Buffy The Vampire Slayer Star Dies At 68
Camden Toy, the actor celebrated for his portrayals of demonic creatures on the cult TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has succumbed to pancreatic cancer at the age of 68. His representatives confirmed the news in a press release, revealing that Toy passed away on December 11, concluding a valiant two-year struggle against the deadly disease, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
While Toy likely wouldn’t be recognized on the streets of Hollywood Boulevard very often, many have seen this versatile actor’s performances on the small screen. Especially if you grew up watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer or the spin-off series, Angel. Known for his ability to transform into horrifying monsters through layers of makeup and prosthetics, Toy’s monstrous roles earned him a dedicated fan following.
In the early 1990s, he transitioned to screen acting, landing bit-part roles before his breakthrough as one of The Gentlemen in “Hush,” the 10th episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s fourth season.
Toy appeared multiple times as various characters throughout Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In Season 4, he played one of the terrifying monsters known as The Gentlemen, a group of well-dressed demons with the ability to silence a town so that no one hears the screams as they cut out the hearts of their victims. Another creepy demon Toy played was the eerie Gnarl, a monster that skins its victims alive, eating the slices of skin like string cheese as it works.
While working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Toy worked closely with Doug Jones, another versatile character actor who also played one of The Gentlemen. Jones, expressing his grief on Twitter, shared heartfelt memories of their decades-long friendship, filled with laughter, shared experiences, and connections with fans. “May he rest in God’s peace,” Jones tweeted.
Camden Toy, the actor celebrated for his portrayals of demonic creatures on the cult TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has succumbed to pancreatic cancer at the age of 68.
Born on May 31, 1955, in Pittsburgh, Toy was exposed to the world of dramatic makeup and theater early, leaving him destined to appear under layers of makeup on shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His father was an actor and makeup artist. Raised in Delmont, Pennsylvania, Toy immersed himself in theater from a young age, attending summer classes at the Apple Hill Playhouse.
After years of acting in regional theater companies, Toy relocated to New York and co-founded the Lower East Side theater company Todo Con Nada, serving as its artistic director for a period. In the early 1990s, he transitioned to screen acting, landing bit-part roles before his breakthrough as one of The Gentlemen in “Hush,” the 10th episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s fourth season.
After that, Joss Whedon welcomed Toy into the Buffy the Vampire Slayer family, bringing him back to play Gnarl in the episode “Same Time, Same Place” in Season 7. He also cast him as the Prince of Lies in an episode of Joss Whedon’s spinoff series, Angel.
Apart from his work in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe, Toy’s television credits included appearances in The Mentalist, the crime drama series The Bay, and the web series Goodnight Burbank.
While Toy will be most remembered for his contributions to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, he was a multi-talented creative and worked as a film editor, working on projects like Marc Rosenbush’s feature Zen Noir (2004) and Buffy makeup artist Robert Hall’s film Lightning Bug (2004).
