# Rob Garrison
**Rob Garrison** (January 23, 1960 – September 27, 2019) was an American film and television actor, born and died in [Wheeling, West Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/wheeling-west-virginia), best known for playing Tommy, a member of the villainous [Cobra Kai](https://www.edgepedia.org/cobra-kai), in *The Karate Kid* (1984) and *The Karate Kid Part II* (1986)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0308459). During the original film's climactic tournament fight he shouts "Get him a body bag, yeah!", a line that became one of the most repeated film quotes of the 1980s[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name and dates | Robert Scott Garrison, January 23, 1960 – September 27, 2019, aged 59[4](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/robert-garrison-obituary?id=9082124) |
| Signature role | Tommy in *The Karate Kid* (1984) and *The Karate Kid Part II* (1986)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0308459) |
| Famous line | "Get him a body bag, yeah!", shouted during the 1984 film's climactic fight scene[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison) |
| Other films | *Brubaker* (1980, as Pretty Boy), *Prom Night* (1980, as Sayer), *Iron Eagle* (1986, as Packer)[7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/rob-garrison/) |
| Television | Guest roles on *St. Elsewhere*, *MacGyver*, *Tour of Duty*, *Coach*, *Columbo*, and *Kung Fu: The Legend Continues*[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison) • [3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/rob-garrison) |
| Education | Wheeling Park High School; theater on a full scholarship at Ohio University[4](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/robert-garrison-obituary?id=9082124) • [3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/rob-garrison) |
| Final role | Tommy in season 2 of *Cobra Kai* (2019)[6](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/robert-garrison.html) |
## Early life and education
Garrison was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, and graduated from Wheeling Park High School before attending [Ohio University](https://www.edgepedia.org/ohio-university), where he studied theater on a full scholarship[4](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/robert-garrison-obituary?id=9082124) • [3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/rob-garrison). He began working as a professional actor while still in school[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison). His on-screen debut came in the 1977 science-fiction film *Starship Invasions*[6](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/robert-garrison.html).
Before finishing college he appeared with [Robert Redford](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-redford) in the prison film *Brubaker* (1980), playing a young convict credited as Pretty Boy, and as one of [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://www.edgepedia.org/jamie-lee-curtis)'s teen classmates in the horror film *Prom Night* (1980)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison) • [7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/rob-garrison/). He also had a small role in the [George Segal](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-segal) comedy *Lost and Found* (1979)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison).
## The Karate Kid and Tommy
Director [John G. Avildsen](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-g-avildsen) cast Garrison as one of the Cobra Kai members tormenting [Ralph Macchio](https://www.edgepedia.org/ralph-macchio)'s Daniel LaRusso in *The Karate Kid* (1984)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison). Playing opposite [William Zabka](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-zabka)'s Johnny Lawrence, Garrison's Tommy is remembered chiefly for one shouted line. During the film's climactic tournament fight he yells "Get him a body bag, yeah!", and the line became as much a cultural touchstone of the film as Pat Morita's "Wax on, wax off" instructions[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison).
Garrison himself described how the line came about: the cast was in a studio recording voice work to fill in parts of the movie, including the competition fight scene. "It just came out of my mouth when I watched the scene with the directors, and we recorded right then and there, and it stuck. People said it back to me my whole life," he said[5](https://www.ohiocountylibrary.org/document_center_uploads/nd_UOVHR_spring_2025_WHOLE_compressed.pdf).
He appeared briefly as Tommy in the sequel *The Karate Kid Part II* (1986)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison).
## Television career
Through the 1980s Garrison worked steadily in television. He played a would-be bomber in a two-episode story arc on *St. Elsewhere* (NBC, 1982–88), and made guest appearances on *MacGyver* (ABC, 1985–92), *Tour of Duty* (CBS, 1987–90), and *Coach* (ABC, 1989–97)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison). His other television credits included *Columbo* and *Kung Fu: The Legend Continues*[3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/rob-garrison).
He acted only periodically after the 1980s, most notably with a role in the independent drama *The Pledge* (2011)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison). In later life acting was no longer his full-time work, and he continued to perform in local theater productions in Wheeling[5](https://www.ohiocountylibrary.org/document_center_uploads/nd_UOVHR_spring_2025_WHOLE_compressed.pdf).
## Cobra Kai and final role
Garrison returned to his most famous character with a guest appearance as the aged Tommy in the *Karate Kid* spinoff series *Cobra Kai*, appearing opposite Zabka and Macchio in the show's second season in 2019[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison) • [6](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/robert-garrison.html). In the episode, his character dies, and it became Garrison's final acting role[5](https://www.ohiocountylibrary.org/document_center_uploads/nd_UOVHR_spring_2025_WHOLE_compressed.pdf) • [6](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/robert-garrison.html).
## Death
Garrison died on September 27, 2019, in Wheeling, West Virginia, at the age of 59, from liver and kidney issues[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0308459) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison). He had been admitted to a [West Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-virginia) hospital for treatment and had been hospitalized for about a month before his organs shut down[5](https://www.ohiocountylibrary.org/document_center_uploads/nd_UOVHR_spring_2025_WHOLE_compressed.pdf). He is survived by his son Tony[6](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/robert-garrison.html).
## References
1. [Rob Garrison, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0308459)
2. [Rob Garrison Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/10004441-rob_garrison)
3. [Rob Garrison, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/rob-garrison)
4. [Robert Garrison Obituary (2019), Kepner Funeral Home via Legacy.com](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/robert-garrison-obituary?id=9082124)
5. [Upper Ohio Valley Historical Review, Vol. 44 No. 2 (Spring 2025), Ohio County Public Library](https://www.ohiocountylibrary.org/document_center_uploads/nd_UOVHR_spring_2025_WHOLE_compressed.pdf)
6. [Rob Garrison, Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/robert-garrison.html)
7. [Rob Garrison, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/rob-garrison/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Character actors, B-movie and genre-circuit performers › American performers, mid era › Surnames A to J*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license