Horror Legend Tobe Hooper Dies at 74

Tobe Hooper has passed away at the age of 74, reports Variety.

Hooper passed away on Saturday in Sherman Oaks, Calif., though the cause of his death is currently unknown.

The director was best known for his work on 1974's The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which he made with a shoestring budget, but which managed to spawn an entire franchise and inform the horror genre forevermore. He returned to direct the first sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2and served as a producer on the recent reboots and sequels, including the forthcoming Leatherface.

Hooper also directed 1982's Poltergeist, which was another instant staple of the haunted house sub-genre. Other notable credits include Lifeforce, The Funhouse, Invaders from Mars, Night Terrors, and the 1979 TV movie adaptation of Stephen King's Salem's Lot.

His work on the small screen echoed his eerie silver screen collection, as he helmed the pilot for Dark Skies, as well as installments of Tales from the Crypt and Masters of Horror.