RIP

We're very sad to report the news this morning that David Carradine has passed away in Bangkok, Thailand.

We became aware of a bit of sad news today: Hans Holzer, celebrated parapsychologist and author of numerous books about the paranormal, the most famous of which is undoubtedly Murder at Amityville (1979), the basis for the film Amityville II: The Possession, has passed away at the age of 89.

The adult film industry and quite a few horror fans lost another star today as Marilyn Chambers, best known by our community for her role in David Cronenberg's Rabid, passed away at the all too young age of fifty-seven.

Lou Perryman, perhaps best known to fans as "L.G." from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, was found dead by police in his South Austin home after being tipped off to the crime by the suspect himself.

In some shockingly sad news "Angel"'s Andy Hallett has passed away due to heart disease at the much too young age of just 33.

Yet another wonderful character actor has left us way before his time. Ron Silver has passed away at age 62.

It's never easy to say goodbye, and I am sad to report that's exactly what we must do as we've lost another of our own. Robert Quarry has passed on.

Today is a sad day for those of us who love our televised horror TV shows, as producer / director Kim Manners has passed away. Manners who has worked most recently on "Supernatural" lost his battle with cancer on Sunday. Kim directed more episodes of the show than anyone else including every season finale. He also worked on "Brisco County, Jr." and "The X-files".

Oh, man, this really is a sad day for horror. The genre’s longest-running provider of high definition horror, Monsters HD, will be officially shutting its doors later this month. We knew this was coming when Dish Network stopped carrying Voom, which Monsters was part of, on its network but held out hope that something might save them. Alas, it was not to be.

Psychotronic filmmaker Ray Dennis Steckler lost his battle with heart disease on January 7, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada; he was 70 years old. With his passing so goes Cash Flagg, his hoodlum alter ego and star of Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies, The Thrill Killers, Lemon Grove Kids Meet the Monsters and Wild Guitar.

The name Bill Landis might not be instantly recognizable to some of us, but for fans of exploitation cinema, he was truly an icon. So it is with much sadness that we pass on the news that Bill suffered a fatal heart attack yesterday.

Today is a day we all knew was coming but didn't want to get here. Horror legend and icon Forrest J. Ackerman is no longer with us.

Every filmmaker, no matter how small, leaves behind a legacy. The same goes for indie writer/director Joseph Dodge, who tragically passed away this week in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan.

It always pains me to have to do a story about a horror personality who is no longer with us, but it’s that much worse when the person is gone of their own hand. Such was the case with French effects man Benoit Lestang, who reportedly committed suicide over the weekend.

Along with celebrating both our country's and the site's birthdays this weekend, comes some sad news for our readers.