Alex Ted Bayouth (January 25, 1926 – October 14, 2022), known professionally as Ted White, was an American stuntman and actor who was best known for playing Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. He was also notable for having doubled for John Wayne, Fess Parker, Clark Gable, and Richard Boone.
Life and career Born as Alex Bayouth in Krebs, Oklahoma, White grew up in Snyder, Texas. He played football for the University of Oklahoma, then pursued a stuntman/acting career. In Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), White was approached because of his Marine Corps background when they needed a consultant for the layout of the island. That was when White met John Wayne and began doubling for him in 1952.
White had minor roles in several western films and in such television series as Daniel Boone; The Andy Griffith Show; Hunter; Magnum, P.I.; and The Rockford Files, usually in tough-guy roles such as police officers or hired thugs. He has also worked in Gone in 60 Seconds, Silverado, Major League, Starman, and Tron.
In 1984, White played hockey masked murderer Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, after the director needed a large man for the part. White reluctantly accepted because he needed the money.A Photo Journey Through Creation's Weekend of Horrors White asked not to be credited on screen for his part, partly because he did not appreciate how the young actors and actresses had been treated during production. He was later credited for the archive footage of him as Jason that was used in the seventh Friday film. White was offered the role of Jason for Friday the 13th: A New Beginning and Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, but turned them down. The roles ultimately went to stuntmen Tom Morga and C. J. Graham, respectively.
White died at his home on October 14, 2022, at the age of 96.
Partial filmography Actor YearFilmRole Notes 1949 Sands of Iwo Jima Marine Uncredited 1958 The Perfect Furlough Soldier Uncredited 1958 Born Reckless Cowboy Uncredited 1960 The Alamo Tennessean Uncredited 1965 Cat Ballou Gunslinger Uncredited 1967 Point Blank Football player Uncredited 1974 Dirty Mary Crazy Larry Trooper 1980 Going Ape! Goon 1 1980 Oh, God! Book II Motorcycle Policeman 1980 Used Cars Police Deputy 1982 Tron Guard 1984 Starman Deer Hunter 1984 Romancing the Stone Grogan 1984 Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter Jason Voorhees Uncredited 1984 Against All Odds Security guard with dog 1984 The Wild Life Redneck Drunk #2 1985 Silverado Hoyt 1986 Quiet Cool Ellis 1987 Hot Pursuit Tommy Ray 1987 The Hidden Agent Fowler 1988 Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood Jason Voorhees Archive footage 1990 Downtown Goon 2001 Double Take Trooper 2009 His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th Himself Documentary film 2013 Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th Himself Documentary film 2018 To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story Himself Documentary film
Stuntman Year Film Notes1955Revenge of the CreatureGill man stunt doubleUncredited 1962 Hatari! John Wayne's stunt doubleUncredited 1968 Planet of the Apes Uncredited 1972 Prime Cut Uncredited 1973 Soylent Green 1979 1941 Uncredited 1980 Bronco Billy Uncredited 1981 Escape from New York 1984 Cloak & Dagger 1986 Short Circuit 1989 Major League 1989 Road House 1999 Wild Wild West 2000 Gone in 60 Seconds
References
External links Official website