Ted White obit

 

Ted White, Stuntman and Jason Voorhees Actor, Dies at 96

Ted White, a well-known stuntman and one-time Jason Voorhees actor from Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, passes away at the age of 96. 

He was not on the list.

Ted White, stuntman and star of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, is dead at the age of 96.

Film producer Sean Clark, a friend and colleague of White's, confirmed the news via Facebook on Friday, Oct. 14, revealing that White had passed away peacefully in his sleep while at home. "I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him and working with him for close to 20 years," Clark wrote. "He was my adopted grandpa and hands down the best storyteller you could have ever met."

Clark continued, "If you haven’t read it yet check out his book Cast a Giant Shadow where many of those stories are told. I was honored to be mentioned in the book when he wrote about his time in the convention world. I am going to miss you immensely and those steak dinners we always had. Also teasing you about your red, white & blue banner that made you look like you were running for President. My heart goes out to his wife Jeri and his sons. It was an absolute honor my friend. Rest easy. Love you Ted."

Known professionally as Ted White, he was born Alex Bayouth in Snyder, Texas in 1926. White was a well-known stuntman and was best known for portraying Jason Voorhees in the 1984 slasher film Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, the fourth installment in the horror film franchise, though he asked not to be credited for the role. He was also asked to return as Jason for the follow-up films, Friday the 13th: A New Beginning and Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, though he declined to reprise the role. While White never returned to the franchise, he did appear in archive footage in two documentaries about the films, both of which were released in 2009 and 2013.

Throughout his career, White also doubled for Hollywood icons like John Wayne, Fess Parker, Clark Gable and Richard Boone. He served as a stuntman on films like Planet of the Apes (1968), Soylent Green (1973), Escape from New York (1981) and Gone in 60 Seconds (2000). His first film was 1949's The Sands of Iwo Jima, in which he played a marine and acted as a consultant due to his real-life service in the military.

A biography written by Larry K. Meredith about White's career was published in 2017, titled Cast a Giant Shadow. White is survived by his wife, Jeri, and their children.

White asked not to be credited on screen for his part. He was later credited for the archive footage of him as Jason that was used in the seventh Friday film. White was offered the role of Jason for Friday the 13th: A New Beginning and Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, but turned them down. The roles ultimately went to stuntmen Tom Morga and C. J. Graham, respectively.

 

Actor (76 credits)

 2021 Coroner's Report (TV Series)

Jason Voorhees

- Jason Voorhees (2021) ... Jason Voorhees

 2001 Double Take

Trooper

 1998 The X-Files (TV Series)

Attendant

- Dreamland (1998) ... Attendant

 1991 Conagher (TV Movie)

Stage Passenger

 1990 Follow Your Heart (TV Movie)

 1990 Downtown

Goon

 1989 Major League

Spring Training

 1988 Deadly Stranger

Larkin

 1983-1988 Magnum, P.I. (TV Series)

Malcolm's Henchman / Inmate #1 / Thug

- Legend of the Lost Art (1988) ... Malcolm's Henchman (uncredited)

- A Pretty Good Dancing Chicken (1985) ... Inmate #1

- Letter to a Duchess (1983) ... Thug (uncredited)

 1987 The Hidden

Agent Fowler

 1987 Hot Pursuit

Tommy Ray

 1986 Wanted: Dead or Alive

Pete

 1986 Quiet Cool

Ellis

 1986 Hardcastle and McCormick (TV Series)

First Cop

- The Day the Music Died (1986) ... First Cop

 1981-1986 The Fall Guy (TV Series)

Bar Fighter / Tough Guy / Ernie / ...

