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Henry J. Deutschendorf II (April 29, 1988 - June 14, 2017)1, known as Hank, was an American actor and martial arts instructor. He and his identical twin brother William T. Deutschendorf together portrayed baby Oscar in Ghostbusters II (1989), the sole screen credit for either brother. Hank was the nephew of folk singer-songwriter John Denver, who was born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr., and after whom Hank was named.2
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Henry J. Deutschendorf II was born on April 29, 1988, in Los Angeles, California, alongside his identical twin brother William. They are the sons of Ron Deutschendorf, the younger brother of folk singer-songwriter John Denver (born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr.).2 Hank took his first name directly from his uncle. After Denver's death in a plane crash in October 19973, Ron Deutschendorf continued managing charitable activities through the Windsor Foundation, the philanthropic organization his brother had established.
The twins developed an interest in martial arts starting around age ten. Both completed education studies around 2010 and became certified instructors at the West Coast Martial Arts Academy in California.
In Ghostbusters II (1989), Oscar is the infant son of Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) and the focus of the film's central paranormal threat. Because regulations strictly limit the on-set hours of infant performers, productions routinely use identical twins to allow filming to continue while one child rests. Will and Hank Deutschendorf split the role in exactly this way, alternating as Oscar throughout the shoot. The film credits the character simply as "Hank Deutschendorf."4
Director Ivan Reitman would position himself directly in front of whichever twin was on camera and talk to the infant to hold his attention between setups. Approximately five versions of Oscar's medical examination scene were filmed, a reflection of the challenges inherent in directing infant performers. The film was released on June 16, 1989, when the twins were just over a year old.
One piece of wordplay in the film connects the twins to the villain: the on-screen computer identifies the ghost Vigo by his full name, "Vigo Von Homburg Deutschendorf," combining the surname of the twins (Deutschendorf) with the surname of the actor who portrayed Vigo, Wilhelm Von Homburg.2 This was an intentional nod by the filmmakers.
The role received a later acknowledgment in IDW Publishing's Ghostbusters 101 #6 (2017), which included a "Coming Soon" advertisement on page 11 referencing Will and Hank Deutschendorf and their post-film careers in martial arts.5
The brothers appeared in the documentary Too Hot to Handle: Remembering Ghostbusters II (directed by Anthony Bueno and Claire Bueno)6, which documented the production and legacy of the 1989 film. Both brothers also appeared in the 2019 documentary Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters7, discussing their experience making the film.
Following their single film appearance, neither brother returned to acting. Both devoted their energy to martial arts, pursuing an interest that had started around age ten. After completing education studies around 2010, Will and Hank became certified instructors at the West Coast Martial Arts Academy in California.
Through the Windsor Foundation, the brothers also engaged in ongoing community philanthropy. They organized an annual Kick-a-Thon benefiting the Liam's Fund of Rady Children's Hospital, hosted a free eight-week women's self-defense seminar, ran self-defense workshops for Girl Scout troops and high school sports teams, and formed community partnerships with local organizations including Danceology, Frozen Ropes, CrossFit Barracks, and Gyminny Kids.
In August 2008, at age twenty, Hank Deutschendorf was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a chronic mental illness combining features of schizophrenia and mood disorders.1 His symptoms included hallucinations, delusions, depression, and mania. William later described his brother before the diagnosis as "upbeat, healthy, witty, kind, outgoing, and always ready to stand up for people."1 While medication helped manage some symptoms, it carried severe side effects: Hank experienced rapid weight gain, excessive sleep, and what William described as a zombie-like state that robbed him of much of his former personality. William characterized the available treatments as "a bandaid for a gunshot wound."1
Hank Deutschendorf died by suicide on June 14, 2017, at the age of 29, in Escondido, California.1 He and William had been sharing an apartment; William found his brother. His death was widely reported in entertainment media, which noted his status as one of the two actors who had played baby Oscar in Ghostbusters II.8
Following Hank's death, William launched "Hank's Hope for a Cure," a fundraising campaign in partnership with the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, which funds scientific research into mood disorders, schizophrenia, and related conditions.9 William wrote publicly and in detail about Hank's illness and final years, calling for increased research funding and greater systemic attention to suicide prevention. The campaign kept Hank's memory alive within the Ghostbusters fan community, where both brothers had long been recognized figures.
Some content on this page was researched using the Ghostbusters Wiki on Fandom.
E! Online, "Ghostbusters II Child Star Hank Deutschendorf Dies of Apparent Suicide" (June 16, 2017), https://www.eonline.com/news/862499/ghostbusters-ii-child-star-hank-deutschendorf-dies-of-apparent-suicide. Accessed 2026-06-13. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5
Spook Central, "Ghostbusters II Trivia," https://www.spookcentral.us/sclib/ghostbusters-ii-trivia.html. Accessed 2026-06-13. ↩ ↩2 ↩3
History.com, "John Denver dies in an aircraft accident" (October 12, 2020), https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/october-12/john-denver-dies-in-an-aircraft-accident. Accessed 2026-06-13. ↩
IMDb, "Henry J. Deutschendorf II," https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0222110/. Accessed 2026-06-13. ↩
IDW Publishing, Ghostbusters 101 #6 (2017), p. 11. "Coming Soon" advertisement referencing Will and Hank Deutschendorf and their careers in martial arts. ↩
Too Hot to Handle: Remembering Ghostbusters II (dir. Anthony Bueno and Claire Bueno), IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8537614/. Accessed 2026-06-13. ↩
Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters (2019, dir. Anthony Bueno and Claire Bueno), IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1446678/. Accessed 2026-06-13. ↩
IndieWire, "Henry Deutschendorf, Baby Oscar in 'Ghostbusters II', Dies at 28" (June 19, 2017), https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/henry-deutschendorf-dead-baby-oscar-ghostbusters-ii-1201845009/. Accessed 2026-06-13. ↩
Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, "Hank's Hope for a Cure," https://bbrfoundation.donordrive.com/campaign/Hank-s-Hope-For-A-Cure. Accessed 2026-06-13. ↩
