The family moved from downtown Milwaukee to Oak Creek, Wisconsin, where Matuszak's classmates ridiculed him as a gawky beanpole. His one sister also had the disease. In a lot of ways, Sloth was not just the on-screen alter ego of the former football star, he was the actual manifestation of the person Matuszak was on the inside: a lovable giant who was also a generous friend. The Raiders had toassign a 22-year-old front office worker to literally move in with him and keep an eye on him fellow player Pat Toomay called the job "Keeper of the Tooz.". 1 seed for Division 1 baseball playoffs, High school tennis: Southern Section playoff pairings. ; two sisters, Gertrude Robey of Alexandria, and Thelma Rogers of Winchester, Va.; and six grandchildren. John Matuszak weighed 272 lbs (123 kg) when playing. Matuszak was the only surviving son one of his brothers died at birth, while the other only lived two years. Survivors include her husband of 47 years, George O. Clark, of Annapolis; two daughters, Karen Coffman, of Annapolis, and Laurie Richardson, of Richmond; a brother, E. Gordon Hershey, of Ocala, Fla., and three grandsons. He was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for Curley Culp and a No. He prayed to stop growing, but he only grew taller. Even John Matuszak's fiancee Stephanie Cozart couldn't convince him to stay clean. He played for the University of Missouri during college, and was drafted into professional football for two teams at once, the Houston Oilers in the NFL and the Houston Texans . John Matuszak, a former NFL defensive end, played Sloth in "The Goonies." The 6-foot-8, 280-pound defensive lineman . Kent State's coach was Don James, who went on to win the 1991 national championship at Washington. also an actor. However, whenever anyone met him, worked with him, or enjoyed life with him, they came away knowing he was a giving person and a gentle giant. In addition to his contract with the Oilers, he joined the Houston Texans of the World Football League (WFL), playing a total of seven plays before a restraining order was served to him during a game, barring Matuszak from playing for two teams at the same time. None of those characters was more iconic than Sloth, the hulking, deformed, and mistreated little brother of the bad guys. His debut came in 1979's North Dallas Forty:Matuszak's role as offensive lineman O.W. His life may have been a rocky road, but the Tooz cruised through it, and there was rarely a dull moment along the way. He was gangly and tall, but hadn't yet developed that football player physique, and that made him an easy target. Or something. His dad only cared about his grades, and that's the one field where his son wasn't a champion. John Matuszak is a member of the following lists: American film actors, American television actors and 1950 births. When his roommate came to pick him up from jail, he was wearing handcuffs, his Super Bowl Ring, a pair of powder blue cowboy boots and not a single shred of fabric. John Matuszak : 'The Goonies': See the Cast Then and Now! His battles with the church arent over, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! According to author Kevin Cook, Matuszak fled to a nearby cemetery and hid behind a gravestone. Tragic Details About The Actor Who Played Sloth - Looper Just as in life, Matuszak was defined by potential only barely realized, his struggle with addiction and, something you couldnt see at first glance: a big heart. Following his sophomore season at Mizzou, Matuszak transferred to the University of Tampa, where he became the star of their football team. Of course, he played Sloth in the Goonies, but Matuszak was also involved in a number of other acclaimed films. Matuszak knew he had an obsessive personality, and tried to fight it when he could. 1, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame receives No. Sloth was a 1980s icon, as beloved as E.T. Mr. Matuszak's lawyer argued that he was being made a scapegoat because of his fame and financial success. [9] Matuszak's character Sloth wears an Oakland Raiders shirt in some scenes. He coached football at a Christian summer camp and spent the evenings reading Bible verses with them. Matuszak fled to a cemetery and effectively used gravestones . Later he joined Cocaine Anonymous (CA), and then Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',132,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-banner-1-0'); According toCelebrity Net Worth, Matuszak had an estimated net worth equivalent to $400 thousand when he died in 1990. trivia, He was also a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Kent State's coach was Don James, who went on to win the 1991 national championship at Washington. photos, Tragic Details About The Actor Who Played Sloth. 