John matuszak as sloth

Sloth : Hey, you guys! Francis Fratelli : Get the rope here. Slothy, Slothy, jumprope Slothy. Jake Fratelli : What do you mean jump rope?

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories , we're happy to send you some reminders. Click ' OK ' then ' Allow ' to enable notifications. The Goonies is nothing short of an eighties classic and features a host of loveable misfits including Sloth, the deformed son of villain Mama Fratelli. However, what few fans of The Goonies know is that, in real life, the actor who played the iconic character , John Matuszak, had a truly tragic backstory. Prior to his untimely death at the age of just 38 in , he suffered misfortune after misfortune, despite a seemingly glittering career as a football player. Before this even began, he lost his two brothers to cystic fibrosis, with one dying two months after birth and another dying at the age of two, when The Goonies star was around 12 or 13 years old. Just like his on-screen character, Matuszak - who required five hours of prosthetics and makeup to transform into Sloth - was an imposing man with a height of 6ft 8.

John matuszak as sloth

Sadly, at the heart of the movie lies a very sad story indeed. John Matuszak, the actor who so memorably played disfigured giant Sloth, died just four years after the release of the movie, hiding a past of drug and alcohol abuse from the Hollywood spotlight. The Wisconsin native got his first taste of fame in the NFL in , when he was picked in the draft and joined the Houston Oilers. A defensive end who could stand up and shut down even the most mountainous of opponents, Matuszak won two Superbowls with the Raiders before retiring in and moving into movies. His intake was legendary — he could either make it a night to remember or a night to forget. On one occasion, after a playful argument with Raiders assistant coach Terry Robiskie, Matuszak slapped his former teammate hard in the face and began shaking him — it took the whole team to prize them apart. Later, in his fourth professional football season, his girlfriend attempted to run him over with her car. After the break-up and a night of heavy drinking, the Tooz necked two sleeping pills at a bar and almost died — it was only his coach pounding him on his chest in the ambulance on the way to the hospital that kept him alive. Though his exterior was gentle and polite, his addictions ran through his veins. He thought his body was so large, it would absorb it. His drink was triple Crown Royal with a beer backer. The man lived a hard life.

He was also a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Sports Illustrated.

Matuszak was the first overall pick in the NFL Draft and played most of his career with the Oakland Raiders until he retired after winning his second Super Bowl in He participated in the World's Strongest Man competition, where he placed ninth. As an actor, Matuszak played in both films and television, appearing first as O. His biography, Cruisin' with the Tooz , written with Steve Delsohn, was published in He had two brothers, but both died of cystic fibrosis at young ages. One of his sisters also had the disease.

If you're someone who grew up in the s, a pop culture junkie, or even just a movie geek, "The Goonies" is practically required viewing. The Richard Donner-directed, Steven Spielberg-produced adventure-comedy, which hit theaters in , isn't just one of the most iconic films to be released during the decade of Reaganomics, leg warmers, and "Where's the beef? As memorable as those actors were in leading roles, though, the movie's side characters — and the people who played them — similarly made a lasting impression. However, the Sloth character may be the most lovable of the bunch. Whether it's due to his imposing stature, atypical appearance, or the heart-warming relationship that develops between himself and Chunk, who was played by Jeff Cohen, as well as the other Goonie kids, the "good" Fratelli brother is perhaps the best-remembered part of the film. Here's the actor who was responsible for bringing him to life.

John matuszak as sloth

Acting wasn't John Matuszak's first job, but he ended up eternalized in the cult classic "The Goonies" as Sloth , the Fratelli child who suffered from malformations and was abused by his mean — and criminal — family. Before kicking off his acting career, Matuszak, also known as the Tooz, was a defensive end with not one but two Super Bowl trophies in his cabinet, per Sportscasting. Unsurprisingly, Matuszak's first major role saw him portray — you guessed it — a football player in the film "North Dallas Forty," which also starred Nick Nolte. Because Matuszak stood at 6 foot 8, he also landed parts in adventure and fantasy films portraying "gentle giants" and oddballs, according to Sportscasting.

Distance from chicago to detroit

Authority control databases. The man lived a hard life. He had two brothers, but both died of cystic fibrosis at young ages. You can contact Claire at [email protected]. Netflix viewers have same complaint about stalker doc people are calling 'craziest' thing ever seen. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. By the time he became a professional athlete, Matuszak stood 6 ft 8 in 2. Kent State's coach was Don James , who went on to win the national championship at Washington. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on , 9am—8pm weekdays and 11am—4pm weekends for advice and support. Marv and Audrey Matuszak, the footballer-turned-actor's parents, said they believed his chronic pain was ultimately a major contributing factor in his death.

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories , we're happy to send you some reminders. Click ' OK ' then ' Allow ' to enable notifications. The Goonies is an absolute 80s classic, centring on a group of lovable misfits, who stumble upon some hidden pirate treasure but find themselves the target of a family of criminals headed up by Mama Fratelli.

One of his sisters also had the disease. John Matuszak, the actor who so memorably played disfigured giant Sloth, died just four years after the release of the movie, hiding a past of drug and alcohol abuse from the Hollywood spotlight. Kent State's coach was Don James , who went on to win the national championship at Washington. Read Edit View history. When the bough breaks the cradle will fall Retrieved January 12, They said: "We are not unmindful of the problems our son had in his battle against chronic pain and his resulting use of drugs, both prescription and otherwise. Article Talk. Their disrespect motivated him to develop into a muscular young man, and he became the Wisconsin Class A state champion in the shot put with a throw of 58 ft 11 in He thought his body was so large, it would absorb it. Sims Rogers K. He had two brothers, but both died of cystic fibrosis at young ages. With Dan Devine leaving Missouri for the Green Bay Packers that same year, Matuszak no longer had a spot on the team, and his scholarship was revoked by new coach Al Onofrio.