Robert Garrison, the actor best known for his role as Tommy in "The Karate Kid," has died, according to multiple media reports. He was 59.
His rep, Rick Henriques, confirmed the actor's death to The Hollywood Reporter. "It is a huge loss to the Karate Kid and Cobra Kai family," Henriques said. "He was a great guy and a great actor."
No cause of death was immediately available, but Garrison's sister-in-law told TMZ that he had been ill for some time. According to TMZ, he had been in the hospital for over a month dealing with kidney and liver issues, and his organs shut down.
Garrison was a child actor in the late '70s before landing his role in "The Karate Kid," starring Ralph Macchio. He played Tommy, the Cobra Kai member and a minor antagonist in the original movie. His character is remembered for the line "Get him a bodybag!" which he yells out during the climax of the film.
He also played Tommy in "Karate Kid: Part II" in 1986 and an older Tommy in the 2019 series "Cobra Kai."
Jon Hurwitz, "Cobra Kai" creator, executive producer, writer and director, paid tribute to the late actor on Twitter.
"I'll never forget how moved the entire cast and crew was by Rob's brilliant and heartfelt performance by the campfire. I'll never forget the laughs we shared later that night over beers as the gang told stories, including some gems Rob had from the set of Iron Eagle," he wrote.
"I'm heartened to know how much Rob Enjoyed and cherished his time working on Cobra Kai," he added. "We were looking forward to seeing his smiling face again this season, as we had plans for Tommy to ride again. But he'll remain in our thoughts every day as we strive to make him proud."
Garrison is survived by his brother, Patrick, and sister-in-law, Linda.
