Scott L. Schwartz dies at 65: Burly actor from Ocean's Eleven movies 'was a gentle soul,' George Clooney says

Actor Scott L. Schwartz died astatine the property of 65 from congestive bosom nonaccomplishment November 26 astatine his location successful Covington, Louisiana, his rep said.

The 6-foot-10 Philadelphia native, who had a inheritance arsenic a nonrecreational wrestler, was champion known playing the relation of Bruiser successful the Ocean's Eleven movie franchise starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

He appeared successful 2001's Ocean's Eleven, 2004's Ocean's Twelve and 2007's Ocean's Thirteen successful the relation of the strongman who helped with the titular set of thieves successful their capers.

Clooney told the outlet successful a connection Tuesday, 'I'm atrocious to perceive that Scott is gone. We did 3 films unneurotic and I've ne'er been truthful mildly punched. 

'He was a gentle psyche and helium volition beryllium dearly missed.'

Schwartz's rep told Variety in a connection Tuesday: 'Those who cognize Scott personally associated him with being a jolly person, truthful afloat of life, a beardown loving person, foodie and question aficionado. 

'Scott genuinely loved beingness and everyone that helium met on the way. When helium wasn't acting, wrestling oregon telling jokes helium spent his clip visiting children with cancer astatine children's hospitals.'

Schwartz was fondly remembered amid quality of his passing, with histrion Rick Zahn among those paying memorial to him, describing the precocious histrion arsenic 'a bully man' and 'a beloved friend.'

'Scott has battled sick wellness these past mates of years,' Zahn said successful an Instagram post. 'But with [wife] Misty astatine his side, Scott peacefully transitioned. The suffering is over.'

He added: 'At 6'10", Scott was 1 of the uncommon fewer I looked up to. But it wasn't conscionable due to the fact that helium was really taller. It was due to the fact that of his heart. He lived beingness with passion. And helium adored his wife, Misty.'

Schwartz racked up much than 100 credits amid his amusement concern vocation arsenic an histrion and stuntman.

Among his movie appearances included roles successful 2021's The Pizza Joint, 2004's Starsky & Hutch, 2002's Spider-Man, 2002's The Scorpion King and 1997's Meet Wally Sparks.

Other notable movie projects successful Schwartz's vocation included the 2009 household drama Lost successful the Woods other Michael Madsen, and the 2010 enactment play Changing Hands, which helium wrote and directed. 

He was besides seen connected TV shows specified arsenic Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Nash Bridges, Angel, The Young and the Restless, The Mentalist, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Schwartz was besides a predominant beingness astatine instrumentality events, which helium said helium enjoyed successful a 2008 interview, according to Slam wrestling. 

'A batch of radical spell connected TV oregon connected movie oregon immoderate they bash and ne'er person an accidental to conscionable radical who person seen their enactment and bask their work,' Schwartz told a paper successful McKinney, Texas. 'It’s truly chill to beryllium capable to beryllium down and perceive what they enjoyed astir definite parts oregon what they liked. It’s benignant of a chill happening some ways due to the fact that it’s truly large to conscionable fans.'

Schwartz, who was calved March 19, 1959, played sports successful precocious schoolhouse and was successful assemblage astatine Temple University earlier embarking connected a vocation successful nonrecreational wrestling.

He wrestled sporadically betwixt 1979 and 1999 nether the monikers Giant David, Igor The Giant and Joshua Ben-Gurion, and had been trained by precocious wrestling fable Killer Kowalski, according to the manufacture tract Cagematch.

Schwartz told Slam wrestling successful 2006 of his status from pro wrestling, 'I hung up my boots for bully successful 1999 which was aft 20 years.

'It was a pugnacious decision, and successful bid to support from returning to the ring, I sold astir of my worldly connected eBay. I kept 1 suit conscionable successful case, and sometimes I get a portion arsenic a wrestler and I deterioration that worldly successful a movie, and past aft I get disconnected the movie I consciousness similar going backmost successful the business.'

Schwartz said that his passionateness for acting yet overtook his tendency to beryllium successful wrestling.

'Eventually it conscionable got to the constituent wherever it conscionable got successful my blood,' Schwartz said. 'I did a mates of bully jobs and I liked the mode I got treated, and that was it, the remainder is history, arsenic they say.'

Schwartz is survived by his woman Misty and kids Angela and Adam.