Gunnar Hansen
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| Gunnar Hansen | |
 Gunnar Hansen in Swarm of the Snakehead promotional materials. |
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| Born | March 4, 1947 (age 60) Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Notable roles | Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre |
Gunnar Hansen (born March 4, 1947) is an Icelandic-American actor best known for playing Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974).
Was born in Reykjavík, Iceland, and moved to the United States when he was five. He lived in Maine until age eleven, when his family moved to Texas, where he attended both Austin High School and the University of Texas at Austin. He majored in English and mathematics as an undergraduate, and then went to graduate school in Scandinavian Studies and English.
His first job out of high school was as a computer operator, before he started doing theater work during college. He also was a football player during high school, and for a while a bar bouncer. In 1973, just after finishing graduate school, Hansen heard that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was being filmed in Austin and decided to try out. He got the part of Leatherface the masked killer in the movie and made movie history.
The movie went on to become a cult classic, but Hansen decided not to continue acting (not before appearing in a cheap horror movie titled The Demon Lover, though), instead choosing to pursue a writing career. So, in 1975, Hansen after one more year of graduate school, moved back to Maine and started writing.
After working, for a while, writing (and occasionally editing) for magazines and writing books, Hansen got back in to acting in 1987, appearing in the trashy and cheesy horror spoof Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, and has since appeared in 20 films of about the same quality (the possible exception being the 2006 horror comedy Swarm of the Snakehead). Hansen's new acting career, though, is a side project and he continues to write books. He has written some film scripts too and now writes and directs documentary films.
Gunnar is also an author his book Islands at the Edge of Time, A journey to America's Barrier Islands was published in 1993.
[edit] Filmography
Brew (2007) (pre-production) .... Jammer McCune
The Forest (2007) (pre-production)
Gimme Skelter (2007) (post-production) .... Porter Sandford
The Deepening (2006) .... Dr. Chambers
Swarm of the Snakehead (2006) .... Gunner
Wolfsbayne (2005) .... The Elder
Apocalypse and the Beauty Queen (2005) .... Reggie
It Came from Trafalgar (2005) .... Texas Ghous
Murder-Set-Pieces (2004) .... Nazi Mechanic
Chainsaw Sally (2004) .... Daddy
The Business (2004) (V) .... Grandfather
Next Victim (2003) .... Doctor Howard (segment "rehabilitation Center")
Rachel's Attic (2002) .... Ronald
Hatred of a Minute (2002) .... Barry (Alcoholic Stepfather)
Hellblock 13 (2000) (V) .... The Executioner
Repligator (1996) .... Dr. Kildare (male)
Freakshow (1995) (V) .... Freakmaster
Mosquito (1995) .... Earl the Bankrobber ... aka Blood Fever ... aka Nightswarm
Exploding Angel (1995) .... Walter
Campfire Tales (1991) .... Ralph
Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988) .... The Stranger ... aka Hollywood Hookers (UK: video title)
The Demon Lover (1977) .... Prof. Peckinpah ... aka Coven (video title) ... aka Demon Master (video title) ... aka Demon Tower ... aka Master of Evil (video title) ... aka The Devil Master (USA: video title)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) .... Leatherface
Miscellaneous Crew - filmography
Knight of the Living Dead (2005) (V) (special thanks)
Self - filmography
"E! True Hollywood Story" .... Himself (1 episode, 2006)
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2006) TV Episode .... Himself
Flesh Wounds: Seven Stories of the Saw (2006) (V) .... Himself
The Perfect Scary Movie (2005) (TV) .... Himself
UnConventional (2004) .... Himself
VH-1 Where Are They Now: Horror Movie Stars (2003) (TV) .... Himself
Behind the Attic Door: The Making of 'Rachel's Attic' (2002) (V) .... Ronald/Himself
Leatherface Speaks: An Informal Interview with Gunnar Hansen (2001) .... Himself
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth (2000) (V) .... Himself
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: A Family Portrait (1988) (V) .... Himself
