Who was John Zderko, ‘Criminal Minds’ and ‘The Mentalist’ actor dead at 60?

Actor John Zderko died at the age of 60. He bloomed late in his career but had appearances on popular shows like ‘Criminal Minds’, ‘The Mentalist’, ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’, and ‘Bosch: Legacy’.

He was being treated for cancer and died in Los Angeles, Thursday, due to complications arising from the same. His friend and fellow actor Charley Koontz, who’s appeared in shows like ‘Community’ and ‘CSI: Cyber’ conveyed the information of Zderko’s death to The Hollywood Reporter. Koontz also remembered his friend on Twitter, saying “RIP to my friend John Zderko. A gifted actor, a generous scene partner, one of my best friends and a truly kind person in a world that needs more of them. Love you, pal. Onward”, ending the message with a peace sign.

Zderko is survived by his sister, Karen, brother-in-law Steve and nephews Jason and Jeff.

The deceased actor’s latest appearance was in ‘Breaking’ a Bleeker Street release, which also stars John Boyega and the late Michael K Williams. The movie debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. 

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Zderko grew up in Ohio, Colorado and New Jersey, where he attended the Park Ridge High School and played basketball on the same team as James Gandolfini, the deceased actor who gained fame due to his portrayal of mob boss Tony Soprano in the titular HBO series. 

Zderko then graduated from UC Irvine, after which he built a successful career in business. At the same time, he took acting classes at UCLA on the side. Eventually, Zderko quit his full-time job and felt that the stage was his calling. The actor began performances on stage at West of Broadway in Santa Monica. He performed under the instructions of the writer and director, Dianne Name. His first onscreen appearance was in 2005. 

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The actor also appeared in ‘Apparitional’, which is also known as ‘Haunting of Cellblock 11’. Zderko’s performance stood out in the 2014 horror movie, where he plays a man who’s attacked by a ghost who eventually takes over his body.