Occupation Actor Name Joe Fleishaker | Role Character actor | |
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Full Name Joseph Isaac Fleishaker Movies Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV, Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead People also search for Gabriel Friedman, Michael Herz, Lloyd Kaufman | ||
500lb action star joe fleishaker michael herz
Joseph Isaac "Joe" Fleishaker (1954 – May 23, 2016) was an American character actor best known for his appearances in low-budget cult and horror movies, in particular those produced by New York-based independent film company Troma Entertainment, who have billed Fleishaker as "Troma's biggest action star", humorously alluding to his morbid obesity which reached in excess of five hundred pounds.
Contents
- 500lb action star joe fleishaker michael herz
- Big Star DocumentaryHealthFitness 4 min
- Biography
- Filmography
- TV shows
- References
Big Star - Documentary/Health/Fitness - 4 min
Biography
Fleishaker was first cast in Troma's 1988 action-comedy Troma's War as an extra, where he played a member of a violent terrorist sect. Lloyd Kaufman, the film's director, was amused by Fleishaker's screen presence as an obese guerrilla soldier and ended up giving him more screen time throughout the film. Following Troma's War, Fleishaker struck up an ongoing partnership with Troma, having acted in every Kaufman-directed film from 1989 to 2006. These parts have ranged from background parts and short cameos to much larger supporting roles, such as The Toxic Avenger's sidekick Lardass in Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV.
Outside of their films, Fleishaker became well-known to Troma fans for his numerous appearances in the company's many promotional videos and shorts, where he assumed the role of Troma co-president Michael Herz, who typically prefers to stay out of the public eye. Fleishaker's appearances as Herz were so frequent, many fans have continued to mistake him for the real Michael Herz.
In addition to his work with Troma, Fleishaker appeared at least twelve times as a bit player on Late Night/Late Show with David Letterman during the 1990s, acting in various comedy sketches.
In July 2012, Fleishaker was rushed to the hospital where he was diagnosed as suffering from kidney, heart and lung failure, weighing in at nearly 525 pounds. He was later transferred to a physical rehabilitation center where he eventually lost 160 pounds though still couldn't retain the ability to walk. On June 3, 2014, a GoFundMe account was opened in Fleishaker's name, aiming to raise $50,000 to help cover his ongoing medical costs and continued treatment. The fundraiser failed, raising only $931 since the fundraiser opened.
On May 25, 2016, it was reported via Lloyd Kaufman's Facebook page that Fleishaker had died at the age of 62 at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx of a possible heart attack. Joe was a much loved member of the Troma family. After reports of his passing many fans shared their condolences and tributes of Joe on various social networking sites.