grindhouse, "The Pit and Pendulum," Zombie's 2007 remake of "Halloween," and director Michael Mann's "Miami Vice."
People magazine wrote that Towles' television appearances included spots on "Seinfeld," "ER," "Pacific Blue," and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."
Many took to Twitter to express condolences for the actor.