R.I.P. Camden Toy: ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ Star Dead At 68

Camden Toy, the actor best known for his roles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, has died following a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 68.

According to Toy’s obituary, he succumbed to the disease on Monday (Dec. 11). Days before his death, the actor’s partner, Bethany Henderson, updated his Facebook followers on his declining health. She wrote that he was first diagnosed in “February last year after months of mysterious pain.”

“For many reasons we were very hopeful for, at least, a longer and more fruitful time on planet Earth. Even the more recent challenges felt more like a hiccup in progress,” she said. “Unfortunately, it looks like we’ve reached the end of the road with the doctor’s treatments. His condition has declined a lot in the last 2 months and tremendously in the last several days.” 

She continued, “He chose, for many reasons, not to announce his illness publicly, and so, unfortunately, this may be new and shocking news to many of his fans. We both apologize for this and please know that he has appreciated you all so much, as have I!”

Most would recognize Toy for his various roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Throughout the six episodes he appeared in from 1999 to 2003, he starred as a demonic Gentlemen, a demon Gnarl and held a recurring role as the “uber” vampire Turok-Han. In 2004, Toy played the Prince of Lies in an episode of Angel, which was a spinoff of Buffy.

Aside from his work on The WB, Toy also starred in the crime-drama series The Bay and the web series Goodnight Burbank.

Actor Doug Jones, who is known for his collaborations with Guillermo del Toro as well as his role as Billy Butcherson in Hocus Pocus, is described in the obituary as Toy’s “best friend.” In a touching Facebook post, he paid tribute to the actor, whom he met when they both starred as Gentlemen in Buffy.

“This is a tough one. So many memories including working together, decades of laughing, sharing mutual friends, get togethers, travel, conventions, and huggles with each other and our fans,” he wrote. “To know Camden Toy was to Love Camden Toy. We may have met on the set of Buffy as two hideous looking ‘Gentlemen,’ but that only sparked a dear friendship that would continue for twenty-four years.”

Jones added, “It’s rare to find a man so joyful, smiley, smart, talented, giggly, huggie, good at listening with his heart, and accessible always to anyone he knew, including his many fans. May he rest in God’s peace.”

Toy is survived by his mother, sister and longtime partner, Bethany Henderson.