- Two on a Skip (1986) ... Bar Fighter (uncredited)

- A Fistful of Lire (1985) ... Tough Guy (uncredited)

- Ladies on the Ropes (1982) ... Ernie

- The Fall Guy (1981) ... Man

 1984-1986 Hunter (TV Series)

Reuss / Thug

- War Zone (1986) ... Reuss

- Hard Contract (1984) ... Thug (uncredited)

 1985 Silverado

Hoyt

 1984 Starman

Deer Hunter

 1984 The Wild Life

Redneck Drunk #2

 1984 Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter

Jason (uncredited)

 1984 Romancing the Stone

Grogan

 1984 Against All Odds

Security Guard with Dog

 1984 Blue Thunder (TV Series)

Laundry Truck Driver

- Trojan Horse (1984) ... Laundry Truck Driver

 1984 The Master (TV Series)

Brawler

- State of the Union (1984) ... Brawler (uncredited)

 1983 A Killer in the Family (TV Movie)

Officer

 1983 Matt Houston (TV Series)

Bart

- The Purrfect Crime (1983) ... Bart

 1982 T.J. Hooker (TV Series)

Henchman

- The Connection (1982) ... Henchman (uncredited)

 1982 TRON

Guard #3

 1982 McClain's Law (TV Series)

Tonio

- A Matter of Honor (1982) ... Tonio

 1981 History of the World: Part I

Roman Officer (uncredited)

 1981 The Legend of the Lone Ranger

Mr. Reid

 1981 Going Ape!

Goon #1

 1981 Cutter's Way

Guard #1

 1981 Demonoid

Frankie

 1980 Oh, God! Book II

Motorcycle Policeman

 1980 Knots Landing (TV Series)

Tough

- Bottom of the Bottle: Part 1 (1980) ... Tough

 1980 Power (TV Movie)

 1978 Centennial (TV Mini Series)

Bar Fighter with Mckeag

- Only the Rocks Live Forever (1978) ... Bar Fighter with Mckeag (uncredited)

 1977 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (TV Series)

Cowboy

- The Mystery of King Tut's Tomb (1977) ... Cowboy (uncredited)

 1977 Black Oak Conspiracy

Miner - Harrison Thug (uncredited)

 1975-1977 The Rockford Files (TV Series)

Nazi / Fence

- Just Another Polish Wedding (1977) ... Nazi (uncredited)

- Counter Gambit (1975) ... Fence (uncredited)

 1976 City of Angels (TV Series)

Pug #1

- Palm Springs Answer (1976) ... Pug #1

 1976 Police Story (TV Series)

Tough Guy

- Officer Dooly (1976) ... Tough Guy (uncredited)

 1975 The Six Million Dollar Man (TV Series)

Muscle

- Lost Love (1975) ... Muscle (uncredited)

 1974 Kolchak: The Night Stalker (TV Series)

Hugo Maltz

- The Vampire (1974) ... Hugo Maltz (uncredited)

 1974 Dirty Mary Crazy Larry

Trooper

 1974 Kung Fu (TV Series)

Greene

- Night of the Owls, Day of the Doves (1974) ... Greene (uncredited)

 1974 Kojak (TV Series)

Solly

- Marker to a Dead Bookie (1974) ... Solly

 1973 The Don Is Dead

Marty Rackheimer (uncredited)

 1973 Jarrett (TV Movie)

Arthur

 1973 Search (TV Series)

Thug

- A Honeymoon to Kill (1973) ... Thug (uncredited)

 1970 Marcus Welby, M.D. (TV Series)

1st Scuba Diver

- All the Golden Dandelions Are Gone (1970) ... 1st Scuba Diver

 1964-1970 Daniel Boone (TV Series)

Coach Driver / Aweetok / Middleton / ...

