Kim David Henkel (born January 19, 1946) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and actor. He is best known for co-writing the horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre with Tobe Hooper.
Life and career Early years and education Henkel was born in Virginia and grew up in several small towns in South Texas. He began his university studies at the University of Texas at Austin in 1964 majoring in English. He graduated in 1969. Mutual friends introduced Henkel to Tobe Hooper and Henkel acted in Hooper's first feature film, Eggshells (1969).Alison Macor. Chainsaws, Slackers, and Spy Kids 30 Years of Filmmaking in Austin, Texas University of Texas Press: Austin, 2010.
Career Henkel and Hooper co-wrote the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre screenplay. Henkel both wrote and directed a sequel, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995). He also wrote and co-produced the Eagle Pennell classic Last Night at the Alamo (1983) as well as the adaptation for Hooper's Eaten Alive (1977).
Henkel returned to the horror genre in 2012 with another tale of cannibals titled Butcher Boys, which was co-directed by two of his former film students Duane Graves and Justin Meeks. Henkel had previously worked with the pair as a producer on their debut feature The Wild Man of the Navidad. Most recently, he produced the horror film Found Footage 3D, which was released on the horror streaming service Shudder in 2017.
He has been a lecturer in screenwriting at Rice University; as well as Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi.
Filmography Year Title Credit Notes1969 Eggshells Actor, writer Role: Toes 1974 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Writer 1977 Eaten Alive Writer (adaptation) 1980 The Unseen Story Uncredited 1983 Last Night at the Alamo Writer, actor Role: Lionel 1995 Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation Writer, director 1995 Doc's Full Service Writer 2003 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Co-producer 2004 Rio Peligroso: A Day in the Life of a Legendary Coyote Actor Role: Voice (uncredited) 2006 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning Producer 2008 The Wild Man of the Navidad Actor, producer Roles: Radio Host #2 / Lionel 2012 Butcher Boys Writer, producer 2013 Texas Chainsaw 3D Executive producer 2016 Found Footage 3D Producer 2017 Leatherface Executive producer 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre Producer
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