Stephen Hibbert, known for his unforgettable role as The Gimp in Pulp Fiction and his impressive career writing beloved cartoons, has died.
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The actor’s family told TMZ he died of a heart attack in Denver on Monday.
“Our father, Stephen Hibbert, passed away unexpectedly this week,” they told the outlet.
“His life was full of love and dedication to the arts and his family,” the family added of the 68-year-old. “He will be dearly missed by many.”
Hibbert took an unorthodox path to his memorable role in Pulp Fiction. Born in Fleetwood, England, he began his career in show business as a writer for Late Night with David Letterman from 1984 to 1986. He later wrote for popular shows, including the animated series Darkwing Duck and Animaniacs, as well as TV hits like Mad TV and Boy Meets World.
Hibbert also co-wrote the 1994 film It’s Pat: The Movie with his then-wife Julia Sweeney, who created the androgynous character on Saturday Night Live. The couple was married from 1989 to 1994
Per IMDb, Hibbert made his on-screen acting debut in a 1987 episode of Newhart. He later had guest roles on shows like Just Shoot Me!, Jericho, Dr. Ken and True Jackson, VP .
Hibbert also worked as a script doctor on several Mike Myers films, including Shrek and Austin Powers. He also had a small role in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
Stephen Hibbert Recalls Auditioning for His Iconic ‘Pulp Fiction’ Role
However, Hibbert was best known for playing The Gimp in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 classic Pulp Fiction. Though his character had no lines and was completely covered in a leather bodysuit, he had a… memorable run-in with Bruce Willis’s character.
In a 2024 interview with AARP, Hibbert recounted meeting Tarantino at the Groundlings Theater, a famous improv group. He explained that since his character, The Gimp, had no lines and was completely covered in leather, he was cast without even speaking.
“Quentin and I acted out a master and slave scenario for the casting director,” he recalled. “He bossed me around the office, and I groveled. I felt like I’d been training all of my work life for an opportunity to audition for a role like that. Whee!”
He also recalled his role fondly—despite being zipped up in leather from head to toe—noting that he thinks it’s “one of the greatest films of all time,” and “a great time capsule” of LA in the ’90s.
In addition to writing and acting, Hibbert taught film theory at the Denver School of the Arts and improv at Denver’s Chaos Bloom Theater.
Hibbert is survived by his three children.