Tiny Ron Taylor
Ronald "Tiny Ron" Taylor (November 21, 1947 – November 28, 2019[1]) was an American film actor and former basketball player, known for his work in feature films such as The Rocketeer (1991) and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), and in television series such as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and as Al, the very tall police detective whose face is always out of frame in the Police Squad! and The Naked Gun franchise. His roles tended to exploit his 7 ft (2.13 m) frame.
"Tiny Ron" Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ronald Taylor November 21, 1947 Torrance, California, U.S. |
| Died | November 28, 2019 (aged 72) |
| Occupation(s) | Basketball player, actor |
Early life
Taylor was born in Torrance, California. He attended North Torrance High School and graduated from the University of Southern California.[2]
Sports career
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 21, 1947 Torrance, California |
| Died | November 28, 2019 (aged 72) Santa Clarita, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) |
| Listed weight | 265 lb (120 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | North Torrance (Torrance, California) |
| College | USC (1966–1969) |
| NBA draft | 1969: 2nd round, 3rd overall pick |
| Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics | |
| Playing career | 1969–1972 |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 5, 22 |
| Career history | |
| 1969 | Washington Caps |
| 1969–1970 | New York Nets |
| 1970–1971 | Virginia Squires |
| 1971–1972 | Pittsburgh Condors |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 371 (4.8 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 294 (3.8 rpg) |
| Assists | 68 (0.9 apg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Taylor was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round of the 1969 NBA draft, but never played in the NBA, instead he started playing in the American Basketball Association. He played for four teams from 1969 to 1972: the New York Nets and Washington Caps (1969–70); the Virginia Squires (1970–71); and the Pittsburgh Condors (1971–72). He played 75 of his 77 career games in his first season, 72 of them for the Nets. He scored 371 total points (4.8 ppg), 294 total rebounds (3.7 rpg), and 68 assists (0.9 apg). He also played some basketball in Austria before deciding to be an actor.[3][4]
Acting career
When Taylor applied to the Screen Actors Guild, he learned that the name "Ron Taylor" was already in use by another actor. His acting teacher suggested he use "Tiny Ron", figuring that in a niche category populated by actors with such screen names as "André the Giant," the name "Tiny Ron" would stand out. He died in Santa Clarita from cancer on November 28th, 2019, a week after his 72nd birthday.
Filmography
- Police Squad! (1982, TV Series) – Al (uncredited)
- Seven Hours to Judgment (1988) – Ira Martin
- The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) – Al
- Road House (1989) – Mountain
- The Rocketeer (1991) – Lothar (a.k.a. Frankenstien) / Good Old Boy / Voice of Jerry Butkis
- Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) – Roc
- Last Man Standing (1996) – Jacko the Giant
- Star Trek: Voyager (1998 - 2 episodes)
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999 – 7 episodes) – Maihar'du
- Zigs (2001) – Terry
- Six: The Mark Unleashed (2004) – Eddie
- Sasquatch Mountain (2006) – Sasquatch
- Holyman Undercover (2010) – Himself
- Brother White (2012) – Himself
- The Book of Esther (2013) – Nasir
- Dancer and the Dame (2015) – Martin
References
- "SCVHistory.com | Obituaries | Ronald Tiny Ron Taylor, Screen Actor, 1947-2019". scvhistory.com.
- Crowe, Jerry (4 December 2006). "The story arc of his life has some real hooks to it". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- "Ronald Taylor Stats".
- Consulting, Fine Line Websites & IT. "The Draft Review". The Draft Review.