11; and past patron of the Martha Washington Chapter No. The report also said that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart) and bronchopneumonia had been contributing factors in Matuszak's death. Mr. Griffith was a native of Washington and a graduate of George Mason High School in Falls Church. "At the proper time, we will have things to say about substance abuse and the scoundrels in the medical profession who recklessly dispense prescription drugs and the parasites of society who distribute illicit drugs from back alleys to fashionable condominiums," they said in a statement. Even though he was under contract with his current team, he decided to sign a second contract with the Houston Texans in the World Football League, which seems a bit logistically problematic, but he was The Tooz, so maybe he just figured he could pummel his way through any and all consequences. His net worth is USD $4 million (approx) in 2021. 1 draft choice. His second wife, Patricia Beaumont Stetter, died in 1987. Matuszak also played for various NFL teams; his longest stint of six years having been spent with . He started playing football in the eighth grade, and became a star in high school. His best known role was as the deformed Sloth in the 1985 movie The Goonies. The Heartbreaking Tale Of The Actor Who Played Sloth In The Goonies Matuszak was selected to the All American Team 1972. In 1974, while he was still playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, he upset his wife, so she tried to run him over with their Cadillac convertible. It was a minor separation of his shoulder, but Matuszak played through it, and paid the price in pain for years to come. His biography, Cruisin' with the Tooz, written with Steve Delsohn, was published in 1987. In it he writes: I abstain from cocaine, and any other foreign substance, entirely now. The Oilers were unsurprisingly unimpressed, and the LA Times said they even went as far as sending a team of lawmen to a football game to chase Matuszak around the sidelines with a subpoena. Another Golden Flashes senior, future six-time national championship coach Nick Saban, suffered a season-ending injury in October. At his funeral, his pastor noted that he'd often donated time to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Simpson on HBO's 1st & Ten, until his 'roided-up character died of a heart attack on the practice field. Darvocet was eventually banned by the FDAin 2010 for having dangerous side effects. December 26, 1976. She has been married to LeVar Burton since 3 October 1992. One year, while with the Raiders, he played Santa Claus at a children's hospital, and the emotions that came with it changed his mind and outlook. Makeup Department: White Men Can't Jump. Matuszak was the only one of the first six selections of the 1973 draft never to earn first-team All-Pro honors. He then transferred to the University of Missouri for Coach Dan Devine, with whom he had a tough relationship. He had lived in North Carolina since 1982. He was 38 years old. The Short, Troubled Life of Goonies' John Matuszak In Matuszak's first season,the Raiders won their first Super Bowl title, and Matuszak played a big part in that victory. At 6'8 and nearly 300 pounds, football star-turned-actor John "The Tooz" Matuszak was beefy enough to portray Mama Fratelli's grotesquely . Year one didn't go so hot: They won a single game, and lost 13. He then engaged in the private practice of law in Washington until becoming an administrative law judge. The report also said that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart) and bronchopneumonia had been contributing factors in his death. ), High school baseball: Southern Section playoff pairings, Dig this: Long Beach States Mason Briggs could be next big thing at libero, Kentucky Derby storylines: Training death puts early pall over Churchill Downs, Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies: How to watch, start times and betting odds, Elliott: Pissed off Kings must improve in key areas to break Oilers playoff stranglehold. Seven years later, Matuszak would join Belushi on the list of actors who died in their prime. LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Ex-football star John Matuszak's parents reacted swiftly to the coroner's announcement that their son died of an accidental overdose of a mild narcotic painkiller, criticizing doctors who prescribe such medication. It didn't make a difference, as the Raiders became the very first wild card team to ever win the Super