For many people growing up in the 1970s, Gunnar Hansen was horror. His haunting depiction of Leatherface in Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was nightmare fuel for generations, so it is with great sadness that we share the news that Hansen passed away yesterday at the age of 68.
According to Yahoo News, Hansen died of pancreatic cancer. At the time of his passing, Hansen was at his home in Maine. He is survived by his partner, Betty Tower.
Coupled with Hooper's immersive filmmaking, Hansen's towering presence and unflinching dedication to the role of Leatherface helped make The Texas Chain Saw Massacre one of the most highly regarded (and scariest) horror films ever made. Sadly, Hansen's Texas Chain Saw co-star Marilyn Burns passed away last August.
Though he's best known by many as Leatherface, Hansen didn't let the skin mask define him, as he was just as skilled with a pen as he was with a chainsaw, writing a number of screenplays and books, including 2013's Chain Saw Confidential, an inside look at the making of Hooper's seminal film in that fateful sun-baked summer.
Hansen also went on to appear in a good number of films post-Chain Saw, taking on roles in The Demon Lover, Campfire Tales, and Mosquito, as well as playing Boss Sawyer in 2013's Texas Chainsaw 3D.
There's no question that Hansen left an indelible mark on the horror genre. His portrayal of Leatherface will be referenced, revered, and admirably feared as long as there is life on this planet. Our thoughts go out to Gunnar Hansen's family and friends.
[Photo at the top courtesy of Robert F. Bukaty.]
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