Jonathan Tiersten
Jonathan Tiersten (August 11, 1965 – April or May 2026) was an American actor, who is mostly known for his role as Ricky Thomas in the 1983 cult classic Sleepaway Camp. He reprised the role in the 2008 sequel Return to Sleepaway Camp.
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| Jonathan Tiersten |
|---|
| Tiersten in 2009 |
| (1965-08-11)August 11, 1965 |
| April or May 2026 (aged 60) |
| Actor |
| 1981–2026 |
Jonathan Tiersten (August 11, 1965 – April or May 2026) was an American actor, who is mostly known for his role as Ricky Thomas in the 1983 cult classic Sleepaway Camp. He reprised the role in the 2008 sequel Return to Sleepaway Camp.
In between acting Jonathan took to music, fronting a number of bands, mostly based out of the Fort Collins, Colorado area. Tiersten was the lead singer of the band Ten Tiers and composed the score to a short starring David Krumholtz. Tiersten also starred in the 2012 film The Perfect House in which he played a serial killer named John Doesy and the thriller film Redemption which co-stars George Loros and Meredith Ostrom. Tiersten also composed the theme song for The Perfect House and contributed to the soundtrack of Redemption. Tiersten's 2011 EP We'll See, released by Edward Records, is his most critically acclaimed album to date, finishing third in Magnet magazine's most anticipated albums list. Shakefire.com called the album "surprising" and "simply amazing", rating it 4 out of 4 stars.
In 2012 and 2013 Tiersten garnered three best actor awards and was nominated for a fourth for his portrayal of John Doesy in The Perfect House. Tiersten also recorded a version of the Mickey & Sylvia song "Love Is Strange" for the remake of Ed Wood's Plan 9 from Outer Space called Plan 9, starring Brian Krause.
On May 5, 2026, it was announced that Tiersten had died at the age of 60.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Sleepaway Camp | Ricky Thomas | Credited as Jonathan Tierston |
| 2008 | Return to Sleepaway Camp | ||
| 2012 | Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor | ||
| 2013 | The Perfect House | John Doesy | |
| 2016 | Sugar! | Joe | |
| 2019 | Terror Tales | The Sledgehammer | |
| Lake of Shadows | Alex Kintner | ||
| 2021 | Toilet Zombie Baby Strikes Back | Eric Sommers | |
| 2022 | Last American Horror Show: Volume II | Captain Strike | |
| Time's Up | Gene |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Another World | Kid With Basketball | 1 episode |
| 1984 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Chip Beddington | Episode: "The Alfred G. Graebner Memorial High School Handbook of Rules and Regulations" |
| 1987 | ABC Afterschool Special | Jason | Episode: "Seasonal Differences" |
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- Jonathan Tiersten at IMDb
- Jonathan Tiersten discography at Discogs
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