Robert Z'Dar obit

‘Maniac Cop’ Actor Robert Z’Dar Dies at 64

 He was not on the list.

Actor Robert Z’Dar, a familiar face in B-movies who played the psychotic murderer at the center of the “Maniac Cop” series, died Monday in Pensacola, Florida. He was 64 and had been in Pensacola to appear at a convention. After experiencing chest pains, he went into cardiac arrest at a local hospital.

Robert J. Zdarsky had an enlarged jawline, caused by a rare congenital condition called cherubism, that gave him a somewhat menacing visage. He began acting professionally in 1984 and ultimately appeared in 121 films. In addition to playing Officer Matt Cordell in the “Maniac Cop” franchise, Z’Dar memorably played the villainous henchman known as Face in the Sylvester Stallone-Kurt Russell prison actioner “Tango & Cash.” The actor also appeared in the 1991 gangster film “Mobsters,” starring Christian Slater and Patrick Dempsey.

According to blog the Dissolve, Z’Dar saw his popularity increase when two of his forgotten turkeys (“Soultaker” and “Future War”) were lampooned on “Mystery Science Theatre 3000.”

At the time of his death, Z’Dar was about to shoot a sequel to 1991’s “Samurai Cop.”

Actor

Mind Wiped (2022)

Mind Wiped

3.5

Smiley

2022

 

Spring Fever (2020)

Spring Fever

Roth Chile DeVille

2020

 

Sid Haig in High on the Hog (2019)

High on the Hog

3.5

The Mayor

2019

 

Paul Sorvino, Matthew Bushell, and Fiona Dourif in Chasing Gold (2016)

Chasing Gold

6.3

Roger Gleason

2016

 

Butterflies & Diamonds (2015)

Butterflies & Diamonds

Correctional Officer

2015

 

A Blood Story (2015)

A Blood Story

3.0

Gerry the Jaw

2015

 

Easter Sunday (2014)

Easter Sunday

3.8

Sheriff Arkin

2014

 

Monsters on Main Street (2014)

Monsters on Main Street

4.4

Harvey Seth

2014

 

Super Hell 3: Dreams of Horror

Video

Granny Bob

2014

 

Mike and Corey in LaLa Land (2013)

Mike and Corey in LaLa Land

4.0

TV Series

Uncle Robert (rumored)

2013

 

Mountain Mafia (2012)

Mountain Mafia

5.9

Sheriff Dumas

2012

 

Joe Estevez in The Perfect Candidate (2012)

The Perfect Candidate

6.3

Short

Robert Z'Dar

2012

 

Kurt Angle and Tom Savini in Death from Above (2012)

Death from Above

2.8

Bronson

2012

 

Robert Z'Dar, Dustin Diamond, Joe Estevez, Jake Roberts, Lark Voorhies, Brad Leo Lyon, and Kyle Colton in Little Creeps (2012)

Little Creeps

7.0

Video

Professor Cordell

2012

 

...Can you hear the voices?

The Voices from Beyond

3.6

Albert Graves

2012

 

Rogue Assassin (2012)

Rogue Assassin

5.4

Lester Malick

2012

 

The Girl (2011)

The Girl

4.7

Officer Ben Maynor

2011

 

Salvador's Deli (2010)

Salvador's Deli

Salvador

2010

 

Not Another B Movie (2010)

Not Another B Movie

4.8

Actor #2

2010

 

Mark Cray in Post-Mortem (2010)

Post-Mortem

5.9

Cameron

2010

 

La Femme Vampir Volume 2

4.6

Video

Carl

2010

 

Charles Durning in The Waiter (2010)

The Waiter

4.4

Lester Maleck

2010

 

Meltdown (2009)

Meltdown

3.6

Crazy Eddie

2009

 

Blood, Bullets and Babes (2009)

Blood, Bullets and Babes

Video

Jacoby

2009

 

La Femme Vampir

4.2

Carl

2009

 

Untitled Horror Comedy (2009)

Untitled Horror Comedy

6.1

Smokes Callahan

2009

 

Deeflowered (2008)

Deeflowered

3.3

Video

Det. Chavez

2008

 

Body Shop (2008)

Body Shop

4.5

Market Owner

2008

 

Robert Z'Dar in Yin Yang Insane (2007)

Yin Yang Insane

3.7

Video

The Gangster

2007

 

Circumstances of Fate (2006)

Circumstances of Fate

Video

Big Face Mobster

2006

 

Voices from the Graves (2006)

Voices from the Graves

7.0

Albert Graves

2006

 

Spaced Out (2006)

Spaced Out

4.7

Video

Smiley

2006

 

Drawing Blood (2005)

Drawing Blood

4.9

James Burns

2005

 

Super Hell (2004)

Super Hell

2.6

Video

Granny Bob

2004

 

The Rockville Slayer (2004)

The Rockville Slayer

2.8

The Man

2004

 

Vampire Blvd. (2004)

Vampire Blvd.