- Noblesse Oblige (1970) ... Coach Driver

- Hannah Comes Home (1969) ... Aweetok (uncredited)

- The Cache (1969) ... Middleton

- Love and Equity (1969) ... Morse

- The Plague That Came to Ford's Run (1968) ... Lane

Show all 15 episodes

 1970 Mission: Impossible (TV Series)

Piqueros

- Gitano (1970) ... Piqueros (uncredited)

 1970 Mannix (TV Series)

Thug

- Medal for a Hero (1970) ... Thug (uncredited)

 1967 Bonanza (TV Series)

Brawler

- Six Black Horses (1967) ... Brawler (uncredited)

 1967 Point Blank

Football Player (uncredited)

 1966 Smoky

Abbott

 1966 The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series)

Avery Noonan

- The Legend of Barney Fife (1966) ... Avery Noonan

 1965 Cat Ballou

Gunslinger (uncredited)

 1964 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series)

Assassin

- The Iowa-Scuba Affair (1964) ... Assassin

 1964 Wagon Train (TV Series)

Cougar

- The Hide Hunters (1964) ... Cougar

 1960-1962 Lawman (TV Series)

Barton / Joe

- The Unmasked (1962) ... Barton

- Thirty Minutes (1960) ... Joe

 1962 Escape from Zahrain

Pumper at Desert Station (uncredited)

 1962 Perry Mason (TV Series)

Foreman

- The Case of the Tarnished Trademark (1962) ... Foreman

 1960 The Alamo

Tennessean (uncredited)

 1960 The Alaskans (TV Series)

Brown

- The Ballad of Whitehorse (1960) ... Brown

 1959 These Thousand Hills

Cowhand (uncredited)

 1959 Rio Bravo

Bart (uncredited)

 1959 Cimarron City (TV Series)

Masters' Henchmn

- Return of the Dead (1959) ... Masters' Henchmn

 1959 A Stranger in My Arms

Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)

 1958 Born Reckless

Cowboy (uncredited)

 1958 The Perfect Furlough

Soldier (uncredited)

 1958 Maverick (TV Series)

Second Sioux Indian

- Alias Bart Maverick (1958) ... Second Sioux Indian (uncredited)

 1958 Buckskin (TV Series)

Jenner

- The Ghost of Balaclava (1958) ... Jenner

 1949 Sands of Iwo Jima

Marine (uncredited)

Stunts (87 credits)

 2006 The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (stunt player)

 2003 2 Fast 2 Furious (stunt player)

 2000 Gone in 60 Seconds (stunts)

 1999 Wild Wild West (stunts)

 1995 Dazzle (TV Movie) (stunt coordinator)

 1995 For Better or Worse (stunts)

 1994 City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (stunts)

 1993 Robin Hood: Men in Tights (stunts)

 1989 Road House (stunts)

 1989 84C MoPic (stunt coordinator)

 1989 Major League (stunts)

 1988 Vietnam War Story (TV Series) (stunt coordinator - 2 episodes)

- Dusk to Dawn (1988) ... (stunt coordinator)

- Separated (1988) ... (stunt coordinator)

 1988 Shakedown (stunts)

 1988 Sunset (stunts)

 1987 Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (stunt player)

 1987 Hot Pursuit (stunt coordinator) / (stunts)

 1986 Ruthless People (stunts)

 1986 Short Circuit (stunts)

 1985 Spenser: For Hire (TV Series) (stunt performer - 1 episode)

- Original Sin (1985) ... (stunt performer - uncredited)

 1984 Cloak & Dagger (stunt player)

 1983 Reckless and in Love (stunt coordinator)

 1982 Matt Houston (TV Series) (stunts)

 1982 Mother Lode (stunt performer)

 1982 Wrong Is Right (stunts)

 1982 The Comeback Trail (stunts)

 1981 History of the World: Part I (stunts - uncredited)

 1981 The Legend of the Lone Ranger (stunts - uncredited)

 1981 Escape from New York (stunts)

 1981 Cutter's Way (stunt person)

 1980 Used Cars (stunts)

 1980 Bronco Billy (stunts - uncredited)

 1980 Up the Academy (stunts)

 1980 Night of the Juggler (stunts)

 1979 1941 (stunts - uncredited)

