‘Revenge of the Nerds’ actor Donald Gibb dead at 71
Donald Gibb, the American actor best known for Revenge of the Nerds, has died aged 71.
In a statement, his family confirmed his death, “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Donald Gibb — a beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and actor. Donald loved the Lord, his family, his friends, and his fans with all his heart.”
They added in the statement given to Rolling Stone, “Known for his larger-than-life presence on screen and his kindness off screen, he brought joy, laughter, and unforgettable memories to countless people throughout his life and career.”
The Gibb family then praised his “strength, generosity, and spirit”, while also noting that his legacy will live on through “those who had the privilege of knowing him personally and by the many fans whose lives he touched over the years”.
According to TMZ, Gibb died on May 12th due to health complications at his home in Texas, surrounded by his family and loved ones.
No specific cause of death has been disclosed.
The later life of Donald Gibb
While his career, as far as Hollywood was concerned, peaked in the 1980s, he did go on to make guest appearances in a number of hit TV shows, such as The X-Files, Quantum Leap, Cheers, and Seinfeld.
Outside of acting, like many action stars of a certain vintage, he was also a prominent figure on the fan convention scene, regularly appearing at events across the United States.
[Link]Gibb’s mixed memories of ‘Bloodsport’
Outside of the role of Ogre in the Revenge of the Nerds series, Gibb was also widely known for starring opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in the 1988 combat movie, Bloodsport, which proved to be another box office sensation despite having a small budget.
However, shooting the movie was less enjoyable for Gibb, telling Youngstown Studios, “The problem with Bloodsport is I had to deal with him,” in reference to his co-star, who he said “made things really, really uncomfortable for everybody.”
Gibb went on to say it would have been his top career highlight “if he were a great guy”, but nevertheless, he remained incredibly proud of the final product until the end.
Gibb’s final interview
Last year, during an interview with Youngstown Studios, Gibb reflected on the success of Revenge of the Nerds, sharing that he knew instantly it would be a hit, but revealed that “Fox thought it would be garbage.”
He joyfully added, “When we were doing it, we felt there was something really positive here. We all got along, everyone was happy, the set was great.”
Thankfully, for the cast and crew, Fox changed their opinion on the movie during filming, with Gibb saying they then felt like “we’ve got something here”.
[Link]How Donald Gibb gained Hollywood’s attention
Initially, like any other jobbing actor, Gibb was taking whatever small, bit-part role that he could get on his hands on, which led to uncredited performances in notable movies like Conan the Barbarian and Stripes.
Then, he was cast as Ogre in 1984’s Revenge of the Nerds, which was a huge hit at the box office, and he also reprised the role three years later in Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise.
Due to his experience of college football, the role of the archetypal jock came naturally to Gibb, who also stood at 6ft4 tall, which gave him a larger-than-life appearance on screen.
Donald Gibb’s accidental acting career
Gibb, who was born in New York in 1954 but raised in California, initially had no intention of forging an acting career. Football was his first love, and he even briefly played for the NFL’s San Diego Chargers before a car accident changed his life forever, and led to him trying his hand at making at in Hollywood.
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