Carl Nick Ciarfalio (November 12, 1953 – November 19, 2025) was an American actor and stuntman. In a career spanning over four decades, he appeared in over 300 film and television projects. He is best known for portraying the Thing in the Roger Corman produced, but unreleased film The Fantastic Four.
Life and career Ciarfalio started his career as a plumber's associate when he was invited by one of his wrestling associates to join him at Knott's Berry Farm, as they were looking for big and tall actors to perform for audiences. Ciarfalio took the job for the summer before he would enroll in Cal State Fullerton that September, but he found himself enjoying it. "[W]ithin a couple of months I had a cowboy hat and a gun and I was on stage and people were applauding and laughing, and I told my parents, 'I'll go back to school one day'." Ciarfalio never returned to school and instead embarked on his long career as a stuntman. He began appearing in numerous film and television projects over the years such as Fight Club, Mission: Impossible III and The Amazing Spider-Man.
The most notable role of his career occurred in 1993, when Ciarfalio received a call from his agent to appear in a Roger Corman produced film adaptation of Marvel Comics Fantastic Four. "They were looking for a stunt man. They were looking for somebody about six feet tall and weighed about 220 pounds or so...So, I went to the audition and we talked a little bit and they thought I was the guy, which was, you know, very cool." While the actor who was playing Ben Grimm (Michael Bailey Smith) was tall, he was unable to fit in the Thing suit. Ciarfalio was brought in to wear the costume, which he found "the hottest fucking thing" he ever wore.
On October 20, 2014, Ciarfalio launched a Kickstarter campaign to have a biography book published. He reached his goal at $11,055 and in September 2015 published Stars, Stunts and Stories: A Hollywood Stuntman's Fall to Fame. The book was co-written by his wife Teri Ryan.
On November 19, 2025, it was announced by Ciarfalio’s wife Teri Ryan that Ciarfalio had passed away at the age of 72 in Huntsville, Alabama.
Filmography
Stunts + Television rolesYearTitleNote 1979 B.J. and the Bear Episode: "The Eyes of Texas"; Stunt performer; uncredited 1984 Scarecrow and Mrs. King Episode: "Fearless Dotty"; Stunt performer 1985 Wes Craven's Chiller TV movie; Stunt double: Paul Sorvino 1985 J.O.E. and the Colonel TV movie; uncredited 1988 In the Heat of the Night Episode: "Road Kill"; uncredited 1988 Simon & Simon Episode: "First, Let's Kill All the Lawyers"; uncredited 1989 Fair Game TV Pilot; Stunt performer; uncredited 1990 The Great Los Angeles Earthquake TV movie 1991 They Came from Outer Space Episode: "Play Doctor"; uncredited 1991 The Flash Episode: "Alpha"; uncredited 1991–1995 Murder, She Wrote 3 episodes; uncredited 1992 Quantum Leap 2 episodes; uncredited 1995 Family Matters Episode: "The Substitute Son"; uncredited 1995 Alien Nation: Body and Soul TV movie 1998 Dallas: War of the Ewings TV movie 1998 Babylon 5: Thirdspace TV movie; uncredited 1999 Velocity Trap TV movie 2001 2001 ABC World Stunt Awards TV special; Stunt coordinator 2001–2003 The Wayne Brady Show 7 episodes; Stunt coordinator 2003 The Bold and the Beautiful 1 episode; Stunt double 2005 The O.C. Episode: "The O.C. Confidential"; Stunt performer 2006 ER Episode: "Twenty-One Guns"; Stunt performer 2006 Without a Trace Episode: "The Calm Before"; Stunt performer 2012 Fact Checkers Unit Episode: "James Franco Is Preggers"; Stunt coordinators 2014 Isa TV movie; Stunt coordinator 2014 Sharknado 2: The Second One TV movie; Utility stunts 2014–2015 Justified 2 episodes; Stunt performer 2015 Community Episode: "Modern Espionage"; uncredited 2015 Rellik TV movie 2016 Westworld Episode: "Dissonance Theory"; uncredited 2019 The Adventures of Gin and Sapphy Episode: "Pharoahs Catacomb Part Two"; Stunt Supervisor