6.6

Frankenblade

2004

 

Rock n' Roll Cops 2: The Adventure Begins (2003)

Rock n' Roll Cops 2: The Adventure Begins

6.9

Video

Dieter

2003

 

Zombiegeddon (2003)

Zombiegeddon

2.9

Video

Detective

2003

 

Scary Tales: The Return of Mr. Longfellow

5.5

Video

Officer Cordell (segment "The Return of Mr. Longfellow")

2003

 

When Heaven Comes Down (2002)

When Heaven Comes Down

4.5

Video

Doyle McGinty

2002

 

Robert Z'Dar, Chris Watson, David Lawson, Rist Gilgen, Mitchel Auman, and Brock Short in Mob Daze (2002)

Mob Daze

6.8

Bobby

2002

 

Bruce Abbott, Martin Kove, and Tane McClure in Trance (2002)

Trance

5.0

Bongo

2002

 

Broken Rose (2000)

Broken Rose

6.1

Video

Anthony

2000

 

Michael Madsen and Roxana Zal in Strip 'n Run (2000)

Strip 'n Run

4.1

Ralph

2000

 

Coolio, Kevin Connolly, and Ethan Suplee in Tyrone (1999)

Tyrone

3.4

Assface

1999

 

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997)

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction

7.9

TV Series

Jay (segment "Ring Toss")

1999

1 episode

 

No Rest for the Wicked (1998)

No Rest for the Wicked

5.9

Dino

1998

 

The Waterfront (1998)

The Waterfront

5.7

Turk Tonasea

1998

 

Crimes of the Chupacabra (1998)

Crimes of the Chupacabra

2.6

Video

Z-Man Lord Invader

1998

 

Decay

5.2

Turk

1998

 

Guns of El Chupacabra II: The Unseen (1998)

Guns of El Chupacabra II: The Unseen

Video

Z-Man Lord Invader

1998

 

Deadly Currency (1998)

Deadly Currency

4.8

Video

Moz

1998

 

Scott Shaw, Kevin Eastman, and David Heavener in Hollywood Cops (1997)

Hollywood Cops

6.0

Sergeant Dieter

1997

 

Shannon Tweed in Stormy Nights (1997)

Stormy Nights

3.9

Alan

1997

 

Pocket Ninjas (1997)

Pocket Ninjas

1.4

Video

Cobra Khan

1997

 

Guns of El Chupacabra (1997)

Guns of El Chupacabra

5.2

Video

Z-Man Lord Invader

1997

 

Daniel Bernhardt in Future War (1997)

Future War

1.7

Video

Cyborg Master

1997

 

The Searcher

4.6

1996

 

Shotgun Boulevard (1996)

Shotgun Boulevard

The Gangster

1996

 

Dangerous Cargo (1996)

Dangerous Cargo

6.4

Igor

1996

 

Frankenblade (1996)

Frankenblade

Short

Frankenblade

1996

 

Lynn-Holly Johnson, David Heavener, Christopher Mitchum, Richard Norton, and William Windom in Fugitive X: Innocent Target (1996)

Fugitive X: Innocent Target

4.5

TV Movie

Brutis

1996

 

Total Force (1996)

Total Force

2.6

Test subject (as Robert Zdar)

1996

 

Lone Tiger (1996)

Lone Tiger

4.9

King Coach

1996

 

Run Like Hell (1995)

Run Like Hell

4.0

Warden

1995

 

Joe Estevez in Equal Impact (1995)

Equal Impact

5.6

Ray Tobin

1995

 

John Cassini and Tara Subkoff in Point Dume (1995)

Point Dume

4.4

Lucky

1995

 

Claude Duhamel and Jennifer Sommerfeld in Destination Vegas (1995)

Destination Vegas

3.8

Killer Cop

1995

 

Shannon Whirry in Fatal Pursuit (1995)

Fatal Pursuit

3.7

Franco

1995

 

American Chinatown (1995)

American Chinatown

4.3

Eric

1995

 

