Documentary looks into tragic story behind man who played Sloth in The Goonies

A documentary looking into the tragic life of the actor who played Sloth in The Goonies is reportedly in the works.

Known for yelling 'Hey you Guys!' in the 1985 children's classic, Sloth is one of the most easily recognisable characters from The Goonies. The role saw actor John Matuszak spend hours in the make-up chair every day on set in order to be fitted 15 different prosthetics.

Playing Sloth would be the role Matuszak would be largely remembered for, with the actor dying just four years later at the age of 38.

And now it appears his life will be the subject of an upcoming documentary.

John Matuszak as Sloth in The Goonies (Maximum Film)

First reported on by local NBC outlet TMJ4 Milwaukee earlier this year, the actor's life and career as a professional US football player, who was often known by his nickname 'The Tooz'.

Reflecting on the legacy of Matuszak, documentary director Brett Meyer said: "[He was] a beautiful human being. Just as much as he was on the field as a team player? He was off. He loved people. He made them feel good. And he loved the world."

However making the documentary hasn't come without its challenges, with Meyer adding the athlete's height was a major obstacle. "We're looking for somebody who's a giant. Who's at least 6'8", 6"9", 300 pounds," he said of the casting criteria.

Standing at a tremendous 6'8", Matuszak enjoyed success as a defensive player throughout the 1970s and early 80s. Following a college career, he signed with teams such as the Houston Oilers, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders, the latter of whom he won two Superbowls with during his 1976 to 1982 career.

However his athletic career would also have a detrimental impact on Matuszak's health, leading him to rely on prescription medications for pain relief.

The injuries first started during his college career at the University of Missouri and went on to include a multitude of back injuries. Matuszak would go on to have surgery for the injuries in the early 80s, however this had little impact on his chronic pain and he retired from the sport in 1983.

The athlete and actor's life will now be remembered in film (George Rose/Getty Images)

After finishing his sports career, Matuszak turned his attention to acting, appearing in the likes of The Ice Pirates, One Man Force, and One Crazy Summer as well as The Goonies.

Alongside the back injuries, Matuszak's personal life was also filled with tragedy, with the actor having lost his two younger brothers to cystic fibrosis as a child. The emotional and physical pain from his life is something his former girlfriend told the LA Times in 1989: The man was in a lot of emotional pain. He had a lot of childhood stuff to deal with.

"He had a lot of present-day stuff. He was a therapist's dream."

Matuszak passed away in 1989 at the age of 38 following an accidental overdose of darvocet, a drug formerly used to treat mild to moderate pain.

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