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1-21 of 21
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Honored with many awards for his films and achievement in the horror genre, Tobe Hooper is truly one of the Masters of Horror (2005).
Tobe Hooper was born in Austin, Texas, to Lois Belle (Crosby) and Norman William Ray Hooper, who owned a theater in San Angelo. He spent the 1960s as a college professor and documentary cameraman. In 1974, he organized a small cast that was made up of college teachers and students, and then he and Kim Henkel made The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), featuring the maniacal chainsaw-wielder Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen). This film changed the horror film industry and became an instant classic, remaining on many lists of top horror films of all time. Hooper based it upon the real-life killings of Ed Gein, a cannibalistic killer responsible for the grisly murders of several people in 1950s Wisconsin. Rex Reed said, "It's the scariest film I have ever seen." Leonard Maltin wrote, "While not nearly as gory as its title suggests, 'Massacre' is a genuinely terrifying film made even more unsettling by its twisted but undeniably hilarious black comedy." It is in the Permanent Collection of the Museum of Modern Art, and was officially selected at the Cannes Film Festival of 1975 for Directors Fortnight.
Hooper's success with "Chainsaw" landed him in Hollywood. Hooper rejoined the cast of "Texas" and with Kim Henkle again for Eaten Alive (1976), a gory horror film with Mel Ferrer, Carolyn Jones, William Finley, and Marilyn Burns (who played the lead in "Chainsaw"). The film centered around a caretaker of a motel who feeds his guests to his pet alligator. Also in the film was Robert Englund, whom Hooper helped advance his career and worked with him again in the future. "Eaten Alive" also won many awards at Horror Film Festivals, receiving the first Saturn Award. Also in the film, making his debut, was Robert Englund.
Hooper was assigned to the Film Ventures International production of The Dark (1979), a science-fiction thriller. After only three day, he was fired from the film and replaced with John 'Bud' Cardos. Instead, Hooper had greater success with Stephen King's 1979 mini series Salem's Lot (1979). In 1981, Hooper directed the teen slasher film The Funhouse (1981) for Universal Pictures. Despite its success, "The Funhouse" was a minor disappointment. In 1982, Hooper found greater success when Steven Spielberg hired him to direct his production, haunted house shocker Poltergeist (1982), for MGM. It quickly became a top-ranking major motion picture, but Hooper's reputation was waylaid by uncorroborated and spurious rumors spread throughout the film's press coverage that Spielberg had largely directed the film.
"Poltergeist" was perhaps a greater success than "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," but it was three years until Hooper found work again. He signed a three-year contract with Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus's Cannon Group, and directed more films, including Lifeforce (1985), with Patrick Stewart for TriStar; the minor remake Invaders from Mars (1986); and the disappointing sequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), with Dennis Hopper. During the mid-1980s, Hooper also directed several television projects, including episodes of Amazing Stories (1985), The Equalizer (1985), Freddy's Nightmares (1988) and Tales from the Crypt (1989) with Whoopi Goldberg.
In the 1990s, Hooper continued working in both film and television: I'm Dangerous Tonight (1990), Nowhere Man (1995), Dark Skies (1996), Perversions of Science (1997) with Jamie Kennedy and Jason Lee, The Apartment Complex (1999) with Amanda Plummer for Showtime, Night Terrors (1993) and The Mangler (1995) for New Line, the latter two with Robert Englund. In the new century Hooper's career grew stronger, with Night Visions (2001), Shadow Realm (2002) and the pilot episode for Steven Spielberg's award-winning miniseries Taken (2002).
In 2003, Hooper co-produced the successful remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) for New Line. His final three films as director were Toolbox Murders (2004), with Angela Bettis, released through Lions Gate; Mortuary (2005), a zombie film with Dan Byrd; and evil genie tale Djinn (2013).
Tobe Hooper died on August 26, 2017, in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles.
Leatherface (2017), technically the eighth film in Hooper's Chainsaw franchise, was slated for release just weeks after his death.- Nicolas Chagrin was born on 26 November 1945 in Pancras, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Suite Française (2014), Great Expectations (1959) and Doctor Who (1963). He died on 26 August 2017 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, England, UK.
- Actor
- Stunts
Larry Sherman was born on 2 February 1923 in Syracuse, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for One Fine Day (1996), Law & Order (1990) and The Sopranos (1999). He was married to Marion. He died on 26 August 2017 in New York, New York, USA.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Takis Emmanuel was born in 1933 in Greece. He was an actor and producer, known for Levkas Man (1981), Kostas (1979) and Caddie (1976). He died on 26 August 2017 in Athens, Greece.- Heinz Sobota was born on 9 November 1944 in Bad Sauerbrunn, Burgenland, Austria. He was a writer, known for Der Minusmann, Der Minusmann: Die Doku (2018) and Sobota (2013). He died on 26 August 2017 in Munich, Germany.
