Emmy-winning actor and comedian Rip Torn died on July 9th at the age of 88. Those who knew and loved the legendary actor have taken to social media to pay their tributes and celebrate his life and work.
Torn was perhaps best known for his work on HBO’s “The Larry Sanders Show.”
Torn played the sarcastic, foul-mouthed Artie, a role for which he earned six consecutive Emmy award nominations for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He took home that award in 1996.
He also gained popularity portraying Zed in the ‘Men in Black’ film series.
Comedy lovers might also recognize Torn as Coach Patches O’Houlihan, who famously decreed that “if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball,” and as eccentric CEO of General Electric Don Geiss on 30 Rock .
RELATED STORIES
Torn’s publicist confirmed the actor’s death on Tuesday.
In a statement to NPR , his publicist did not announce a cause of death, but did state that Torn passed away at his home in Lakeville, Conn. surrounded by family.
Torn’s ‘Men in Black’ co-star Will Smith shared a photo of them on set after the news broke.
Torn’s role as Zed in the Men in Black series was iconic, with several fans in the comments stating that Torn hadn’t passed away, he’d just “gone back home.”
Alec Baldwin, Torn’s co-star from the sitcom ’30 Rock’, shared a touching tweet.
Baldwin’s tweet read, “I worked on @nbc30rock with #RipTorn in the role of Don Geiss, head of GE. He was a deeply committed, phenomenal actor.”
Baldwin’s tweet ended on a sweet and funny note.
Baldwin said, “See you down the road, Rip. You wonderful madman.”
Torn was well-known for eccentric and wild behavior off screen.
Director Adam McKay shared some of these stories in a Twitter thread.
Torn famously got into a brawl with filmmaker Norman Mailer, and attacked him with a hammer while filming a movie. Torn also once broke into a bank, armed with a gun, drunkenly mistaking the building for his own house.
Albert Brooks, director of ‘Defending Your Life’ also shared a tweet.
Torn’s cause of death has not been announced, but he is survived by his wife, Amy, six children, and four grandchildren.
Torn was 88.
