Whitney Rydbeck (1945–2024), one of the original crash test dummies
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2 min readWhitney Rydbeck was a film and television actor with a penchant for physical comedy, perhaps best known for portraying one of the original crash test dummies in a classic 1980s public safety campaign.
- Died: July 15, 2024 (Who else died on July 15?)
- Details of death: Died in Chatsworth, California of prostate cancer at the age of 79.
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Whitney Rydbeck’s legacy
For years, Whitney Rydbeck’s fondness for physicality helped the actor land roles in dozens of films and television shows. Born in Los Angeles, he studied theater at Cal State Fullerton and worked as a mime in the 1970s, primarily with Richmond Shepard Mime Troupe and the L.A. Mime Company.
Rydbeck first appeared on screen in the 1970s show “Nanny and the Professor,” then in 1973, he played a robot in the Woody Allen film, “Sleeper.” Dozens of small TV roles for Rydbeck that took advantage of his unique skills followed for decades, including appearances on “The Brady Bunch,” “M*A*S*H,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” four episodes of “Simon & Simon,” and three episodes of “Murder, She Wrote,” among many others.
He is perhaps best known for two roles: playing a hapless, paintball-playing murder victim in “Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives,” and portraying one of the original crash test dummies in a landmark Department of Transportation public safety campaign of the 1980s and 1990s promoting seat belt use.
When not onscreen, Rydbeck taught drama at Pasadena City College.
Tributes to Whitney Rydbeck
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
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