We've lost plenty of horror icons who enjoyed big and small roles as killers, ghouls, survivors,
fighters and the odd ice-cream man over the years.
However, their performances will never be forgotten.
We've assembled a list of some great horror icons that you might not know have passed
away.
The late Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chain Saw Massacre galvanized a new era of horror, and
established one of the greatest final girls to have ever appeared on screen: Sally.
In her harrowing, visceral performance, Marilyn Burns set a standard for horror heroines which
arguably remains unmatched to this day.
However, her performance may have had a little help from the notoriously terrible filming
conditions of the low-budget slasher.
The book The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Film That Terrified A Rattled Nation explains,
a combination of rotting animal corpses, extreme heat, and unwashed costumes led to a, quote,
"intolerably putrid" atmosphere on-set, that made the shoot an endurance test and one of
the most grueling times in her life.
As Burns recalled in the book, she was obviously relieved when filming was finished –- and
dismayed when she was called back to set to shoot one final iconic scene.
She said,
"When I was crazy at the end of the movie, laughing hysterically, that wasn't acting.
That was me, having to go back and do it one more time."
Burns sadly passed away at the age of 65 in 2014, with the Los Angeles Times confirming
the star died of natural causes.
The horror community subsequently paid tribute to Burns and her, quote, "criminally overlooked"
acting performance.
Bloody Disgusting called Burns the "Queen of the Final Girls" in their tribute to her,
and said,
"If she gave this kind of performance in a Steven Spielberg historical drama she would
be a shoe in for [...] a nomination."
Just a year after the death of his The Texas Chain Saw Massacre co-star Marilyn Burns in
2014, Gunner Hansen – best known for his captivating performance as the out of his
mind and extremely intimidating chainsaw creep Leatherface –- died at the age of 68, after
living with pancreatic cancer, according to Variety.
As reported by Vulture in their tribute to the actor, Hansen was an Icelandic-born poet
who took the role as "a summer job."
However, his nuanced and thoughtful approach to the villain helped shape Leatherface as
a complex and mentally disturbed character, one who is utterly foreboding to the teens
he slaughters, but who shrinks when in the presence of his violent family.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly Hansen said,
"[Leatherface] is so interesting because he's extremely dangerous and deadly but he's not
purely evil."
Hansen was likewise adored by the horror community for being a sweet-natured icon completely
at odds with the villain he depicted on screen.
On Twitter, Stephen King said,
"RIP Gunnar Hansen.
Scared the s--- out of me as Leatherface; in person, you never met a kinder man."
He'll undeniably continue to terrify and inspire horror fans — and unsuspecting teenagers
— for many generations to come with the pure physicality of his classic roles.
John Saxon enjoyed a long and varied acting career in a range of iconic genre movies,
but he might be best known to horror fans as Donald Thompson in A Nightmare on Elm Street.
He played the father to Final Girl Nancy Thompson, and the local cop up against the abstract
threat of dream killer Freddy Krueger.
Those with a love for the horror genre may also remember him from such classics as Black
Christmas and Robert Rodriguez's From Dusk to Dawn where he is seen early on in the film
as the sheriff hunting down the criminals.
According to Yahoo!
News, Saxon was also a friend and student of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, having starred
opposite the icon in the venerated Enter the Dragon.
The versatile genre actor died of pneumonia at the age of 83 in 2020, and clearly, he
was well-loved and respected within the industry.
His on-screen daughter Heather Langenkamp took to Twitter to lead tributes to the late
actor, writing,
"In 3 'Nightmare' films John Saxon played the tough guy, the distant father and the
hard nosed cop, but I came to know him as the kindest, most encouraging and dignified
gentleman, father and husband [...] That shooting star you see tonight is him."
Jordan Peele's Oscar-winning horror satire Get Out features an assortment of unnerving
scenes that crept into America's cultural consciousness and remained there.
One such scene saw veteran actor Richard Herd as a creepy infomercial representative for
The Order of the Coagula, promoting the racist transplantation procedure by which old white
folk are transplanted into healthy Black bodies.
It is a simple sequence but a memorable one for really driving home the casual systemic
abuses at the core of the movie.
He knew exactly what the role called for and delivered it with such grace that people will
remember it for a long time.
"I mean, I told you not to go into that house."
When Herd died in 2020 of complications from cancer at the grand age of 87, Peele paid
tribute to him, calling the actor, quote, "a wonderful man and a true professional,"
who brought a perfect intensity to the brief scene.
Peele went on,
"I asked him to think of the scene as a Viagra ad trying to hide deep rage.
He responded, 'That sounds like all Viagra ads to me!'
Then he absolutely nailed it."
The star was also known and loved for his performances in a variety of cherished films
and TV shows including Seinfeld, and Star Trek: The Next Generation where he got to
have some fun in prosthetics for a while.
Known to one generation as the star of feminist Blaxploitation classics like Foxy Brown and
Coffy, actor Sid Haig finished life best known to another generation as the deranged, clown-costumed
patriarch Captain Spaulding.
