Tobe Hooper

Date of Birth: January 25, 1943

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Date of Death: August 26, 2017

Biography

William Tobe Hooper was an influential American film director, screenwriter, and producer, best known for his work in the horror genre. Born in Austin, Texas, Hooper initially pursued a career in teaching, but his passion for cinema led him to the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied film. His breakthrough came with the low-budget horror film “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” (1974), which became a seminal work in the genre and is often cited as one of the greatest horror films ever made. Hooper followed up this success with various other films, including “Salem’s Lot” (1979), a miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, and “Poltergeist” (1982), which he directed in collaboration with Steven Spielberg. Throughout his career, Hooper continued to work in television and film, leaving a lasting impact on the horror genre.

5 Interesting Facts about Tobe Hooper

1. Tobe Hooper was originally a college professor before transitioning into filmmaking.

2. “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” was made on a budget of less than $300,000 but grossed over $30 million domestically.

3. Hooper was initially supposed to direct the film adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Stand,” but the project was eventually canceled.

4. Hooper often collaborated with composer John Carpenter, another iconic figure in horror cinema.

5. Despite his success in horror, Hooper directed episodes of family-friendly TV series like “Amazing Stories” and “The Equalizer.”

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Tobe Hooper

1. “I don’t know what they are. I don’t care what they are. I’m just gonna kill them.”

2. “The film industry is about saying ‘no’ to people, and inherently you cannot take ‘no’ for an answer.”

3. “Horror is a reaction; it’s not a genre.”

4. “In a lot of ways, my work is about survival, about the human spirit persevering.”

5. “A film should be like a ski jump. It should give the viewer the option of taking flight, while the act of jumping gives them the courage to do so.”