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‘Revenge of the Nerds’ Star Dies at 71

Donald Gibb was also known for playing a martial arts expert in 1988’s “Bloodsport.”

Donald Gibb, best known for playing the beefy but dimwitted Ogre in the Revenge of the Nerds franchise, has died at age 71. Gibb’s son, Travis, told TMZ that his father was surrounded by family when he died from health complications on Tuesday in his Texas home. A cause of death has not been revealed, but it is reported that Gibb was suffering from a long-lasting health condition, and his death was not sudden. The actor played the frat-boy character Ogre three times, including in the 1994 TV movie Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love. His massive physique led to him playing other imposing characters during his career, including a starring role alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme in 1988’s Bloodsport. Gibb also featured in the HBO show 1st and Ten and had small parts in Seinfeld, The X-Files, and The A-Team. Speaking to the Youngstown Studio podcast in April 2025, Gibb said the love he continued to feel from fans of the Nerds films saved his life. “After my divorce, I did a [fan] convention and it was like getting back on the horse,” he said. “All these people are just wonderful.”