The beloved House of 1000 Corpses star was 80 when he died in 2019, with Variety reporting
that he died of a lung infection after being hospitalized following a fall.
His wife shared the news on Instagram saying,
"He adored his family, his friends and his fans.
This came as a shock to all of us."
On Facebook, musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie -– who revived Haig's acting career by reigniting
our nightmares and casting him in the role of Captain Spaulding for his horrifying Firefly
Trilogy –- paid tribute to the star, stating,
"I've known for a long time how sick Sid was and what he was battling."
Rob Zombie shared what playing Captain Spaulding meant for Haig adding,
"He had completely given up on acting and now suddenly had found a whole new audience
at the age of 60.
I know he was thrilled and blown away by that fact."
If you have any level of interest in 90s pop culture, then you've likely seen The Craft
enough times to remember Nathaniel Marston's character Trey as one of the three dopey dudebros
who hassle the coven of witches at school and at parties.
In November 2015, Marston tragically passed away at 40 after sustaining critical injuries
from a car accident a month earlier.
His mother, Elizabeth Jackson, confirmed the news via Facebook where she shared the devastating
news saying,
"My beloved and cherished son [...] who was putting up the good fight until last night
was not able to continue due to the traumatic and devastating nature of his injuries."
Horror fans will always remember him as one of those three dudes who feigned fear at the
four goths in his class when damn, he should have been legit scared of the witches in waiting
within them.
As every horror fan knows, an actor needs only to depict a single iconic character to
be a part of the community for life.
And that was definitely true of actor Danny Hicks, who started his career by starring
as dim-witted deadite fodder Jake in Sam Raimi's classic Evil Dead II.
The performer subsequently enjoyed minor roles in a variety of genre flicks — many of which
were made by Raimi, who notoriously loves to re-cast his pals.
The films included Darkman, Maniac Cop, My Name is Bruce and even Spider-Man 2 where
he was able to appear in the iconic train scene.
At the start of Summer 2020, Hicks shared that he'd received a devastating health diagnosis
that did not give him long to live.
In a Facebook post he wrote,
"To all the people that I never got to meet, and the 6,018 die hard fans that enjoyed my
work.
I have some bad news.
I have been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
I have approximately 1 to 3 years to live.
But I gotta tell ya, I sure as hell packed a whole bunch of living into my 68 years."
According to Variety, Hicks sadly died just a few weeks later.
Hicks' Evil Dead II co-star Bruce Campbell paid tribute to the star on Twitter where
he wrote,
"Oh, Danny boy...Great actor, friend, raconteur, rascal.
He cheated death so many times, I doubt this is real.
Safe travels, sir."
As just about every fan of The Lost Boys can vouch for, if there is one thing about living
in Santa Carla that is hard to stomach, it is all the darn vampires.
And Joel Schumacher truly picked the best, brightest, and most marvelously mulleted teen
actors to depict the gang of nocturnal bloodsuckers in his 1987 horror classic.
Brooke McCarter is totally memorable as Paul – the sexy blonde vampire with one of the
most memorable death scenes of the movie.
Pushed into a bathtub of garlic-soaked holy water by a loveable family dog?
It sure beats a stake through the heart.
In 2015, McCarter's family shared the sad news that the 52-year-old died from "the genetic
liver condition alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency."
His former co-star (and mullet rival) Alex Winter paid tribute to his on-screen blood
brother on Twitter.
The Bill & Ted star tweeted,
"RIP Brooke McCarter and condolences to the family.
We had some very very good times together back in the day."
According to Digital Spy, the young star didn't choose to persevere with acting and instead
made a living within the telecommunications industry and as a music programmer.
As one of Santa Carla's baddest bloodsuckers in The Lost Boys, McCarter will truly live
forever providing constant escape for the creatures of the night.
Released in 1979, Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror masterpiece Alien pushed the genre forward
for how it provided fresh depictions of Black, female, and blue-collar characters that had
rarely been glimpsed in mainstream cinema.
As the Nostromo's chief engineer Dennis Parker, Yaphet Kotto depicted a whip-smart Black hero.
According to IGN, Yaphet "always expressed appreciation" for his character due to the
lack of such roles for Black actors at the time in ensemble movies.
As he told the website, however, he knew his character was not going to make it to the
end of the horror sci-fi action hybrid, and said,
"I know and film fans know, two things will happen to the brother in any movie like Alien.
He's not getting the girl, and he's not going to make it.
He is going to die."
When Yaphet Kotto died in 2021 at the age of 81, he left behind a solid legacy of impressive
performances in films.
Some of these included Live and Let Die and The Running Man, but for many, it was his
indelible performance as Nostromo's selfless chief engineer who would continue to live
on in people's hearts everytime they want to go back and visit one of the most iconic
ships in film history.
Sigourney Weaver, who famously depicted the film's Final Girl Ellen Ripley, expressed
the power of his performance in a touching tribute on Twitter, writing,
"Every day Yaphett Kotto blew me away on the set of Alien.
It was a nonstop master class for me and I will always be grateful to him.
