Rip Torn dead: WATCH his Dodgeball training as Patches O'Houlihan in hilarious scene

The iconic actor, real name Elmore Rual, died surrounded by his family at home in Connecticut yesterday at the age of 88. The Oscar-nominee is best known for appearing The Larry Sanders Show, plus a string of memorable movie roles including Zed in Men in Black and Zeus in Disney’s Hercules. But perhaps one of his funniest parts was as Patches O’Houlihan in Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller’s Dodgeball. Rip Torn played the aged dodgeball legend with unorthodox training methods to great comic acclaim.

Early on in the movie, Average Joe’s gym form a Dodgeball team to take on Globo Gym across the street.

To get started, the gang watch a 1950s video with Patches before the old sportsman approaches them to be their coach.

Enter the training montage where Torn utters the iconic catchphrase: “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.”

Before throwing the metal tool right at Justin Long’s head.

Aside from his comedy roles, Torn was Oscar-nominated for his debut film role 1983’s Cross Creek.

The part that almost won him an Academy Award saw him play a penniless neighbour who had suffered at the hands of a local sheriff.

He also played the Men in Black chief opposite Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in the first two movies of the sci-fi series.

However, Zed was killed off shortly before the events of the Men in Black 3.