With sadness, ComicBook.com brings word of the death of character actor Tommy “Tiny” Lister, whose credits on the big screen included the hit comedy film Friday and the DC Comics adaptation, The Dark Knight. TMZ first reported Lister’s death, noting that law enforcement was called to his home this afternoon to respond to a report of an unconscious male. They further report that he was not taken to a hospital after he was recovered and was pronounced dead at the scene. Lister was 62. We send our condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones as they mourn his passing.
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With over 200 acting credits to his name, Lister was best known by film fans for playing the role of Deebo in the comedies Friday and Next Friday. Comic book fans will recognize him for playing the “Tattooed Prisoner” in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. Lister had a short but pivotal scene in the movie, appearing as one of the main players during one of The Joker’s high-stakes “games.” In the scene, a boat with prisoners and a boat with civilians are stopped in Gotham’s harbor, each with a device to blow-up the other boat, which would allow them to live. After much deliberation, Lister’s character takes the device to blow-up the other ship, and in a surprise, tosses it out a window into the sea.
RIP Tiny Lister, aka Deebo, aka Zeus, aka President Lindberg, aka Winston the bail bondsman. One of the greatest movie villains of all time. Without saying a word, his scowl and sneer sent everyone into hiding. No one ever ever looked more terrifying in a Pendleton. What a legend pic.twitter.com/O9EbQHki5k
— Otto Von Biz Markie (@Passionweiss) December 11, 2020
One of Lister’s other most popular credits was the feature film No Holds Barred where he starred opposite professional wrestler Hulk Hogan. The pair went after each other in the ring in the film, utilizing Hogan’s wrestling credentials and Lister’s size to create a memorable match-up. Other credits of Lister’s include President Lindberg in The Fifth Element, Winston in Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown, Finnick in Disney’s Zootopia, plus Little Nicky and more.
Lister also had an extensive career in television, appearing in Perfect Strangers, Matlock, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, NYPD Blue, The Jamie Foxx Show, Star Trek: Enterprise, Regular Show, and Key and Peele.
(Cover Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for Muddy Waters Pictures/Webber Films)
