Thomas Kent “T.K.” Carter, the actor best known for his role as Nauls in John Carpenter’s 1982 cult horror classic The Thing, has died at the age of 69.
Carter was found dead on Friday at his home in Duarte, California, after a 911 call was made from the residence at 5:42 pm, according to TMZ. The cause of death has not been disclosed, but no foul play is suspected.
Born on 18 December 1956 in New York City and raised in Southern California, Carter began his screen career in the mid-1970s with guest roles on series such as Police Woman and Good Times. He is best remembered as the roller-skating cook in the Antarctic outpost in The Thing, which follows 12 men confronted by a shape-shifting alien.
His other film appearances include Seems Like Old Times (1980), Southern Comfort (1981), Doctor Detroit (1983), Ski Patrol (1990), Space Jam (1996) and My Favorite Martian (1999). On television, he starred as Michael “Mike” Fulton on NBC’s Punky Brewster and appeared in shows such as The Waltons, The Jeffersons, Family Matters, Moesha and Dave, plus voice roles in The Transformers and Jem. His final acting credit was as Cliff in the FXX sitcom Dave in 2023.
Fans and colleagues paid tribute on social media. Comedian Loni Love wrote: “Sad to hear about the passing of my comedy brother TK… He was in the business for over 50 years... I’m glad we shared a good laugh last time we met.. rest well TK.”