 1979 Ramblin'Man (TV Series) (stunts - 1 episode)

- Concrete Cowboys (1979) ... (stunts - uncredited)

 1979 The Concrete Cowboys (TV Movie) (stunts - uncredited)

 1979 Flesh & Blood (TV Movie) (stunts - uncredited)

 1978 Comes a Horseman (stunts)

 1978 The Manitou (stunts)

 1977 Black Oak Conspiracy (stunt coordinator) / (stunts - uncredited)

 1976 King Kong (stunts - uncredited)

 1976 City of Angels (TV Series) (stunts - 1 episode)

- Palm Springs Answer (1976) ... (stunts - uncredited)

 1975 Rollerball (stunts - uncredited)

 1974 Dirty Mary Crazy Larry (stunts - uncredited)

 1974 Bingo (stunts)

 1974 The Streets of San Francisco (TV Series) (stunt double - 1 episode)

- Commitment (1974) ... (stunt double: Johnny Weissmuller Jr. - uncredited)

 1973 The Don Is Dead (stunts - uncredited)

 1973 Kojak (TV Series) (stunts)

 1973 Soylent Green (stunts - uncredited)

 1972 Prime Cut (stunts - uncredited)

 1970 They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (stunts - uncredited)

 1968 The Sweet Ride (stunts - uncredited)

 1968 Planet of the Apes (stunts - uncredited)

 1967 Will Penny (stunts - uncredited)

 1967 Point Blank (stunts - uncredited)

 1966 What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (stunts - uncredited)

 1966 Smoky (stunt double - uncredited)

  Daniel Boone (TV Series) (stunt double Fess Parker - 1 episode, 1965) (stunt double - 1 episode, 1965)

- The Trek (1965) ... (stunt double Fess Parker - uncredited)

- The Prophet (1965) ... (stunt double: Fess Parker - uncredited)

 1965 The Cincinnati Kid (stunts - uncredited)

 1965 Ship of Fools (stunts - uncredited)

 1965 Von Ryan's Express (stunts - uncredited)

 1965 Cat Ballou (stunts - uncredited)

 1964 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) (stunts - 1 episode)

- The Iowa-Scuba Affair (1964) ... (stunts - uncredited)

 1964 Man's Favorite Sport? (stunts - uncredited)

 1962 Hatari! (stunt coordinator - uncredited) / (stunt double: Bruce Cabot - uncredited) / (stunt double: John Wayne - uncredited) / (stunts - uncredited)

 1962 Escape from Zahrain (stunts - uncredited)

 1961 The Misfits (stunts - uncredited)

 1961 Tallahassee 7000 (TV Series) (stunts)

 1960 Exodus (stunts - uncredited)

 1960 The Alamo (stunts - uncredited)

 1960 Portrait in Black (stunts - uncredited)

 1959 The Horse Soldiers (stunts - uncredited)

 1959 The Young Land (stunts - uncredited)

 1959 These Thousand Hills (stunts - uncredited)

 1959 Rio Bravo (stunts - uncredited)

 1959 A Stranger in My Arms (stunts - uncredited)

 1958 Born Reckless (stunts - uncredited)

 1958 The Perfect Furlough (stunts - uncredited)

 1958 Cimarron City (TV Series) (stunts)

 1958 Onionhead (stunts - uncredited)

 1958 The Naked and the Dead (stunts - uncredited)

 1958 Man Without a Gun (TV Series) (stunts - 1 episode)

- The Sealed Envelope (1958) ... (stunts)

 1956 Giant (stunts - uncredited)

 1956 The Sheriff of Cochise (TV Series) (stunts)

 1956 Walk the Proud Land (stunts - uncredited)

 1954 Creature from the Black Lagoon (stunts - uncredited)

 1953 The Veils of Bagdad (stunts - uncredited)

Additional Crew (2 credits)

 2013 Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th (Video documentary) (archival material)

 1949 Sands of Iwo Jima (technical advisor - uncredited)