“Rowdy” Roddy Piper, professional wrestler turned leading actor who paved the way for others, has died of cardiac arrest at the age of 61.

Piper was born Roderick George Toombs in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on April 17, 1954. Leaving home as a teenager, he became a Golden Gloves boxing champion and earned a black belt in Judo before rising to prominence in professional wrestling in the mid-1970s. He wrestled for the AWA, NWA, WCW, and of course the WWF/E. It was there that his reputation as one of the greatest villains in the sport took off.

He won numerous titles and honors throughout his career and always maintained a presence in the wrestling world. Over the years he has made many appearances on wrestling programs, and would become known for his Piper’s Pit interviews. In 2005, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame

His transition into acting began in 1978 with his debut in Carl Reiner’s The One and Only. His next role was a leading part in Body Slam by Hal Needham. But it was his starring role in John Carpenter’s 1988 film They Live for which he is most celebrated. Amassing a huge fan base, it has become an iconic work that has provided inspiration for many works. It is regarded as one of, if not the, greatest films to have starred a pro wrestler.

In the years following, he had roles in countless films (particularly specializing in action). Some of these are Hell Comes to Frogtown, Jungleground, Sci-fighters, The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage, Hard Time, Terminal Rush, Immortal Combat, Jack of Hearts, Kickin’ It Old School, The Mystical Adventures of Billy Owens and its sequel Billy Owens and the Secret of the Runes, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, Super Sweet 16: The Movie, Ghosts of Goldfield, Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies, Other Plans, and The Masked Saint, which is set for release in early 2016. He was also in the video game Saints Row IV, reuniting with his They Live costar Keith David.

He has appeared in numerous television shows across a wide range of genres. These include The Outer Limits; Walker, Texas Ranger; Adventure Time; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; Cold Case; Robot Chicken; Storage Wars; Silk Stalkings; Celebrity Ghost Stories; Highlander; The Super Mario Bros. Super Show; RoboCop; Saturday Night Live; Breaking In; and Celebrity Wife Swap.

Piper is survived by his wife of over 30 years Kitty Dittrich; children Anastacia, Ariel Teal, Fallon Danica, and Colt; and four grandchildren.