The Only Main Actors Still Alive From 1982's Tron

For those of you who delight at the special effects of films like "Avatar" and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole, you have to acknowledge a debt of gratitude to 1982's sci-fi classic "Tron." The computer-generated graphics might look a little hokey to the modern viewer, but "Tron" was a creatively ambitious film that provided proof that CGI would be the wave of the future — for that reason alone, it deserves its cult following. Starring Jeff Bridges as talented computer engineer Kevin Flynn, "Tron" follows two stories: One set in the real world, and one in which the lead character has been transported into a digital world, where he has to face off against the avatars of his real-life enemies. It was an immediate success amongst audiences and critics, and was even nominated for two Academy Awards. (Ironically, "Tron" was not considered eligible for the visual effects category because, according to director Steven Lisberger in an interview with SFGate, "The Academy thought we cheated by using computers.")

Although the star of "Tron" is often considered its CGI, there are plenty of talented actors who appear throughout the film, gamely performing against the inherent difficulties of a new special effects medium. Sadly, many of these actors have since passed on, but we still have several of the main cast with us, including Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, Dan Shor, Peter Jurasik, and Stuart Thomas.

Out of all the "Tron" stars, Jeff Bridges is probably the one who is best known among today's audiences. He catapulted onto the scene in the early 1970s with leading performances in films like "The Last Picture Show," which earned him his first Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor just a year into his adult career; "The Last American Hero"; and "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" (his second Oscar nomination). He worked consistently throughout the 1980s, starring in "Starman" and "The Fabulous Baker Boys," but took on iconic status when he landed the lead role as The Dude in "The Big Lebowski," a landmark film of the 1990s with a fervently devoted following.

Over the course of his career, he's earned seven Academy Award nominations, finally winning in 2010 for playing a country singer whose alcohol addiction has ravaged his personal life in "Crazy Heart." Throughout the 2010s, he continued working at a frenetic pace, appearing in films such as "True Grit," "The Giver," "Hell or High Water," and "Kingsman: The Golden Circle." In 2010, he reprised his role as Kevin Flynn in "Tron: Legacy," and is slated to do so again in 2025, when the upcoming sequel "Tron: Ares" is released.

Bruce Boxleitner plays a computer programmer who works at ENCOM in "Tron," but he's probably better remembered as his digital counterpart: The titular Tron, who operates as a security program within the computer realm. Although Boxleitner had been working in the entertainment industry during the 1970s, "Tron" represented just his third film credit. He appeared in a number of feature film and television Westerns, including "How the West Was Won" and "The Gambler" series alongside Kenny Rogers. He also played Captain John Sheridan in the "Babylon 5" universe and appeared in 10 episodes of "Supergirl" as President Phillip Baker, further developing his cred as a sci-fi star. In addition to working as an actor, Boxleitner has branched out into other forms of creative expression, writing two novels in 1999 and 2001, respectively.

Boxleitner has remained connected to the "Tron" franchise in the years since its release, appearing in both the 2010 sequel and the animated spinoff series "Tron: Uprising." Despite this, he isn't eager to appear in any additional "Tron" projects, saying in a 2015 interview with Slashfilm, "I'm done with it. I've moved on. I hate to say that but it's been too up and down for me. I would rather not just keep going. I don't want to repeat my career anymore."

Ram (Dan Shor) is another one of the merry band of computer-generated sidekicks who aid Clu along his way. Although Shor made his acting debut in the late 1970s, his career really began to cook once the '80s rolled around — not only did he have one of the most prominent roles in "Tron," but he starred in 20 episodes of "Cagney & Lacey" and played Billy the Kid in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure." 

In the years since, he's become one of those classic working actors who you see pop up for an episode or two in pretty much all of your favorite television shows. Shor has had featured roles in "Thirtysomething," "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Star Trek: Voyager," "The X-Files," "Blue Bloods," "Jessica Jones," and "The Blacklist." But Shor's no one-trick pony: He's also worked as a director for several theaters in Los Angeles and has two screenplays to his name. In 2007, he made his directorial debut with "State of Liberty – Chapter One: Looking for America."

Peter Jurasik plays Crom in "Tron," but that's probably not what you know him from. He's popped up in his fair share of television shows, including "Barney Miller," "M*A*S*H," "Family Ties," "Fame," and "Remington Steele" — and those are just a few of his shorter recurring performances in the 1980s. But he wasn't always relegated to bit parts. Jurasik had a 25-episode run on "Hill Street Blues" as Sid the Snitch, and his career blew up when he took on the role of Centauri career politician Londo Mollari on "Babylon 5," winning the hearts of sci-fi fans everywhere alongside his "Tron" co-star Bruce Boxleitner.

Jurasik is better known for his work on television, yet he's also made his mark on the big screen, appearing in films like "Problem Child" and "Runaway Jury." Before lending his voice to 2023's "Babylon 5: The Road Home," his most recent appearance was as U.S. Senator Judah P. Benjamin on an episode of PBS's Civil War drama "Mercy Street."

Unlike many of the other characters in the computer-generated world of "Tron," Peter doesn't ally himself with Kevin Flynn's Clu. In fact, he's the lackey of David Warner's character, who is the chief antagonist of the film. It's a relatively small role, but Stuart Thomas makes the most of his limited screentime. If you're looking for more performances from Thomas — then acting under the name of Tony Stephano — you might be out of luck. After beginning his career as a model, he worked in Hollywood extremely sporadically. 

In fact, Thomas only appeared in three films over the course of four decades: "Tron," "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud," and "Bristol Boys." Information about Thomas' life outside of his brief film career is thin on the ground, and he didn't return for any of the other "Tron" films and series, making him one of the most mysterious alumni of the "Tron" universe.