Actor and stuntman Steve Dash passed away on Tuesday, December 18, 2018. He died after a long battle with diabetes, that included a recent amputation of his leg because of the illness. Dash was 74 years old.

Dash is popular in the horror community for his portrayal of Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th Part 2. Dash played Jason in the character’s first full-length outing as the franchise’s main killer. He also notably played Jason before the bogeyman found his hockey mask, choosing instead a sack cinched around his neck. The film is largely considered one of the best in the series, which now totals 12 movies.

Dash was born Steve Daskewisz on March 14, 1944, and before becoming an actor, he was a cop. He made his acting debut in 1980 as a police officer in The Jazz Singer, followed by Nighthawks and Ms .45 before 1981’s Friday the 13th Part 2. His other acting credits have included Alone in the Dark, a few episodes of Superboy, Julie & Julia, Mr. Hush, Stagemore, and he was about to start filming Vengeance.

As a stuntman, he worked on Night Shift, Ghostbusters, F/X, 9-1/2 Weeks, Wise Guys, Equalizer 2000, Mr. Hush, and Hemo.

Over the years he became a favored guest at horror and pop culture conventions, posing with fans, signing autographs, and participating in panels for Jason fans.

“Steve very, very deeply was touched by all the love and affection that he received from the fans and it was something that he not only deeply appreciated but also never took for granted,” Monster-Mania Convention said in a Facebook post. “Coming to the shows meant everything to him.”