Bowl by beating the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10. Matuszakdebuted in filmsas O.W. [10] He was only 38 years old. Matuszak's other notable movies areOne Crazy Summer(1986),Ghost Writer(1989),The Princess and the Dwarf(1989), and many others. John Matuszak, the former Los Angeles Raider who died of an accidental overdose of painkiller last summer, left most of his estate to his mother . Ian Reso, both of Virginia Beach; a stepdaughter, Patricia Lee Reso of Chicago, and one grandchild. Matuszak was the only one of the first six selections of the 1973 draft to never earn first team All-Pro honors. His last movie,Down the Drain, was released in 1990, after his demise. He was supervisor of the criminal informant program when he left to become a partner in the firm of Tyler & Stetter. John Matuszak Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Matuszak was born in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. It was Jakes first football game. The joke at the time was that you didnt have to be a convicted felon to play for the Raiders, but it helped. Maybe because Matuszak fit in with this team full of screw-ups and misfits, he finally buckled down and began to perform up to his potential. Kent State's standouts included future Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert and Gary Pinkel, who coached Missouri from 2001-15. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. With the Raiders, Matuszak played a key role in securing a couple of Super Bowl wins in 1977 and 1981. How tall was John Matuszak? One of these walking object lessons was John Belushi. John Matuszak Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family The Goonies: 25th Anniversary Edition [Blu-ray]. To make matters worse, he was a shy boy struggling with self-esteem issues and an awkward body: Matuszak was 6'1" by the age of 12. videos, Just as he was a hellion off the field, Matuszak was a devil on the gridiron. She was also a member of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Silver Spring. After he retired, most of the wild antics came to an end. The county coroners office found that his death had resulted from an accidental overdose of a narcotic painkiller, aggravated by an enlarged heart and pneumonia. In late 1984, Matuszak met with director Richard Donner, who was deep into casting The Goonies. His career was indeed an endless stream of injuries. Stephanie Cozart Burton. At the time, Manuszak had just appeared on an episode of Miami Vice and was filming an action movie called One Man Force. Everything in his life was large: The wins on the field at any cost, the painkillers needed to offset those costs, the meals needed to sustain his lifestyle. Then, when it was time to actually start playing, the pressure was almost too high for him to succeed. To his own surprise, the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) made Matuszak the number-one pick of the 1973 NFL Draft. Still, what people mostly paid attention to were his wild antics and his being a maniac on the football field. According to author Kevin Cook, Matuszak fled to a nearby cemetery and hid behind a gravestone. You know, the ole "I only meant to give him a black eye, not break his whole nose" excuse. He was in the middle of an overdose of whiskey and pills. AFC championship game. Instead, it's almost poetic to think that his large heart was actually literal. John Milo Matuszak was born on 25 October 1950 in Wisconsin, USA, to his father, Marvin Matuszak, and mother, Audrey Matuszak. She attended James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. During World War II, she worked here as a driver with the American Red Cross. During his second season with the Oilers, John Matuszak got restless. Matuszak died on June 17, 1989, as a result of acute propoxyphene intoxication, an accidental overdose of the prescription drug Darvocet, according to the findings of the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. After an injury, John Matuszak sat out the 1982 season and then decided to retire from football and pursue an acting career. LIFE A WILD, WINDING ROAD FOR MATUSZAK - Chicago Tribune With 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 head coach Al Onofrio. Paramedics attempted to perform CPR, but Matuszak's chest was so huge it was "like hitting a rock wall.". It sounded like Matuszak had finally gotten the stability in his life and the redemption he needed. Survivors include her husband of 43 years, Kenneth Spencer, of Columbia; a daughter, Susan Elliker, of Norfolk; a son, William Spencer, of Columbia, a brother, Tracy Page, of Farmington, Conn., and four