Tom Lister Jr.

If you ever wanted a 6' 5", musclebound, broad-shouldered, shaved-head actor to play a terrifying bodyguard, a soldier of fortune or a fearsome gangster, then Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr. was your man. The basketball player turned actor, who notched up appearances in roughly 132 films, first popped up in roles such as a prison guard in _Runaway Train (1985)_ (qv), 'Andy Garcia' (qv)'s bodyguard in _8 Million Ways to Die (1986)_ (qv) and 'Powers Boothe' (qv)'s bodyguard in _Extreme Prejudice (1987)_ (qv). Hardly diminutive, 6' 5" Lister was not just a recognizable figure on screen, but also a highly accomplished actor. Originally a professional wrestler known by the names "Zeus" and "ZGangsta" for the WWE (Formerly WWF), Tiny left wrestling in the mid 1980s to pursue an acting career. He worked with some of the best actors and directors, in a wide net of genres - from thriller to science fiction and drama to comedy.Tommy "Tiny" Lister grew up in Compton, California, but chose to break the curses of his generation at an early age. He stayed away from gang life, choosing instead to stay at home and watch westerns. He chose religion over wrongdoing, and developed an interest in films and television early. Growing up watching Gary Cooper, Jimmy Stewart, Charlton Heston and Errol Flynn allowed Tiny a chance to dream, and he envisioned his own life on film and television, creating characters on celluloid that transcended gender and color. With his will set in stone, Tiny went out to make it possible. Tiny made his feature film debut in _Runaway Train (1985)_ (qv) with 'Jon Voight' (qv), and spent the next few years learning the craft and appearing in films heavy in action and in talent: _8 Million Ways to Die (1986)_ (qv) with 'Andy Garcia' (qv), _Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)_ (qv) with 'Eddie Murphy' (qv), and _No Holds Barred (1989)_ (qv) with fellow WWE (WWF at the time) wrestler 'Hulk Hogan' (qv).In the 1990s, Tiny expanded his resume, continuing to make his mark in films with the best in the business. He joined 'Johnny Depp' (qv) and the legendary 'Marlon Brando' (qv) in the quirky _Don Juan DeMarco (1994)_ (qv) and worked with director 'Quentin Tarantino' (qv) and actor 'Andy Garcia' (qv) in _Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995)_ (qv). He would later work again with Tarantino in _Jackie Brown (1997)_ (qv). Lister's 1990s career benefited from the decade's surge in African-American filmmaking, beginning with his starring role in 'Mario Van Peebles' (qv)'s western _Posse (1993)_ (qv), in which he was thrilled to star with his childhood idol 'Woody Strode' (qv). In a move that was sure to cement his popularity with young audiences across the country, Tiny went on to star as neighborhood bully "Deebo" opposite 'Ice Cube' (qv) in the cult comedy _Friday (1995)_ (qv), reprising the role for the successful sequel _Next Friday (2000)_ (qv). After appearing in comedian 'Martin Lawrence' (qv)'s _A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996)_ (qv), Lister played a supporting role in 'Ice Cube' (qv)'s directorial debut _The Players Club (1998)_ (qv) and appeared in 'Master P' (qv)'s _I Got the Hook Up (1998)_ (qv). He also starred in a slew of B-horror films including _Soulkeeper (2001)_ (qv), _Hellborn (2003)_ (qv) and _Dracula 3000 (2004)_ (qv).Tiny continued with his wide, often eclectic range of roles, and expanded on his original "fierce bodyguard" roles to include comedic and rather quirky performances. He played the President in director 'Luc Besson' (qv)'s science fiction epic _The Fifth Element (1997)_ (qv) opposite 'Bruce Willis' (qv) and worked with 'Adam Sandler' (qv) in _Little Nicky (2000)_ (qv), as well as 'Mike Meyers' (qv) and 'Mike Myers' (qv) in _Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)_ (qv). He joined 'Dustin Hoffman' (qv), 'Andy Garcia' (qv) and 'Rachel Weisz' (qv) in the crime thriller _Confidence (2003)_ (qv). Tiny worked with some of the greatest directors ('Quentin Tarantino' (qv), 'Luc Besson' (qv), 'John Frankenheimer' (qv)), many of our most noted actors ('Marlon Brando' (qv), 'Samuel L. Jackson' (qv), 'Johnny Depp' (qv), 'Peter O'Toole' (qv)) and a good share of the top talent in wrestling and rap ('Hulk Hogan' (qv), '50 Cent' (qv) and 'Tupac Shakur' (qv), respectively). His wrestling exploits can be seen on _Summerslam (1989)_ (qv), _Survivor Series (1989)_ (qv) and _WWF Superstars (1986)_ (qv).However, it was Tiny's devotion to ministry and public speaking that made the biggest impression. Along with his wife Felicia, Tiny ministered across the country, reaching out to troubled youth, and sharing his powerful testimony and inspiration in churches and schools.Tommy "Tiny" Lister may not have been an A list star, but he was certainly one of Hollywood's most instantly recognizable and busiest character actors, until his death on December 10, 2020, in Marina del Rey, California. He was 62.::firehouse44 and Shearer Public Relations