Tobe Hooper, a renowned filmmaker, 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 of college teachers and students, and with Kim Henkel, created The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a groundbreaking horror film featuring the iconic Leatherface.
This film, inspired by the true-life crimes of Ed Gein, became an instant classic, earning critical acclaim and cementing its place in the Permanent Collection of the Museum of Modern Art. It was officially selected at the Cannes Film Festival of 1975 for Directors Fortnight. The film's success led to Hooper's entry into Hollywood, where he collaborated with Kim Henkel again for Eaten Alive, a gory horror film featuring Mel Ferrer, Carolyn Jones, William Finley, and Marilyn Burns.
Hooper's subsequent projects included The Dark, a science-fiction thriller, and Salem's Lot, a mini-series based on Stephen King's novel. He also directed The Funhouse, a teen slasher film, and Poltergeist, a haunted house shocker that became a top-ranking major motion picture.
In the 1980s, Hooper worked on several projects, including Lifeforce, Invaders from Mars, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. He also directed television episodes, such as Amazing Stories, The Equalizer, and Tales from the Crypt.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Hooper continued to work in film and television, directing projects like I'm Dangerous Tonight, Night Terrors, and The Mangler. He also co-produced the successful remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 2003.
Tobe Hooper's final films as director were Toolbox Murders, Mortuary, and Djinn. He passed away on August 26, 2017, in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles. Leatherface, the eighth film in his Chainsaw franchise, was released just weeks after his death.
