Tobe Hooper, the horror director best known for helming “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” and “Poltergeist,” died Saturday in Sherman Oaks, Calif., according to the Los Angeles County Coroner.
The 1974 “Texas Chain Saw Massacre” became one of the most influential horror films of all time for its realistic approach and deranged vision.
Though it was banned in several countries for violence, it was one of the most profitable independent films of the 1970s in the U.S.
The story of a family coping with a house haunted by unruly ghosts starred JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson.
After “Poltergeist,” Hooper directed two movies for Cannon Films, “Lifeforce” and “Invaders from Mars,” a remake of the 1953 alien movie.
In 2011 he co-authored a post-modern horror novel titled “Midnight Movie” in which he himself appeared as the main character.
Willard Tobe Hooper was born in Austin, Texas and taught college before starting out in documentaries. »