Gunnar Hansen
Biography
Gunnar Hansen was an American actor and author, born in Iceland, who played Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). He moved to the United States and studied at the University of Texas at Austin before turning to theater. After learning that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was being shot in Austin, he tried out and won the part of the masked killer. He wrote magazine pieces and books before returning to acting in 1988 in the horror spoof Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers. He appeared in 20 films after that, among them Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013), and treated his later acting as a side project while continuing to write. He also wrote scripts and worked as a writer-director on documentaries. His nonfiction book Islands at the Edge of Time appeared in 1993, and Chain Saw Confidential followed in 2013, covering the first film's production and reception. His last film work came in Death House, which he co-wrote and acted in.
68years old at death
- Born Reykjavík
- Died Northeast Harbor
- Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
- Also credited as Gunnar Milton Hansen
Movie Career
- Films
- 5
- Career span
- 39 years1974 to 2013
Every film, newest first
- 2013Texas Chainsaw 3DIMDb rating 4.8
- 2007Brutal Massacre: A ComedyIMDb rating 5.7
- 2006Swarm of the SnakeheadIMDb rating 3.4
- 1994MosquitoIMDb rating 4.9
- 1974The Texas Chain Saw MassacreIMDb rating 7.4
Genres
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Big break
Gunnar Hansen auditioned for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in 1973 right after finishing graduate school, when he heard the film was shooting in Austin, and landed the part of the masked killer Leatherface.
A change of course
Before acting, Hansen worked as a computer operator, his first job after high school, and he had also played football in high school and worked for a time as a bar bouncer.
Behind the camera
Hansen wrote film scripts and also wrote and directed documentary films. He co-wrote Death House with Harrison Smith, and he made a cameo in that movie as his last film project.
Gunnar Hansen movies on Netflix
Worked with
Gunnar Hansen shares two films with Marilyn Burns, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Marilyn Burns's page
John Dugan's page
Richard Riehle's page
Bill Moseley's page
Scott Eastwood's page
Alexandra Daddario's page
All films by Tobe Hooper
John LuessenhopDirector, 1 film, 2013
All films by John Luessenhop
All films by Gary Jones
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.