Jeff Burr

Jeff Burr, who died in 2023, directed, wrote and produced films, mostly in the horror field. Born in Aurora, Ohio, and raised in Dalton, Georgia, he grew up watching low-budget independent movies at a drive-in theater and shooting Super-8 pictures as a boy. After three years at the University of Southern California, he and fellow student Kevin Meyer left before finishing to make Divided We Fall (1982), a Civil War drama that collected awards at festivals around the world. From a Whisper to a Scream (1987) was his first horror feature, and sequels followed: Stepfather II (1989) and Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings (1993), plus Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) and two Puppet Master films. Straight Into Darkness (2004), a World War II drama, was called a career highlight, while Phantom Town (1999) was among his later pictures. He also appeared in small roles, including The Mangler Reborn (2005).