NEW YORK — T.K. Carter, an actor known for his role in John Carpenter’s horror classic “The Thing,” battled health problems prior to his sudden death last weekend, according to a report.

The New York-born actor was found dead on Friday at his home in Duarte, California, about 22 miles northeast of Los Angeles, TMZ reported Saturday.

The outlet reported Tuesday that Carter had been dealing with serious health issues ahead of his death.

Harold Carter, his brother, said 69-year-old T.K. had experienced multiple complications in his final months, including diabetes and heart issues.

A law enforcement source told TMZ that his family had not heard from Carter in a few days and asked for a welfare check, and said he had high blood pressure. Authorities went inside Carter’s home and found him deceased inside. It’s unclear how long he had been dead.

Harold Carter said the family did not know a cause of death yet, but said T.K. was found near a marble table and may have suffered a head injury.

No foul play is suspected.

Aside from the 1982 alien chiller, Carter appeared in films like “Runaway Train” and “Space Jam” and TV shows like “Punky Brewster” and “The Sinbad Show.”

According to his IMDb, Carter is survived by his wife, Janet, and son, Thomas.

©2026 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.