Talmadge Layne "Tab" Thacker (March 10, 1962 – December 28, 2007) was an American wrestler and actor.

Tab Thacker
Personal information
Full nameTalmadge Layne Thacker
BornMarch 10, 1962
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedDecember 28, 2007(2007-12-28) (aged 45)
Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.
Alma materNorth Carolina State University
Occupation(s)Actor, Wrestler
Height6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight450 lb (204 kg)
Medal record
Collegiate Wrestling
Representing the NC State Wolfpack
NCAA Division I Championships
Gold medal – first place 1984 East Rutherford Heavyweight

Early life

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Thacker was on the football, basketball, track, and wrestling teams while at West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, North Carolina. He won the 1980 Junior National Greco-Roman championship before enrolling at NC State.[1]

College

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Thacker won the NCAA Division I Wrestling heavyweight national championship in 1984 as a senior. He finished 6th in 1983 as a junior and 8th in 1982 as a sophomore, making him a 3-time NCAA All-American. He was also a 4-time Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) champion for the Wolfpack. Thacker finished his college career 92-11-1, ranking second in NC State history with an .889 winning percentage and 54 pins. He majored in criminal justice while at NC State.

Professional career

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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. Thacker 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.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1984 City Heat Tuck
1986 Wildcats Phillip Finch
1987 Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol Thomas 'House' Conklin
1988 Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach
1989 Identity Crisis I.Q. (final film role)

Death

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

References

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  1. ^ Former National Champion Tab Thacker Passes Away. gopack.com Retrieved January 30, 2022.
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