Rest In Peace Parker...Over and out, Ripley."
You may know and love Dario Argento's 1977 kitsch Giallo nightmare Suspiria, but you
may not have known that the film was co-written by Italian actor Daria Nicolodi.
The esteemed star was an icon in her own right, having starred in Italian horror classics
like Deep Red and Inferno.
However, her contributions to the genre should not be understated.
"Squawk, squawk, squawk.
Mata Hari is going to file her report."
As reported by The Guardian, Nicolodi was romantically involved with Argento.
She shared with him a true story about her grandmother who attended a music academy,
quote, "on the border between Germany and Switzerland, where the faculty practiced black
magic."
Thus the dark, witch-controlled dance school of Suspiria was born, which would continue
to induce fantastical nightmares till this day.
When Nicolodi died in the winter of 2020, her daughter, the actor and filmmaker Asia
Argento, grieved the loss of her mother on Instagram with a touching tribute saying,
"Rest in peace beloved mother.
Now you can fly free with your great spirit and you won't have to suffer anymore."
Widely regarded as one of the best home invasion movies of the current era (and one with a
devilish twist at the heart of it), Adam Wingard's You're Next depicts a family reunion under
siege by a gang of violent and mysterious masked assailants.
Depicting duplicitous money-grabbing son Felix, Nicholas Tucci brought an intensity and dark
wit to the role that will be fondly remembered by horror fans everywhere.
He'll especially be remembered for his part in one of the movie's most unexpected and
gloriously gruesome deaths.
In 2020, Tucci's father sadly announced that the actor had died of cancer, and posted the
news on Facebook, writing,
"Nick chose to keep his illness private so that he could continue to pursue his professional
and artistic dreams for as long as possible.
To those of you who enjoyed Nick's work on the screen and stage...thank you for recognizing
his talent and appreciating his efforts."
On Instagram, Wingard paid tribute saying,
"[Nicholas was] a great talent and truly one of the nicest people I've worked with."
Adam also recalled that, quote, "half of the crew" had a "crush on him" during the filming
of You're Next.
Meanwhile, horror legend Barbara Crampton, who starred alongside Tucci in You're Next
and Channel Zero, called the actor a, quote, "sweet friend" in a Twitter tribute to him,
and stated,
"He is gone way too soon but his mark on the genre and our hearts will never be forgotten."
Slash-happy mommy's boy Jason Voorhees is one of horror's most enduring villains.
He's been depicted by a handful of different actors across 12 flicks and has sported a
variety of monstrous looks embodying the seemingly immortal character.
In Friday the 13th: Part 2 –- considered by many to be one of the franchise's best
–- Steve Dash was the first to depict adult Jason, and he did so with a unique look for
the character, who wore a sack on his head for much of the movie.
Dash died in 2018 after being hospitalized due to complications from diabetes.
The 74-year-old horror convention favorite shared an update about his condition on Facebook
where he divulged that his left leg would be amputated after, quote, "suffering from
diabetes, blood clots, and a bad heart over the last year."
However, he was optimistic about his condition and thanked his fans for their support, saying,
"The fans are the best on the planet."
In 2019, a short documentary named Steve Dash: Husband, Father, Grandfather was released
paying tribute to the late horror star, with fellow Jason actors Kane Hodder and C.J. Graham
sharing their affection for the performer.
"Jason was my son, and today is his birthday"
She may have contributed only a minor moment of cinematic greatness to the horror community,
but goodness what a moment.
Lee Fierro is renowned for depicting the character of Mrs. Kintner in Steven Spielberg's Jaws,
with her character best known for being the grieving mother of the monster shark's second
snack.
When challenging the incompetent police chief Brody for letting
people swim at the beach after a young woman was attacked by a shark there, Fierro's character
serves him a wallop of a slap whilst exclaiming,
"My boy is dead.
I wanted you to know that."
As reported by MV Times, Fierro died in 2020 due to complications of COVID-19.
According to Nicki Galland, a novelist who considered Fierro "her second mother," the
actor was, quote, "tickled" by the Jaws scene and the notoriety it would continue to gain.
Galland told MV Times,
"She would say, 'If you told me that's what I'd be known for, I wouldn't believe it.'"
Killer Klowns From Outer Space is easily the greatest horror film about extraterrestrial
candy floss-wielding circus fiends ever committed to the screen.
The cult film remains beloved amongst genre fans who continue to celebrate it for its
lawless wit, unique set pieces, and legit spooky moments.
Peter Licassi was a huge part of what makes the film such an enduring horror fixture,
depicting sweet-natured ice cream man Paul in the 1988 horror-comedy.
Sadly, his friend and co-star Michael Siegel – who depicted his brother in the film – shared
that Licassi had taken his own life in 2020 after struggling with depression.
Siegel wrote,
"I will never forget the laughs we shared, the success we had and the tears we cried
together."
The Chiodo Brothers, who made Killer Klowns From Outer Space, likewise paid tribute to
the late star, sharing,
"Pete will forever be in our hearts and his memory will live on."
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call or chat online with
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