T.K. Carter, the actor who is widely recognized for his role in the horror classic The Thing and the television series Punky Brewster, has died at age 69. Carter’s publicist, Tony Freeman, told Variety that the actor died in his home in Duarte, California, on Friday.

According to The Associated Press, deputies found the actor dead after responding to a call for an unresponsive male. Although his cause of death has not been revealed, police said foul play is not suspected.

“T.K. Carter was a consummate professional and a genuine soul whose talent transcended genres,” Freeman said, per Variety. “He brought laughter, truth, and humanity to every role he touched. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of artists and fans alike.”

What were some of T.K. Carter’s notable roles?

Carter kicked off his professional career in 1976 when he appeared on the NBC show Police Woman. After making appearances on more TV classics, including Quincy, M.E. and Good Times, Carter landed his breakthrough film role with the 1982 horror film The Thing, where he played the roller-skating chef known as Nauls.

In 1985, Carter starred on the popular sitcom Punky Brewster, playing Mike Fulton. He continued to land major roles in the 1990s, starring as Clarence Hull on The Sinbad Show and voicing Monstar Nawt in Space Jam in 1996.

How did T.K. Carter start his career in entertainment?

Carter started his entertainment career at an early age, performing stand-up comedy. He went on to have a career that included dozens of notable acting roles on TV and in movies. One of his most recent film performances was as Russ in the 2020 film The Way Back, starring Ben Affleck. In recent years, he had recurring roles in FXX’s Dave and ABC’s The Company You Keep.