Actor Thomas Haden Church leaped into action and helped to save a man's life on Thursday after he started choking at a Los Angeles restaurant.

The Sideways star was having lunch at top eaterie Soho House when a fellow diner began coughing and spluttering as he struggled to gasp for air.

Church immediately sprung into action and successfully performed the Heimlich Maneuver on the unidentified male as other shocked customers looked on.

His heroic efforts earned Church the praise of staff at the venue and they rewarded him by waiving the cost of his meal, but, when quizzed about the incident on Friday, the humble actor simply brushed it off.

He told TMZ.com, "I really don't wanna talk about it, it's like, too sensational. I'm just glad the dude's OK..."