Henry Deutschendorf, the onetime actor who played baby Oscar in Ghostbusters 2 along with his twin brother William, has died at the age of 29. His death was reported by his brother.
Although they both appeared in the high-profile sequel (and a documentary about it filmed earlier this year), neither of the Deutschendorf twins ever acted again. Instead, they became martial arts teachers and trainers, operating a martial arts center in California. William wrote a remembrance for his brother today, revealing that he’d suffered for several years with schizoaffective disorder—a mental disorder that combines the symptoms of mood disorders with those of schizophrenia—and that he’d ultimately lost his battle with the disease.
Hank was diagnosed in August of 2008. If you knew Hank before his diagnosis, you knew a young man who was upbeat, healthy, witty, kind, outgoing, and was always ready to stand up for people. Medication curbed the delusions but it did not stop the voices. The side effects of the medication took a toll on Hank. He felt like a zombie, lost his personality, gained weight quickly, slept for twelve hours a day, and had to use all of his willpower just to lift his hand to drink a cup of water. My brother was left with a bandaid for a gunshot wound.
William Deutschendorf ended his note by praising his brother as a friend and partner, and calling for more research and funding into mood disorders, schizophrenia, and suicide prevention.