Chad McQueen in Red Line (1995)

Red Line

4.5

Video

Gene

1995

 

Robert Z'Dar and Deron McBee in Enter the Blood Ring (1995)

Enter the Blood Ring

4.3

Mob Boss

1995

 

Professional Affair (1995)

Professional Affair

4.4

Video

Serano

1995

 

Naturally Bad (1995)

Naturally Bad

5.2

Video

Jacoby

1995

 

Julie Strain and Robert Z'Dar in Queen of Lost Island (1994)

Queen of Lost Island

3.3

Steven

1994

 

Ill Met by Moonlight (1994)

Ill Met by Moonlight

5.8

Theseus

1994

 

Juan Fernández in Silent Fury (1994)

Silent Fury

6.4

1994

 

Night Realm

5.0

Lord Jonquin (as Bobby Z'Dar)

1994

 

Cyberkidz (1994)

Cyberkidz

7.0

TV Series

Zeist (1996)

1994–1996

 

The Mosaic Project (1994)

The Mosaic Project

5.9

Video

Harry

1994

 

Double Blast (1994)

Double Blast

3.5

Video

Mongoose

1994

 

Marching Out of Time (1993)

Marching Out of Time

4.6

Muck

1993

 

It's Showtime (1993)

It's Showtime

4.9

Jack

1993

 

India Allen in Wild Cactus (1993)

Wild Cactus

4.6

Grady

1993

 

Maxwell Caulfield and Chase Masterson in In a Moment of Passion (1993)

In a Moment of Passion

3.6

Fritz Brumbacher

1993

 

Powers Boothe and Billy Dee Williams in Marked for Murder (1993)

Marked for Murder

4.9

TV Movie

Biker Convict

1993

 

T.V. (1992)

T.V.

6.2

TV Movie

Bartender

1992

 

The Summoned (1992)

The Summoned

4.4

Lt. Walsh

1992

 

Shadow of the Dragon (1992)

Shadow of the Dragon

3.7

Capt. Washington

1992

 

Frogtown II (1992)

Frogtown II

3.3

Sam Hell

1992

 

Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence (1992)

Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence

5.0

Matt Cordell

1992

 

The Legend of Wolf Mountain (1992)

The Legend of Wolf Mountain

4.5

Jocko Painter

1992

 

The Deadly Avenger (1992)

The Deadly Avenger

3.9

Video

Kain

1992

 

Robert Z'Dar, Mark Frazer, Mathew Karedas, Melissa Moore, Gerald Okamura, Cameron, and Cranston Komuro in Samurai Cop (1991)

Samurai Cop

4.6

Yamashita

1991

 

Quiet Fire (1991)

Quiet Fire

4.1

Video

Russo

1991

 

Mobsters (1991)

Mobsters

5.9

Rocco

1991

 

Marc Singer and Kari Wuhrer in Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time (1991)

Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time

4.1

Zavic

1991

 

The Big Sweat (1991)

The Big Sweat

2.9

Video

Troudou

1991

 

The Killers Edge (1991)

The Killers Edge

4.7

Video

Miller

1991

 

Dane Farwell and John Wesley Shipp in The Flash (1990)

The Flash

7.1

TV Series

Bodey Nuff

1991

1 episode

 

The Other Side (1990)

The Other Side

Coroner of Manhattan

1990

 

Dragonfight (1990)

Dragonfight

3.2

Lochaber

1990

 

The Final Sanction (1990)

The Final Sanction

4.3

Sgt. Sergi Schvackov

1990

 

Soultaker (1990)

Soultaker

2.5

Angel of Death

1990

 

A Gnome Named Gnorm (1990)

A Gnome Named Gnorm

4.4

Reggie

1990

 

Robert Davi and Robert Z'Dar in Maniac Cop 2 (1990)

Maniac Cop 2

5.9

Matt Cordell

1990

 

Tango & Cash (1989)

Tango & Cash

6.4

Face

1989

 

Young Rebels (1989)

Young Rebels

4.4

Joey Vincenzo

1989

 

Glen Eaton and Frank Zagarino in Trained to Kill (1989)

Trained to Kill

5.0

Walter Majyk

1989

 

Joanna Kerns, Alan Thicke, Kirk Cameron, Tracey Gold, Ashley Johnson, and Jeremy Miller in Growing Pains (1985)

Growing Pains

6.6

TV Series

Cliff

1989

1 episode

 

Jim Brown, Robert Z'Dar, and Harold Diamond in Killing American Style (1988)

