10 January 2026<\/time>\n <\/p>\nThe Thing star T.K. Carter has died at the age of 69.<\/p>\n
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The Thing star T.K. Carter<\/p>\n
The actor – known for his role as Nauls in the 1982 sci-fi-horror movie – was found dead in his home after law enforcement received a call to the property in Duarte, California, on Friday (09.01.26), TMZ reports.<\/p>\n
Police confirmed that they received the call at about 5.42pm, and a death report was filed.<\/p>\n
Officials say they do not suspect foul play and that T.K.’s cause of death has not been released.<\/p>\n
He is survived by his wife, Janet Carter.<\/p>\n
\nFans have paid tribute to T.K. – whose career spanned almost 50 years – on social media.<\/p>\n
\nOne person on X penned: “Rest in Peace T.K. Carter. He was a part of some many movies from my childhood including the horror masterpiece that is The Thing. Such a sad loss. (sic)”<\/p>\n
\nReferencing the star’s role of National Guardsman, Tyrone Cribbs, in the 1981 action-thriller movie Southern Comfort, a second user of the social media platform typed: “RIP Mr T.K. Carter. You will be missed. You may have been Nauls in The Thing, but you always be Cribbs to me. (sic)”<\/p>\n
\nAnd referring to T.K.’s character T-Bone – a recurring character who was part of Steve Harvey’s band, The High Tops, on The Steve Harvey Show in the 1990s, a supporter on Instagram said: “RIP T-Bone, the Hightops will never be the same.”<\/p>\n
\nBorn in New York City on December 18, 1956, T.K. grew up in the San Gabriel Valley area of Southern California.<\/p>\n
\nHis acting debut came in the mid-1970s when he landed a role in an episode of the NBC police procedural series, Police Woman.<\/p>\n
\nT.K. built up his reputation as a versatile character actor by appearing in early movies, including the 1978 comedy-adventure film Corvette Summer (car wash employee) and the 1980 comedy-romance flick Seems Like Old Times (Chester).<\/p>\n
\nThe performer got his big break in 1982 when he was cast as Nauls, a cook stationed at an American Antarctic research station, US Outpost 31, in the John Carpenter-directed sci-fi-horror, The Thing.<\/p>\n
\nT.K. went on to have memorable performances as Dave Prince in the 1985 action-thriller film, Runaway Train, the voice of Monstar Nawt in the 1996 live-action animated sports comedy movie, Space Jam, and as Lester Kincaid in the 2005 action-crime flick, Domino.<\/p>\n
\nHe also had recurring roles on TV shows, such as Mike Fulton in the 1980s NBC sitcom Punky Brewster.<\/p>\n
\nIn more recent performances, T.K. starred as Gary McCullough in the 2000 HBO miniseries The Corner.<\/p>\n
\nHis last appearances came in three episodes of the ABC drama The Company You Keep, as Pike, and five episodes of Lil Dicky’s Dave, as Cliff, in 2023.<\/p>\n
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