Angus Scrimm, 'Phantasm' Tall Man, Dies at 89
Angus Scrimm, the character actor who played the Tall Man in the 1979 horror movie Phantasm and its four sequels, died Saturday. He was 89.
Phantasm director Don Coscarelli reported his death on Twitter and Facebook, saying “He was the last in a long line of classic horror movie stars. He was a terrific actor and even better friend.”
Scrimm also had a recurring role on Alias and appeared in films including John Dies at the End, I Sell the Dead, and Chopping Mall. His last role was in the fifth and final installment in the series, Phantasm: Ravager, which has not yet been released.
Related: Tom Towles, actor in horror movies, dies at 65
Born Lawrence Rory Guy in Kansas City, Kansas, he studied theater at USC. But his acting career was slow to take off and for several years Scrimm worked at Capitol Records writing liner notes for acts including Frank Sinatra and the Beatles.
The first Phantasm film was recently restored with J.J. Abrams, a longtime fan of the series, overseeing the restoration which will be released later this year.
Watch a promo clip for ‘Phantasm II’ featuring Angus Scrimm:
