Jack was born May 25, 1953, in Michigan City, Indiana to Stella and John Matuszak. Wiggin got into the ambulance with Matuszak and pounded on his chest until he came around, accomplishing what the paramedics could not. His next role was in 1981's Caveman, opposite Ringo Starr, which no critic"confused [with]Gone With The Wind." But there was another truth, far less visible, about the Raiders of those years. 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. Yet he ended up calling his time in Houston his imprisonment. He had tumbled from the No. College football was the next logical step for Matuszak, but his 1.7 GPA wasn't good enough for his dream school, Iowa. Matuszak, 38, died in June at St. Josephs Medical Center in Burbank. Census 1940 Census Pennsylvania John Matuszak. Matuszak was born in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. 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 . The organization loved to perpetuate its motorcycle-gang image, and the truth was that there appeared to be few eagle-scout badges in the dressing room. Tragically, within four years of that family classic's release, the ex-NFL player passed away aged just 38, due to an accidental overdose of a since-outlawed prescription painkiller. [4] In 1976, the Kansas City Chiefs traded Matuszak to the Washington Redskins but he was released by the Redskins soon after. Hard-driving athlete who lived life in the fast lane. Surprisingly he turned out to be a pretty good actor. John Matuszak. Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle John Matuszak during the Chiefs 24-14 victory over the San Diego Chargers on October 27, 1974 at San Diego. John Matuszak liked to throw out that disclaimer for anyone brave enough to try and party with him. Cohen's reaction is captured forever in the movie. A former girlfriend who talked to John Matuszak last Friday said the football player-turned-actor had tried hard in recent years to overcome widely publicized drug and alcohol problems. Right away, Donner could tell he was perfect for the role of Sloth, a disfigured and abused son with a heart of gold. C. GRANT STETTER FBI Agent, Administrative Law Judge C. Grant Stetter, 74, a former Washington lawyer and FBI agent who served as an administrative law judge with the Social Security Administration in Flint, Mich., from 1973 to 1982, died June 10 at a hospital in Shallotte, N.C., after stroke. He enjoyed the company of kids, but afterwards, they made him feel depressed. Different sites and sources claim Matuszak's height differently. Brian Matuszak column: Dick Wallack was Duluth's Lou Grant So I'm not breaking any news here, but the older I get, the more names I recognize on the obituary page of people who have crossed my . Matuszak died at the age of 38 on 17 June 1989. Two of his little brothers died of it: Christopher after two months of life, and David at the age of two years. He was playing for the Houston Texans of the World Football League, but was still under contract to the Houston Oilers of the National Football League. After being cut by the Redskins, Matuszak's football career was in limbo. Boredom set in quickly: He was alone and depressed, desperately missing the joy and structure of football. John Daniel Tooz Matuszak was an American professional football defensive lineman in the National Football League and Your IP: . In addition, Matuszak was a pneumonia patient and had an enlarged heart, which also added to the cause of his death.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'biographyhost_com-box-3','ezslot_1',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-box-3-0'); John Matuszak was an American actor and football player. Matuszak was born in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. An enlarged heart and pneumonia were also contributing factors in his demise. Mrs. Spencer was a native of Putney, Vt., and a graduate of the American International College in Springfield, Mass. The attention he so desperately wanted from his peers finally started to come. An autopsy was inconclusive and further tests were scheduled. He then joined Fort Dodge Junior College and played football in his first year. Known by the nickname "The Tooz," the 6'8, 280 pound athlete was initially a hot prospect and was the first overall draft pick of the year in 1973. Mr. Matuszak's lawyer argued that he was being made a scapegoat because of his fame and financial success. The Tragic Life Of Goonies Actor John Matuszak Revealed, Man Finds Old Buried Chain, His Gut Then Tells Him To Keep Pulling, Homeless Man Sues Burger King For a Million Dollars, Over 3 Months Spent In Jail Without Proof, She Looked Like She Was Pregnant With 30 Puppies, Then Vet Gives Mom The X-Ray, 10-Year-Old Boys Sentenced To Life In Prison After Child Goes Missing, Daughter Wakes Up To Serial Killer Sitting at The End Of Her Bed, Woman In Coma for 3 Weeks Wakes Up To Learn Her Family Pulled the Plug on Her, Missing Alabama Mother Found In The Woods After Sister Discovers Her Car, NFL Star Murders Girlfriend After Heated Argument Then Pulls Trigger on Himself. In 1968, when 18 there is a newspaper (Iowa Press) which mentioned "Another big line prospect is John Matuszak, 6-7 and 240" . John Daniel Matuszak (October 25, 1950 - June 17, 1989) was an American football defensive end in the National Football League who later became an actor. Women get possessive and cranky if they try to cruise with the Tooz. During his days with the Raiders, the team mostly turned a blind eye to John Matuszak's antics. Cause of Death. Years: 1976-82. Hisfirst lead rolecame in the 1985 adventure comedy filmThe Goonies. For one thing, the Oilers were then the worst team in the NFL. After Wiggin personally pounded on Matuszaks chest until he started breathing again, he booted him as quickly as possible, Next, Matuszak was picked up by the Washington Redskins. John Daniel Matuszak was once a scrawny, awkward kid from the Midwest. After seeing Steve Reeves play the title role in 1958'sHercules, he asked his parents for weights to bulk up his skinny frame. 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. Usually, starting with a new team brings about a fresh start. His marriage to Patricia Ann Stetter ended in divorce. According to the LA Times, during his sophomore year in college, Matuszak played reserve tight end on a football scholarship at the University of Missouri, but his career there was short-lived. Instead of cracking down on the instigators, the Raiders decided to memorialize the incident by hanging the broken crutch on the wall with the label "'Biskie's Tooz Pick." None of those characters was more iconic than Sloth, the hulking, deformed, and mistreated little brother of the bad guys. Matuszak's off-the-field troubles also started in college. John Matuszak, better known by her family name John Daniel Matuszak, was a popular American actor and American football player (1950-1989). He also appeared in the movies "Caveman", "The Ice Pirates", and "One Crazy Summer" but is known for his role in "The Goonies". (sibling). Shaddock received high praise from critics. I knew him as Sloth, the nice, lovable giant.". Playgirl Magazine, issue dated January 1984. Performance & security by Cloudflare. The "Don't date my sister/daughter" Rule, spoken or unspoken, exists in every locker room in America. His big goal was to get a 90-day chip and he never got one. He came to Washington in 1936 when he joined the FBI as a special agent. Though Matuszak survived, his career in Kansas City did not, and he was shipped off to the Washington Redskins. He was no fan of the press, as the press always fed on his exploits, leading to the perception that he was a real "bad dude." I take nothing, not even sleeping pills., Ive hit damn near bottom. Draft: Selected by the Houston Oilers in the 1st round (1st overall) of the 1973 NFL Draft. But the man who played Sloth led a troubled life. Kerhin remembers a slightly gentler version of Matuszak, who would drop by the American Legion Post 434 in Oak Creek, the town hot spot, to grab a drink during his visits back home. John Matuszak, John Matuszak Raiders, The Tooz, Matuszak Raiders, Goonies, Sloth Goonies, Sloth, Oakland Raiders, Los Angeles Raiders, Las Vegas Raiders, Too. So, he bulked up his grades at Fort Dodge, a junior college. He prayed to stop growing, but he only grew taller. 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. Matuszak participated in the . I sure can't do television. And then his body began to give out like all those others, and the back pain became too great. Joe Namath, Dick Butkus, John Matuszak all had a shot on TV series and flopped. You sit out a game and your replacement could steal your job, so you play with the pain which sometimes leads to even more injuries. 6ft 7 (201.3 cm) US footballer, turned Actor. One of these offenses killed a pending endorsement deal that would have seen him appear in beer commercials. Check out our john matuszak selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Home > Oakland Raiders > John Matuszak Jersey. Matuszak, 38, who retired from professional football because of injuries in 1983 and pursued an acting career, was pronounced dead Saturday night in the emergency room of St. Joseph Medical Center . He also had guest appearances on popular TV shows "Perfect Strangers", "M*A*S*H", "The Dukes of Hazzard", "Hunter", "Silver Spoons", "The A-Team", "1st & Ten", "Miami Vice" and "Cheers". College: Tampa Spartans football John Matuszak Career. Matuszak was born in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. You know, the ole "I only meant to give him a black eye, not break his whole nose" excuse. After that he ended up at theUniversity of Tampa, where he became an All-American and was eventually the No. According to author Kevin Cook, Matuszak fled to a nearby cemetery and hid behind a gravestone. He appeared on such TV shows as "M*A*S*H," "Trapper John, M.D." 1st & Ten is an American sitcom that aired between December 1984 and January 1991 on the cable television network HBO.Featuring series regulars Delta Burke and veteran Reid Shelton, it was one of cable's first attempts to lure the lucrative sitcom audience away from the then-dominant "Big Three" broadcast television networks, by taking advantage of their freedom to include occasional profanity . he was one of famous actor and American football player (1950-1989 . The trade was a steal for Houston, where Culp became a Hall of Fame performer when coach Bum Phillips moved Culp to nose tackle in the 3-4 defense in 1975. Matuszak, a former all-pro defensive end noted for his aggression on the field, his flamboyance off it and his nickname, the Tooz, named his mother, Audrey Matuszak of Oak Creek, Wis., as his representative in the will formally filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. Matuszak's days of losing were over: One season in, and he was already Super Bowl bound. Inducted into the University of Tampa Athletic Hall of Fame in 1983. Matuszak's life came to an untimely end on June 17, 1989, when he died from an accidental overdose of a prescription drug at the age of 38, The New York Times reported. Matuszak was 6'8" and 280 pounds, so they pretended they didn't know about the vodka and Valium and made him a Raider. Matuszak was then picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs, only to be dropped after head coach Paul Wiggin found him unconscious and not breathing one day. He then joined the Raiders as a free agent just before the second game of the 1976 season. After the coroner's report was released, his parents admitted that their son used prescription and illegal drugs to try to cope with chronic back pain. He was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. Matuszak was suspended for the rest of the season and thrown out of his fraternity. Unfortunately, though, for the real Sloth there was no happy ending. Mr. Matuszak also wrote his autobiography, "Cruisin' With The Tooz." Year one didn't go so hot: They won a single game, and lost 13. He was also a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.[2]. Al Davis was the first to know about my decision to retire, and Mom was second. Matuszak's family also struggled with a brutal history of cystic fibrosis. He died of heart failure, which was probably caused by an overdose of pain medication and pneumonia. "I have a little velvet box at home," Cozart told the LA Times. Mr. Griffith was a native of Washington and a graduate of George Mason High School in Falls Church. But John Matuszak was only 38 when he died, so maybe he needed a few more years. Find John Matuszak's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. He attended the University of Tampa and played for their football team. 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. But the story behind the actor who played Sloth is almost as unbelievable as the plot of The Goonies. It doesn't matter if you're too short, too tall, too fat, or too skinny they're going to find something about you to pick on. 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. To report about any issues in our articles, please feel free toContact Us. Father: Marvin Matuszak Mother: Audrey Matuszak Marital Status: Divorced Past Relationships: . . (1982),The Dukes of Hazzard(1984),The Fall Guy(1985),Benson(1985),1st & Ten: The Championship(1987),The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission(1988),Superboy(1989), among many others. Unfortunately, both his brothers died at an early age due to a disease called cystic fibrosis. 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. In addition, Matuszak was a pneumonia patient and had an enlarged heart, which also added to the cause of his death. If you know too much about a guy, you tend to prejudge him, to hold his past against him. UNKNOWN. According to the LA Times, he had an excuse for all of them, ranging from swerving to avoid a child to not knowing there was marijuana in the car. Then something happened. The pain in his body almost equaled the pain of not being able to be with his teammates on the field. Once, he stayed clean for 89 days, and then fell off the wagon just one day short of his goal. I can't cruise no more. During his second season with the Oilers, John Matuszak got restless. He attended the University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou) on a football scholarship and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. According tosportscasting.com, Matuszak also had a life-threatening incident before his death. But just because he was performing well on the field, it didnt mean that hed given up shenanigans all together. If you go through those things in your mind, you can do them. In his delightful and salacious biography, Sir Tooz summarizes his day job simply: "Football is a violent game and best played with a violent frame of mind." This is when Matuszak believed his "bad guy" reputation began: The Tooz wanted out, but a trade was out of the question, so he knew he had to force the Oilers' hand. Tragic Details About The Actor Who Played Sloth. He starred in a short-lived 1985 prime-time television series, "Hollywood Beat," playing George Grinsky, a huge gay informant whose business was used by undercover cops working in Hollywood. (Page 2) His one sister also had the disease. The Los Angeles County . 18: He also had cocaine in his system at the time of his death. John Matuszak got into quite a bit of trouble in his life. Kansas City was the next stop on the trouble tour, and it didn't exactly turn out to be a KC masterpiece. But even with the success Matuszak found in this new chapter of his life, some aspects of his troubled past remained. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'biographyhost_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',114,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-medrectangle-3-0'); John Milo Matuszak was born on 25 October 1950 in Wisconsin, USA, to his father, Marvin Matuszak, and mother, Audrey Matuszak. The argument escalated, and then Matuszak slapped Robiskie, grabbed him, and shook him. One season after that Super Bowl, his career was over. She later promised him that she'd set another wedding date when he finally got a 90-day chip, but the Goonies star always failed. She had lived in Columbia since 1983. How many get to win two Super Bowls and become famous as an iconic film character like Sloth? See John Matuszak full list of movies and tv shows from their career. He played college football at Santa Clara University and was selected third overall by the Oilers in the 1971 NFL Draft. . John Daniel Matuszak was once a scrawny, awkward kid from the Midwest. So it was off to the University of Tampa for Matuszak, an "outlaw school" where undesirables went to be desired. And when he misbehaved so blatantly that they couldn't really ignore what he'd done, they usually just laughed about it. He pleaded guilty, but then told a reporter: "Some guy purposely caused an accident." We have 44 records for John Matuszak ranging in age from 46 years old to 88 years old. "Vodka and Valium," coach George Allen explained, "the breakfast of champions." As a result, as he put it, "painkillers are a way of life in the NFL." "You know what the greatest thing about this is?" I think about the game plan, and then I go through all the little things that are almost impossible to do. Madden retired two years later, and was replaced with Tom Flores. 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