On Tuesday, Jeff Burr, a film director, writer, and producer well-known for his work in horror sequels, such as Stepfather II, Puppet Master 4 and 5, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, Leatherface, and Pumpkinhead II, died at 60 in Dalton, Georgia.
The sudden death of the talented director on October 10 shocked his fans and horror film enthusiasts.
Jeff Burr's Death
According to The Hollywood Reporter, actor Eric Spudic, his longtime friend, shared that Burr peacefully died in his sleep. Writer-director Jim Wynorski also posted on Facebook the same remarks as Spudic.
In addition, Spudic revealed that Burr is suffering from a stroke. There was still no further information about Burr's death. But his death was announced on October 11, 2023.
Full Moon Features wrote on X: "Sad to announce that a part of the extended #FullMoon family, director JEFF BURR has passed away. He directed movies such as Puppet Master 4, Puppet Master 5, Werewolf Reborn, and more. May he R.I.P."
Furthermore, ShaneBitterling wrote: "Just got an awful phone call. One I've had far too many of recently. Our pal, Jeff Burr (PUMPKINHEAD & STEPFATHER II), suddenly passed away last night. One of my first friends in L.A. and one of the best. Sad, sad, sad days."
Spooky Brandon, a horror movie blogger, also tweeted that the director's death was too sudden, and he would never forget the interview had with Burr in the 'Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Shocking Truth.'
Jeff Burr's Horror Films
Burr's horror films are one of the most-grossing films ever, from classic horror to his recent 2018 film. The film 'Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)' starring former pro wrestler R.A. Mihailoff as the villain, was rejected by several other directors. But Burr came along to finish the project.
Burr patiently waited for MPAA to be signed off and had to go through 11 tries before the actual signing. Fortunately, the film grossed $5.8 million on a $2 million budget. He said he loves horror films but can also make and explore other kinds of films.
He also made a short film entitled 'Divided We Fall (1982)' about two brothers on opposing sides of the Civil War who meet on the battlefield. In 2012, the greatest moment in his horror filmmaking was when Vincent Price took the low-budget anthology film project 'From a Whisper to a Scream (1987).'
"I am a lover of film and want to do all kinds of movies, but in the mainstream Hollywood world, very often filmmakers are typecast like actors," he mentioned in Yahoo! Entertainment.
The life of Jeff Burr, fulfilling his dreams of making films as a director, has come a long way. Burr's films will forever be a classic and in memory of his fans.
