Jonathan Tiersten, who played Ricky in 'Sleepaway Camp,' dies at 60

Actor Jonathan Tiersten, best known for his role in the horror cult classic "Sleepaway Camp," has died, according to reports. He was 60.

Tiersten, who played Ricky Thomas in the 1983 slasher flick, died last week at his home in New Jersey, Tiersten's brother, William Tiersten, told TMZ. William Tiersten told the outlet that the actor's cause of death is currently being investigated by the medical examiner.

USA TODAY has reached out to Tiersten's representatives for comment.

An 18-year-old Tiersten scored his first movie role with "Sleepaway Camp," a horror film that chronicles the misadventures of a group of teens who are terrorized by serial killings taking place at their summer camp.

Although "Sleepaway Camp" brought in $11 million at the box office, the film was largely panned at the time of its release, with many critics likening it to a lackluster imitation of the horror hit "Friday the 13th."

However, in recent years, the film's twist ending, which features Tiersten's character Ricky, has made it a cult classic of the genre.

In the movie's shocking conclusion, Ricky is beaten unconscious after camp owner Mel (Mike Kellin) suspects he is the killer victimizing campers. But afterward, Mel runs into the woods and discovers the true murderer, who is later revealed to be Ricky's traumatized cousin, Angela (Felissa Rose).

"There's a disturbing, nightmarish quality to the final sequence that can't be shaken," Padraig Cotter of ScreenRant wrote in 2019. "'Sleepaway Camp' would spawn a number of inferior sequels, but even better slasher movies like 'Scream' or 'Happy Death Day' have struggled to craft an ending that stays with viewers in such a visceral way."

During a hiatus from acting, Tiersten got into music, becoming the lead singer of several bands, including his own group, Ten Tiers.

Decades later, Tiersten reprised his "Sleepaway Camp" role in the sequels "Return to Sleepaway Camp" (2008) and "Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor" (2012).

Aside from his work in the "Sleepaway" franchise, Tiersten appeared in the horror films "The Perfect House," "Blood Reservoir," "The House That Wept Blood," "Lake of Shadows" and "Last American Horror Show: Volume II."

Tiersten's final feature film role was in the 2022 slasher horror "Time's Up."