Candyman actor and horror icon Tony Todd dies aged 69

Tony Todd, renowned horror actor and voiceover artist, died on November 6 at his home at age 69.

Todd earned over 240 film and TV credits during his 40-year career and became known most widely for his performance as the titular Candyman/Daniel Robitaille in the 1992 horror movie.

He was also known for his recurring role as the eerie William Bludworth, a funeral parlor owner, in the Final Destination franchise.

Earlier in his career, Todd appeared in major TV shows such as Law & Order, The X-Files, Beverly Hills 90210, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. His memorable voice also led to voiceover roles in Star Trek, Call of Duty, and Transformers: Rise of the Fallen.

TriStar Pictures

At the time of writing, the cause of death has not been confirmed.

His Candyman co-star Virginia Madsen posted a tribute to Todd on Instagram on November 8, writing in the caption: “My beloved. May you rest in power sweet to the sweet in heaven. The great actor Tony Todd has left us and now is an angel. As he was in life. More later but I can’t right now. I love you.”

Devon Sawa, co-star of the first Final Destination movie, wrote on X: “Tony Todd was a friend even through my darkest times. I’ll never forget that.”

New Line Cinema, the production company behind the Final Destination movies, also posted a tribute, writing: “The industry has lost a legend. We have lost a cherished friend. Rest in peace, Tony.”

Online fans have also been posting their reactions to the news, with many praising him as an icon of the genre.

As one X user wrote: “RIP Tony Todd, an overwhelming and utterly singular presence, charismatic and magnetic and undeniable in the way of the very best of them. THE CROW, FINAL DESTINATION, THE ROCK, too many great roles to count, but he’ll go down in horror history for CANDYMAN.”

“The loss of Tony Todd is a monumental loss for the horror world,” said another. “One of the all-time greats. We say it a lot. Horror icon. Horror legend. He embodied all of that. Made every movie he was in better. A staple of the convention scene. A true member of this horror family. Deeply sad.”

“Rest in Peace, Tony Todd. An absolute legend. His performance as Candyman is going to go down in film history as one of the most iconic film performances ever” wrote a third.