Peter Jason: Star of iconic 80s film Karate Kid and HBO’s hit western Deadwood dies aged 80

He leaves behind an impressive legacy with over 270 acting credits across film, TV, and video games. Starting his career in the 1960s, Jason made his big-screen debut in Rio Lobo as Lieutenant Forsythe before gaining recognition as the soccer coach in the iconic 80s film The Karate Kid.

He built a strong working relationship with horror legend John Carpenter in the 90s, starring in In the Mouth of Madness, Village of the Damned, and Escape from L.A. In the 2000s, Jason found widespread acclaim for his role as Con Stapleton in HBO’s hit western Deadwood.

He also lent his voice to popular video games like Gears of War and Fallout. Following news of his passing, tributes have flooded in.

John Carpenter led the tributes and remembered him as “one of the great character actors in cinema.” He said: "Peter Jason, one of the great character actors in cinema, has died. His first movie was Howard Hawks' RIO LOBO. He was a dear friend and I'll miss him terribly.”

In later years, Jason played Jeff in Desperate Housewives and made appearances in Arrested Development, NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. His final credited roles included the short film Tale of 2 Fathers and the 2022 film We Are Gathered Here Today, which was uniquely filmed remotely during the pandemic using video calling platforms.