Actor Michael Clarke Duncan was given a boost as he recovered from a heart attack on Friday after receiving a visit from his former TV co-star Geoff Stults.

The big man's girlfriend, Omarosa Stallworth, initially saved the former bodyguard's life by performing CPR after finding him in a state of cardiac arrest in the early hours of Friday, and she was able to resuscitate him.

The 54 year old was then taken to a nearby hospital and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, and he was subsequently deemed "stable".

Duncan was well enough for visitors later on Friday - Geoff Stults, his co-star in The Finder, headed to the medical facility to boost his friend's spirits.

As he left the hospital, Stults told U.S. website TMZ.com, "I saw him, he's looking good and that's really all we know right now. (They're) running tests. He's looking fine."