"Karate Kid" Actor Robert Garrison Dead At 59

Rest In Peace, Rob Garrison.

BYAron A.Sep 27, 20195.2K Views

Fans of the classic film Karate Kid will be sad to know that actor Rob Garrison has passed away, CNN reports. Garrison was known for his work in the Karate Kid franchise, in not only the original film, but also, Cobra Kai, a YouTube Original that served as a spin-off. The actor passed away on Friday morning at the age of 59. Garrison has reportedly been hospitalized for the past month with kidney and liver issues. His organs shut down during treatment at a hospital in Virginia.

"Rob was a great person and ambassador to 'The Karate Kid' legacy," Rick Henriques, Garrison's rep, said in a statement. "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."

Garrison took on the role of Tommy in Karate Kid in 1984 and later reprised the role for Cobra Kai which is a spin-off series that picks up on their characters as adults. He was known for his iconic line in Karate Kid, "Get him a body bag!"

Jon Hurwitz, writer and producer of Cobra Kai, shared a statement earlier today on Twitter. "Our entire Karate Kid/Cobra Kai family is devastated by the news of OG Cobra Rob Garrison's passing. He was a truly gifted performer and an even better man. My heart goes out to Rob's family during this difficult time," he wrote.

Rest In Peace Rob Garrison.

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Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.