'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' Director Tobe Hooper Has Died

Tobe Hooper, the legendary horror director behind cult classics such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist, has died aged 74.

The Los Angeles County Coroner confirmed the director's death, but the cause of death is not yet known.

Credit: PA

Hooper's directorial debut was low-budget 1969 film Eggshells. However, he would find his breakthrough in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which he also co-wrote alongside producer Kim Henkel.

The movie had a $300,000 budget but would go on to make $30.8million and gain a cult fan-base. The film was so grisly it was banned in a string of countries, including the UK, but this seemed to only drive more interest towards Leatherface and his clan.

A sequel, imaginatively named The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, was directed by Hooper and released in 1986. The franchise continues to this day, with a Leatherface prequel due out later this year.

Following the film's massive success, Hooper went on to work on the 1979 adaptation of Stephen King's Salem's Lot, and later, in 1982, he worked on Poltergeist.

Credit: MGM

Hooper also worked on the small screen, directing episodes of The Equalizer, Tales from the Crypt and Masters of Horror.

Tributes have been paid to the late director on social media:

Source: BBC

Featured Image Credit: PA

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19