Former child actor Jeffrey Louis Starr, known for his role as catcher Mike Engelberg in two “Bad News Bears” sequels, died at age 61 on July 25, 2025, following a serious illness. TMZ confirmed the actor passed away at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Illinois, surrounded by loved ones.
Starr’s brother Kevin shared news of the death on Facebook one day after the passing, writing that his brother had been “sick for several years.” Kevin expressed that Jeffrey lived an amazing life and shared his light with countless people, noting that Jeffrey never met a stranger and helped many people throughout the years. He also mentioned that depression is one of the biggest killers in the world, though the actor’s official cause of death has not been disclosed.
Born on February 20, 1964, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Starr replaced Gary Lee Cavagnaro in the role of Mike Engelberg for the “Bad News Bears” sequels. He appeared in “The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training” (1977) and “The Bad News Bears Go to Japan” (1978), both follow-ups to the successful 1976 original film starring Walter Matthau and Tatum O’Neal.
In the 1977 sequel, Starr worked alongside actors William Devane and Clifton James. The following year’s film featured him acting with Hollywood icon Tony Curtis, known for classics like “Some Like It Hot” with Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon. Both sequels were box office successes, continuing the franchise’s popularity following the original film’s critical and commercial success.
The first “Bad News Bears” centers on a washed-up former minor league player who takes on the role of coach for a group of outcasts in a fiercely competitive California Little League. The 1976 film garnered various accolades, including a Writers Guild Award for Best Comedy Written Directly For The Screen, and spawned not only the two sequels featuring Starr, but also a short-lived CBS television series from 1979-1980 and a 2005 remake starring Billy Bob Thornton and Greg Kinnear.
The two “Bad News Bears” sequels represent Starr’s only official film credits, according to his IMDB page, though sources indicate he appeared as an uncredited extra in several other projects during his later years. Following his acting career, Starr became deeply involved in his faith community, serving as a deacon at Mill Creek Baptist Church starting in 2010.
Starr married Linda Darlene Webb in 1981, and the couple celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary in June 2025, just one month before his death. Starr enjoyed attending church and cherished moments spent with his family, particularly his grandchildren, as noted in his obituary from Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Homes.
The actor is survived by his wife Linda, two sons, Brandon and Jacob, nine grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, with another on the way, two brothers, one sister, and other relatives. His brother Kevin concluded his Facebook tribute by expressing his love and stating, “I’ll see you on the other side.”
Starr was also noted to be a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild and a longtime member of the Moose Lodge #1346 in Anna, Illinois.
The “Bad News Bears” franchise holds a special place in sports movie history, with the original film and its sequels becoming beloved classics that captured the spirit of youth baseball and underdog teams. Starr’s portrayal of the hefty catcher Mike Engelberg contributed to the charm and humor that made the sequels successful continuations of the original story.
