The Texas Chain Saw Massacre star John Larroquette was paid in WEED to narrate iconic 1974 slasher movie – but reveals he has NEVER watched any of the films as he’s ‘not a horror fan’
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre star John Larroquette has revealed he was paid in weed to narrate the iconic 1974 slasher movie.
The Tony Award-winning actor, 75, who made his film debut when he provided the opening narration for the gory flick, claimed director Tobe Hooper offered the unusual payment after the pair first met while he was a bartender in 1969.
Larroquette told Parade: ‘He gave me some marijuana or a matchbox or whatever you called it in those days. I walked out of the [recording] studio and patted him on the back side, and said, “Good luck to you!”‘
Banter: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre star John Larroquette has revealed he was paid in weed to narrate the iconic 1974 slasher movie
‘Tobe heard I was in town and asked for an hour of my time to narrate something for this movie he just did. I said, “Fine!” It was a favor.’
He has since gone on to narrate, and be paid in cash, for three further Chain Saw films, 2003’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 2006’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning and 2022’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
He quipped: ‘You do something for free in the 1970s and get a little money in the ’90s. “It’s certainly the one credit that’s stuck strongly to my resume.’
The star also sensationally revealed he had never watched any of the films, saying: ‘I’m not a big horror movie fan.’
Terrifying: A new movie villain was born when cannibal Leatherface burst onto the scene in 1974
Classic: The original Texas Chain Saw Massacre sold over 16.5 million tickets and grossed over $30 million at the box office, instantly becoming a huge hit
The original Texas Chain Saw Massacre grossed over $30 million at the box office against a $80,000 budget, instantly becoming a huge hit – – despite being banned in several countries due to complaints about its violence.
The film told the tale of Sally, a teen who, along with her paraplegic brother and her friends, went to visit her grandparents’ old home.
At the house, the group encountered a horrifying and cannibalistic family – lead by the murderous Leatherface, who wore a mask made out of human flesh and tried to kill them using his chainsaw.
It has since become known as one of the most influential horror films of all time, and is credited with originating several elements that are now common in the slasher genre.
New characters: 2022 saw the release of a direct sequel to the 1974 film, and the ninth film in the franchise
It led to a massive franchise that continued the story of Leatherface through eight – soon to be nine – more movies (including prequels, remakes, and spinoffs), multiple comic book series, and numerous video games.
While making the flick, director Tobe Hooper purposely cast a group of relatively unknown actors, who all actually lived in Texas – where the film was shot.
2022 saw the release of a direct sequel to the 1974 film, and the ninth film in the franchise.
The sequel brought slew of new characters into Harlow, Texas, along with Sally Hardesty, the only survivor from the original film, played by Olwen Fouere, replacing the original Sally, Marilyn Burns, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 65.
Crash: The trailer begins with a car speeding through a field and crashing into a large piece of farm machinery in the middle of a field
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