+ Film rolesYearTitleNote 1979 Do It in the Dirt 1983 The Osterman Weekend 1983 D.C. Cab 1984 Against All Odds Stunt double: Alex Karras 1985 The Zoo Gang 1985 Commando 1985 To Live and Die in L.A. Stunt player 1985 Runaway Train 1986 Police Academy 3: Back in Training 1986 Invaders from Mars Stunt marine 1987 Number One with a Bullet 1987 Extreme Prejudice Uncredited 1987 Real Men Stunt player 1987 Zebra Force Stunt player 1987 Death Wish 4: The Crackdown Stunt player 1988 Aloha Summer 1988 Beetlejuice 1988 Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers 1989 Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects Stunt player 1989 Criminal Act 1989 No Holds Barred Stunt player 1989 Lock Up 1989 Cage 1989 Johnny Handsome 1989 Glory Stunt player 1989 Think Big 1990 Lionheart Stunt double: Voyo Goric 1990 The Hunt for Red October 1990 King of New York 1990 RoboCop 2 Unnamed gun store robber 1990 State of Grace 1990 Death Warrant Stunt player 1990 The Rookie 1991 Shakes the Clown Additional stunts 1991 29th Street 1992 Leather Jackets 1992 Wayne's World 1992 Class Act 1992 Rapid Fire 1992 Sneakers 1992 The Public Eye 1992 CIA Code Name: Alexa Stunt player 1992 Sweet Justice 1993 Trouble Bound 1993 Best of the Best II 1993 Street Knight 1993 Ring of Fire 2: Blood and Steel Uncredited 1993 Joshua Tree Stunt double: Beau Starr 1993 RoboCop 3 Unnamed resistance fighter against OCP 1993 Private Wars Direct-to-video 1993 CIA II: Target Alexa 1993 Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit 1993 No Escape, No Return 1994 Monkey Trouble Stunt player 1994 Direct Hit Direct-to-video 1994 Beverly Hills Cop III Stunt performer 1994 Zero Tolerance 1994 Blankman 1994 The Specialist 1994 Stranger by Night Direct-to-video 1994 A Low Down Dirty Shame 1994 T-Force 1994 Ring Of Fire 3: Lion Strike 1995 For Better or Worse 1995 Excessive Force II: Force on Force 1995 Cover Me Direct-to-video 1995 Mallrats 1995 Get Shorty 1995 Drifting School Stunt coordinator and stunt performer 1995 Chameleon 1996 One Tough Bastard 1996 Foxfire 1996 Feeling Minnesota 1996 Crossworlds Direct-to-video 1996 Santa with Muscles Stunt double: Don Stark 1997 Romy and Michele's High School Reunion Stunt limo driver 1997 Batman & Robin 1997 Lolita 1998 Vampires 1998 Out of Sight 1998 Memorial Day 1999 Angel's Dance 1999 Fight Club Stunt performer 2001 A.I. Artificial Intelligence 2001 Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 2001 Corky Romano 2002 Men in Black II Uncredited 2002 Serving Sara 2002 Leaving the Land Stunt coordinator 2003 Daredevil 2003 A Man Apart 2003 Daddy Day Care 2003 Bruce Almighty 2003 Wonderland Utility stunts 2003 Bad Santa Stunt performer 2004 Starsky & Hutch 2004 El Padrino 2004 After the Sunset 2005 Wedding Crashers Stunt performer 2005 Shackles Direct-to-video 2006 Mission: Impossible III Uncredited 2006 The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift Direct-to-video 2007 Reno 911!: Miami 2007 RedlinexStunt performer 2007 Forced Alliance Short film; Stunt coordinator 2007 Shoot 'Em Up 2008 The Hustle Stunt coordinator 2008 Kemper: The CoEd Killer Direct-to-video; uncredited 2008 Crazy Girls Undercover Stunt player 2009 The Grind Stunt coordinator 2009 Dark Moon Rising 2009 Ballistica 2010 Chain Letter Stunt coordinator 2010 The Book of Eli Stunt double: Joe Pingue 2011 The Green Hornet Stunt performer; uncredited 2011 Kill the Irishman 2012 The Amazing Spider-Man Stunt