Rob Garrison, an actor best known for his role of Tommy in the early installments of “The Karate Kid” and a frequent visitor to West Hollywood’s Revolver bar, died on Friday at the age of 59.
Garrison’s death, first reported by TMZ, was a result of kidney and liver problems.
Garrison died in a hospital in Pennsylvania, where he had been transferred for special treatment from a hospital in West Virginia.
“Rob was a great person and ambassador to ‘The Karate Kid’ legacy,” a representative for Garrison told Fox News. “His performance in Season 2 of ‘Cobra Kai,” being his last, was simply amazing and he stole the episode. He will be missed by me and everyone he encountered,” read the statement.
The former child actor started his career in the late 1970s. His first major role was in in 1984’s “The Karate Kid and its sequel, “The Karate Kid Part II.”
IMDb says that Garrison put his acting career on hold from 1995 to 2011. This year he appeared as his role as Tommy in a YouTube TV adaptation of “Cobra Kai.” He also had performed in small roles “MacGyver,” “Homefront,” and “Coach.”
“I remember he was very much like he was in ‘Karate Kid’ – vivacious, big amazing smile, super boyish cute and with the usual ‘actor’ kind of twitches,” said Weston Harris, who recalls seeing Garrison at Revolver, the gay bar in West Hollywood. “It was amazing that he wasn’t afraid to be out and around like that during the ‘Karate Kid’ days.”
Garrison is survived by his brother Patrick. There will be a memorial visitation for his friends on Monday at Kepner Funeral Home in West Virginia, where he grew up. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Rob Garrison legacy memorial fund at [email protected].
RIP.