- Producer
- Writer
Howard Kaminsky was born on 24 January 1940 in Brooklyn, New York, New York, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for Homebodies (1974), Enquiring Minds: The Untold Story of the Man Behind the National Enquirer (2014) and My Dog Tulip (2009). He was married to Susan Stanwood and Susan. He died on 26 August 2017 in Manhattan, New York, USA.- Alicia Juárez was born on 9 July 1949 in La Barca, Jalisco, Mexico. She was an actress, known for La mafia de la frontera (1979), La cosecha de mujeres (1981) and Traigo la sangre caliente (1977). She was married to José Alfredo Jiménez. She died on 26 August 2017 in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico.
- Actress
Betty Barker was born on 1 May 1937 in North Carolina, USA. She was an actress. She died on 26 August 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Dexter Clay was born on 12 June 1956 in Houston, Texas, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Never Alone (2019), Tia Pancha (2013) and Deadly Prey (1987). He died on 26 August 2017 in Houston, Texas, USA.- Actor
- Writer
Bernard Pomerance was born on 23 September 1940 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for The Elephant Man (1982) and A Perfect Couple (1984). He was married to Evelyne Franceschi and Sally Belfrage. He died on 26 August 2017 in Galisteo, New Mexico, USA.- Actor
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Nanni Svampa was born on 28 February 1938 in Milan, Lombardy, Italy. He was an actor and composer, known for Verdi (1982), Welcome to the South (2010) and Un povero ricco (1983). He died on 26 August 2017 in Varese, Lombardy, Italy.- Cinematographer
- Producer
- Director
Alan Root was born on 12 May 1937 in London, England, UK. He was a cinematographer and producer, known for Gorillas in the Mist (1988), Mysterious Castles of Clay (1978) and Here be dragons (1990). He was married to Joan Root, Fran Michelmore and Jenny Hammond. He died on 26 August 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya.- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Music Department
John Batt was born on 1 May 1929 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, UK. He was a writer, known for The Main Chance (1969), Justice (1971) and Trial (1971). He died on 26 August 2017 in Surrey, England, UK.- Grzegorz Miecugow was born on 22 November 1955 in Kraków, Malopolskie, Poland. He was an actor and writer, known for Television Theater (1953), Teatr Polskiego Radia (2004) and Pulapka (1997). He was married to Joanna. He died on 26 August 2017 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
René Tucek was born on 8 January 1936 in Prague, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic]. He was an actor, known for Rusalka (1977), The Amityville Curse (1990) and Paganini (1982). He died on 26 August 2017 in Marianske Lazne, Czech Republic.- Actor
- Special Effects
H. Alan Sims is the son of Harry & Helen Sims. Prior to his teaching career, Alan spent several years in television in children's programming, including the shows "Diver Dan", "Mr. Al's Storytime", "Mr. Al's Sunday Funnies" and as the horror host "Alan" in "Mystery Mansion". And before the television work, he toured for 5 years with a national children's theater company. After retirement, he spent time as a steamship historian, a writer and a volunteer at the California State Railroad Museum and Sutter's Fort. Ocean liners were his love where he often lectured. When asked he told many "The only thing better than talking about ships is talking about them while aboard one!"- Actor
- Composer
Wilson das Neves was born on 14 June 1936 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was an actor and composer, known for Noel: Poeta da Vila (2006), The Wise Ones (2015) and Sound and Time (2017). He died on 26 August 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.- Turkish writer and teacher. His first book, Gecekondu, was published by Remzi Kitapevi in 1970, followed by Ilyas Efendi in 1971 and Halo Dayi in 1972. After meeting Attilâ Ilhan, Izgü published his books at Bilgi Yayinevi, and his first book published by this publishing house was Donumdaki Para (1977). Bilgi Yayinevi published 42 novels and short stories and 73 children's books by Izgü. In his works titled Zikkimin Kökü and Ekmek Parasi, he revealed his own life story.
- Heinrich Kalbfuss was born on 15 January 1927 in Trier, Germany. He was a director and writer, known for Zwischen Plan und Wirklichkeit - Frankreichs Entwicklungshilfe im eigenen Land (1967) and Fernandel (1967). He died on 26 August 2017 in Saarbrücken, Saarland, Germany.
- Adam Wójcik was born on 20 April 1970 in Olawa, Dolnoslaskie, Poland. He was an actor, known for 6 dni strusia (2001). He was married to Krystyna Paluch. He died on 26 August 2017 in Wroclaw, Dolnoslaskie, Poland.
- Dimitris Katsoulis was born in 1925 in Paramythia, Thesprotia, Greece. He was an actor, known for Honest Man Wanted (1963), I valitsa me to ptoma (1963) and I ekdromi (2014). He died on 26 August 2017 in Greece.