grandchildren. The other way around makes no sense. "But it's funny, when I was a teenager and I would start to watch the old NFL films and they would have films of John playing for the Raiders he would just terrify people on the field, which was totally shocking to me. But he still managed to surprise Jeff Cohen, who played his onscreen buddy Chunk, by picking him up while strapped in a chair and kissing him. On top of everything, the adhesives and prosthetics aggravated his skin. In Matuszak's last college football game, Tampa defeated Kent State 21-18 in the Tangerine Bowl. In the CareUnit at Cedars-Sinai he left halfway through a one-month program and headed straight for a doctor's office, where he tried to obtain a prescription. Matuszak lived large during this era in his career, but it wasn't all beautiful women and parties at Hugh Hefner's place. The Raiders ended up taking down the Vikings in Super Bowl XI. Here we added John Matuszak Net worth, Height, Age, Girlfriend, Family, Weight, Qualification, Favorite things, Bio, and more.. John Matuszak Personal Details. Cause of Death. He attended Oak Creek High School. [11], "The Life and Times of the Tooz: Menacing Body Held Spirit of Insecure, Guilt-Ridden Child", "Former NFL great John Matuszak dead at 38", "The Top Five: Move over, Moss and T.O. On a particularly rowdy night, he was arrested for driving drunk and firing a gun at street signs. And so Matuszak kind of just went on like that for most of the rest of his career brawling, getting in trouble, being forgiven things only celebrities can get away with. But its no secret that at one time he had an excessive lifestyle, and it might have taken its toll physically.. Matuszak's family also struggled with a brutal history of cystic fibrosis. John Matuszak led a life of excesses, regardless of his physical pain. A few days ago, Twitter user Eyes on Cinema posted a 39-second clip of football-star-turned-The Goonies-actor John Matuszak's makeup test for Sloth.The clip is dated January 31, 1984; the film . You could argue that portraying an emotionally complex killer biker gang member on Miami Vice and a cop who goes on a vengeful murderous spree in One Man Force somehow resulted in Matuszak backsliding into some of his old, reckless ways, even when he was finally being recognized as a talented, sensitive man, Nevertheless, it seemed as if Matuszak was finally getting his life under control. John "The Tooz" Matuszak, 38, the former hard-hitting, hard-living defensive lineman with the Oakland Raiders who played on two Super Bowl teams before turning to an acting career, died June 17 at St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Calif. Alabama guard John Hannah, selected fourth by the New England Patriots, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991, his first year of eligibility, following a 13-year career, while quarterback Bert Jones (Baltimore Colts), offensive tackle Jerry Sisemore and tight end Charle Young (Philadelphia Eagles), and defensive tackle Dave Butz (St. Louis Cardinals) were all prominent throughout the rest of the 1970s and into the 1980s. He is most remembered for His best known role was as the deformed Sloth in the 1985 movie "The Goonies".. His zodiac sign is Scorpio. In his book, Matuszak recalls meeting people who served as examples of how he didn't want to live. His biography, Cruisin' with the Tooz, written with Steve Delsohn, was published in 1987. He also appeared in a number of cult classics including Caveman, One Crazy Summer, Ice Pirates, and as mentioned, The Goonies. Matuszak was born in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Matuszak was the first overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft and played most of his career with the Oakland Raiders until he retired after winning his second Super Bowl in 1981. 7; past master of the Alexandria Washington Lodge No. As an actor, he played in both films and television, appearing first as O.W. Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. It was with the Missouri Tigers that he had his first real injury. John Matuszak was in an on-screen matchup with Barbara Bach in Caveman (1981). Unfortunately, both his brothers died at an early age due to a disease called cystic fibrosis. Matuszak, drafted by the Houston Oilers of the NFL, was the first draft pick of 1973. John Matuszak's personal life was also affected by all the hard-partying. Who is John Matuszak dating? John Matuszak girlfriend, wife It was a rough and wild time in his life one that cast long shadows. He wasn't allowed to leave the set, for fear of outsiders seeing him in costume, so he did a lot of sitting around. He prayed to stop growing, but he only grew taller. But the man who played Sloth led a troubled life. After his injury, he had an excuse and a prescription, and that's what ultimately led to his death in 1989. It was a minor separation of his shoulder, but Matuszak played through it, the Oilers were then the worst team in the NFL, it didn't exactly turn out to be a KC masterpiece, seeing Muhammad Ali on TV after Ali's career had taken a physical toll. It was like a milestone for him. The bullying was part of what inspired Matuszak to become an athlete a tall, bulky, football player is a whole lot less vulnerable to ridicule than a tall, skinny, beanpole. When the Grim Reaper came by to touch the Tooz on the shoulder Saturday night, the big guy . Matuszak enjoyed "enough parties for twenty people's lives", and especially lived it up during the season onWednesdays, AKA "Tooz Day." Matuszak never had any children. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. In the world of professional sports, you can get away with a lot once you've proven yourself. ", "John was really nice to me and it was fun to work with him," said Jeff Cohen, who played Chunk in the iconic film. I dont ever want to go back, he added. ", The gamble paid off. Their disrespect motivated him to develop into a muscular young man, and Matuszak became the Wisconsin Class A state champion in the shot put with a throw of 58ft 11in (17.96m). Sloth's Tragic Real-Life Story - Grunge He appeared on such TV shows as "M*A*S*H," "Trapper John, M.D." Matuszak was always big for his age, which became an advantage as a defensive lineman in football. His teammates tried to rouse him, but he was unresponsive. But afterward, he gradually began to fall back into his hard-partying ways. An autopsy Sunday failed to determine the exact cause of death of Matuszak, a 6-foot-9, 280-pounder who played with the Raiders from 1976 to 1981. John Matuszak - IMDb A defensive lineman from the University of Tampa, Matuszak was the Houston Oilers' number one pick in the 1973 draft. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. (The judge ultimately ruled in Matuszak's favor.) Boucher said that a natural heart attack is obvious right away at the time of the autopsy. During World War II, he served with the Army Air Forces in England. John Matuszak played 123 games over his career . The minor ones, which he called "hangnails," included "bruises, cuts, groin pulls, twisted ankles, dislocated fingers, pulled hamstrings and slightly fractured bones." How many get to win two Super Bowls and become famous as an iconic film character like Sloth? Yet he ended up calling his time in Houston his imprisonment. Though Matuszak survived, his career in Kansas City did not, and he was shipped off to the Washington Redskins. He was trying really hard to keep things under control, Cozart said. Unfortunately, the story didnt end there, In June of 1989, it appeared that John Matuszak did go back. He died as a result of acute propoxyphene intoxication, a painkiller known by the trade name of Darvon, at the untimely age of 38. We won't really ever know because he never got a chance to grow older and wiser. He was in AA Alcoholics Anonymous and he was trying his damnedest to succeed. We will not be able to determine an exact cause of death until we get the results of toxicological, neurological and microscopic lab tests, said coroners investigator Claude Boucher. He was also a member of Mount Vernon United Methodist Church in Alexandria. John Daniel Matuszak (October 25, 1950 June 17, 1989) was an American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) who later became an actor. Former Football Player, Cast of the movie 'The Princess and the Dwarf', John Matuszak's last movie 'Down the Drain' (1990) was released after his demise. Matuszak was bit by the acting bug as a kid, when he saw James Dean getting paid to be cool in Rebel Without a Cause. Matuszak's life was a multifaceted one. 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Wiggin got into the ambulance with Matuszak and pounded on his chest until he came around, accomplishing what the paramedics could not. John Matuszak Affair, Height, Net Worth, Age, Career, and More John Matuszak (Actor) Wiki, Biography, Age, Wife, Net Worth, Family She once tried to run him over in her car after a fight. After a freshman year playing football at Fort Dodge Junior College in Iowa, Matuszak was recruited to the University of Missouri by Dan Devine. She was a member of the Mary Washington chapter No. Once, he stayed clean for 89 days, and then fell off the wagon just one day short of his goal.