Tab Thacker

Talmadge Layne "Tab" Thacker (March 10, 1962 – December 27, 2007) was a former NCAA wrestler and actor.

While at North Carolina State University, Thacker won the NCAA Division I heavyweight wrestling championship in 1984. Before that he finished 6th in 1983, and 8th in 1982, making him in total a 3-time All-American. He also collected 4 Atlantic Coast Conference titles with the Wolfpack. He finished his college career 92-11-1, ranking second in NC State history with an .889 winning percentage and 54 pins.

Thacker majored in criminal justice at NC State.

He began his film career after Clint Eastwood noticed him in Time magazine and noted the 6-foot-4 and 450-pound (1.93 m, 204 kg) Thacker's size. He went on to appear in several films including City Heat, Wildcats, two of the Police Academy films, and Identity Crisis.

After leaving Hollywood, Thacker returned to Raleigh, North Carolina, where he opened a remodeling business and operated several nightclubs. He later became a bail bondsman.

A North Carolina native, Thacker died in Raleigh, North Carolina on December 27, 2007 at the age of 45 after years of failing health. He developed diabetes and had a foot amputated some years before he died; shortly before his death his legs were amputated as well.

He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Filmography[]

External links[]

• Tab Thacker at IMDb
• "NCAA wrestling champ, "Police Academy" actor from N.C. dies", The Charlotte Observer, 27 December 2007
• Tab Thacker, 45; NCAA wrestler cast in films. The Los Angeles Times, 30 December 2007
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