‘Friday the 13th Part 2’ Jason Voorhees Actor Steve Dash Dead at 74

Steve Dash, the actor known for playing Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th Part II, has reportedly passed away.

Dash has been suffering from diabetes and related complications for years, as he has documented on Facebook. According to a report by Movie Web, the actor finally succumbed to his condition on Tuesday, passing away suddenly. Dash had revealed in a recent Facebook post that he needed to have his leg amputated due to his illness.

“I have an update on my condition. [They’re] amputating my left leg tomorrow afternoon,” the actor wrote on Dec. 4. “It’s been pretty tough suffering from Diabetes, blood clots and a bad heart over the last year.”

In spite of the dire treatment, Dash kept a good attitude about his condition, and seemed hopeful that he would regain his health.

“I welcome the decision I’ve made because I will be able to play golf in 6-8 weeks with a brand new leg,” he joked. “Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers and personal messages to me. The Friday fans are the best fans on the planet. I have conversations scheduled for 2019 and hopefully I’ll see you there.”

“The leg is a thing of the past and we move past it from here,” he wrote in another post later on.

Dash was known for taking an active role amongst horror and film fans. He was a regular guest at horror conventions around the country, traveling to different cities each year to meet with fans who appreciated his work.

In spite of his horror fame, Dash actually began his career in law enforcement, and then comedy. Dash became a police officer when he started his family, but soon left after an accident on the job.

Dash had been freshly admitted to the Screen Actors Guild when he took a job on Friday the 13th Part II. He had aspirations of becoming a traditional actor, and never dreamed that the silent role would be some of the most influential work of his life.

Dash played the first adult version of Jason Voorhees. In the first Friday the 13th, Voorhees was a little boy who had drowned at Camp Crystal Lake, and his mother was the actual killer. However, when the sequel came around, the story changed to explain that Voorhees had actually survived the accident and grown up alone in the surrounding forest.

Dash’s rendition of Voorhees wore a sack over his head with one eye hole, as he had not yet adopted the hockey mask. Still, he influenced the franchise for years to come.

Dash is survived by three daughters and a son, as well as numerous grandchildren.