performer; uncredited 2012 Total Recall 2012 The Misadventures of the Dunderheads Stunt performer 2012 Set Apart Documentary short; Stunt performer 2013 Channeling Stunt coordinator 2013 Extraction Stunt performer; uncredited 2013 A Truth in Silence Short film; Stunt coordinator 2013 Out of the Furnace Stunt performer; uncredited 2014 Ride Along Precision driver 2014 Swelter Additional stunts; Stunt performer 2014 Come Back to Me Stunt coordinator 2014 The Extendables Stunt coordinator 2014 Mercenaries Stunt performer 2014 Isa Short film; Stunt coordinator 2014 Some Kind of Beautiful Precision driver 2014 Tell 2014 Taken 3 Stunt coordinator 2014 The Spy Who Came to Brunch Short film; Stunt coordinator 2015 Frankenstein Stunt rigger 2015 Tooken Stunt co-coordinator 2015 Pontiac Angel Short film; Stunt coordinator 2015 Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness Direct-to-video 2015 Chaser Short film; Stunt coordinator 2016 Meet the Blacks Stunt coordinator 2016 Black Mass Short film; Stunt coordinator 2017 Wyrm Short film; Stunt coordinator 2018 Searching Stunt driver 2018 Almost Home Stunt coordinator 2019 I Hate Kids Stunt coordinator 2019 American Bistro Stunt coordinator 2020 Big America Stunt coordinator 2021 The Little Things Uncredited 2022 Tribute Stunt coordinator
Actor + Film rolesYearTitleRoleNote 1982 Cannery Row Tackle 1986 Black Moon Rising Ringer's Man #1 1987 Number One with a Bullet Monte 1987 Death Wish 4: The Crackdown Henchman At Roller Rink Uncredited 1989 Licence to Kill Warehouse Guard #2 1989 Cage Hood #1 1989 Think Big Edwards 1989 Lock Up Prison Guard Uncredited 1990 Fatal Charm Cellblock Officer Direct-to-video 1991 Eve of Destruction Trooper Sergeant 1991 The Perfect Weapon Man In Alley 1991 Scissors Attacker 1991 Out for Justice Paulie 1991 Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time Policeman #2 1992 Freejack Bonejacker #3 1992 Far and Away Italian Boxer 1992 Death Ring Pax, Bar Bully Direct-to-video 1992 Rapid Fire Gunman Uncredited 1993 Trouble Bound Ted 1993 The Hit List Second Hitman 1993 Bounty Tracker Hook Direct-to-video 1993 Excessive Force Guard #1 1993 In the Line of Fire CIA Agent Collins 1993 No Escape, No Return Bouncer At Club 1994 Forced to Kill Unknown 1994 The Fantastic Four The Thing Officially starred 1994 Natural Born Killers Mallory's Guard #2 1994 The Specialist Ned's Thug In Hotelroom Uncredited 1994 Stranger by Night Hank Direct-to-video; uncredited 1994 Ring of Fire 3: Lion Strike Vito 1995 Night of the Running Man Thug 1995 Scanners: The Showdown Lobby Cop #2 Direct-to-video 1995 Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh Bartender 1995 Casino Tony 'Dogs' 1995 Drifting School Police #1 1996 Spy Hard Thug #1 1996 The Trigger Effect Security Guard 1996 The Undercover Kid Terrorist #2 1996 The Assault Lou 1997 Con Air Con #1 1997 Executive Power Thug Direct-to-video 1999 BitterSweet 'Puss' Direct-to-video 1999 The Limey Warehouse Thug 1999 Fight Club Lou's Body Guard 2000 Traffic Ruiz's Assistant 2003 National Security Stanton 2003 Wonderland Hit Man #1 Uncredited 2004 The Whole Ten Yards Goon #1 2005 Guess Who Traffic Cop 2006 Stump the Band Guido 2008 This Life Man 2009 From Mexico with Love Jake 2009 The Grind The Punisher 2009 Wrong Turn at Tahoe Thug 3 2011 3 Musketeers Agent Flowers Direct-to-video2012The Misadventures of the DunderheadsPink Suit Gambler 2013 Out of the Furnace Man At Drive In 2014 The Extendables A.D. 2014 Mercenaries Driver 2014 Chasing the Past Zach's Boss (voice) Short film2015 Pontiac Angel John Yoder Short film 2016 Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel Diamond 2019 American Bistro Man #1