Stephen Hibbert, the actor and writer best known for portraying The Gimp in Pulp Fiction, has died at the age of 68.
Hibbert passed away Monday in Denver, Colorado, after suffering a heart attack, according to reports. His children, Greg, Ronnie and Rosalind, confirmed the news in a statement shared with media outlets.
“Our father, Stephen Hibbert, passed away unexpectedly this week,” the family said. “His life was full of love and dedication to the arts and his family. He will be dearly missed by many.”
Hibbert gained recognition for his memorable role in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 cult classic Pulp Fiction. In the film, which starred John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman, Hibbert played the silent character known as The Gimp.
The character, dressed in a leather bodysuit and mask, appeared in one of the movie’s most unforgettable scenes involving Bruce Willis’ character. Despite having no dialogue, the role became one of the film’s most talked-about moments.
Born in Fleetwood, England, Hibbert built a varied career in both television and film. During the 1990s, he worked as a writer for several popular TV shows, including Late Night with David Letterman, MADtv and Boy Meets World.
He also worked behind the scenes as a script doctor on major films such as Shrek and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, where he also made a small on-screen appearance.
From 1989 to 1994, Hibbert was married to actress Julia Sweeney, who was also in “Pulp Fiction.”
In addition to writing and acting, he also taught a film theory course at Denver School of the Arts, and he taught improv at Chaos Bloom Theater in Denver.
Stephen Hibbert is survived by his three kids.