Killing American Style

4.1

Tony Stone

1988

 

Dead End City (1988)

Dead End City

4.6

Maximum

1988

 

Evil Altar (1988)

Evil Altar

3.5

Sheriff O'Connell (as Robert Zdar)

1988

 

Fresh Kill (1988)

Fresh Kill

4.3

Manny (as Robert Zdar)

1988

 

Grotesque (1988)

Grotesque

4.4

Eric

1988

 

Maniac Cop (1988)

Maniac Cop

6.0

Matt Cordell

1988

 

The Killing Game (1988)

The Killing Game

4.1

Video

Antonio (as Robert Zdar)

1988

 

Melanie Griffith in Cherry 2000 (1987)

Cherry 2000

5.6

Chet (as Robert Zdar)

1987

 

Code Name Zebra (1987)

Code Name Zebra

4.2

Shigaru (as Robert Zdar)

1987

 

The Night Stalker (1986)

The Night Stalker

5.0

Chuck Sommers

1986

 

Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd in Moonlighting (1985)

Moonlighting

7.6

TV Series

Security Guard (as Robert Zdar)

1985

1 episode

 

Bea Fiedler, Chuck Hemingway, Allan Kayser, Joe Rubbo, and Charlie Stratton in Hot Chili (1985)

Hot Chili

4.1

Bruno (as Robert Zdar)

1985

 

Flesh and Bullets (1985)

Flesh and Bullets

4.0

Don (as Robert West)

1985

 

Hellhole (1985)

Hellhole

5.0

Brad (as Robert Darcy)

1985

 

Producer

Untitled Horror Comedy (2009)

Untitled Horror Comedy

6.1

associate producer

2009

 

Body Shop (2008)

Body Shop

4.5

associate producer

2008

 

Voices from the Graves (2006)

Voices from the Graves

7.0

co-producer

2006

 

The Rockville Slayer (2004)

The Rockville Slayer

2.8

associate producer

2004

 

Scary Tales: The Return of Mr. Longfellow

5.5

Video

associate producer

2003

 

When Heaven Comes Down (2002)

When Heaven Comes Down

4.5

Video

associate producer

2002

 

Chad McQueen in Red Line (1995)

Red Line

4.5

Video

associate producer

1995

 

Thanks

Midnight Massacre (2023)

Midnight Massacre

6.9

in memory of

2023

 

Mikhail Bondarev, Yaroslav Kozak, Leonid Syplyi, Kirill Mieliekiestsev, and Kostiantyn Bakkansky in Vedro (2013)

Vedro

3.8

TV Series

in memory of

2017

1 episode

 

Mark Frazer, Mathew Karedas, and Tommy Wiseau in Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance (2015)

Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance

3.5

dedicatee

2015

 

Lukas Nathaniel in The Freddy Jenkins Show (2014)

The Freddy Jenkins Show

4.8

TV Series

in memory of

2015

1 episode

 

When Heaven Comes Down (2002)

When Heaven Comes Down

4.5

Video

special thanks

2002

 

Self

Indie Film School (2011)

Indie Film School

7.4

TV Series

Self

2012–2013

2 episodes

 

Caesar and Otto's Deadly Xmas (2012)

Caesar and Otto's Deadly Xmas

3.6

Self (uncredited)

2012

 

Cinematografia Obsesion (2010)

Cinematografia Obsesion

Video

Self

2010

 

Archive Footage

Ann O. Nymous in The Reel Show (2011)

The Reel Show

8.6

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

2014

1 episode

 

Rock n' Roll Cops Lite (2014)

Rock n' Roll Cops Lite

6.4

Dieter (archive footage)

2014

 

Movie Nights (2010)

Movie Nights

7.6

TV Series

Sam Hell

The White Dragon (archive footage)

2011–2012

2 episodes

 

Gabriel Fernández-Gil, Juan Pérez, David Díaz, Luis Rodrigo, FJ García, Iñaki Reyna, Alvar Gordejuela, and Jon Koldo Etxebarria in Special Collector's Edition (2010)

Special Collector's Edition

7.0

TV Series

Face (archive footage, uncredited)

2010

1 episode

 

Outlaw Prophet (2001)

Outlaw Prophet

2.8

Brutis (archive footage, uncredited)

2001

 

Carissa Carlberg, Lucy Dorado, and Mars Mohamed in Awesomely Righteous & Radical

Awesomely Righteous & Radical

(segment, "Samurai Cop trailer") (archive footage)