Mini biography Edwin Neal as the hitchhiker in the Movie Texas Chain saw Massacre

Date of birth (location)

12 July 1945
Houston, Texas, USA

Born in Houston, Texas, USA, following high school Edwin studied w/ Zula Pearson at Lon Morris in Jacksonville, Texas, before moving on to acting/directing studies w/ B. Iden Payne at Univ. of Texas Drama Dept. While there, he auditioned for role of HitchHiker in "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". Edwin has worked w/ Oliver Stone in "JFK" and Bob Balaban in "My Boyfriend's Back". His favorite projects include playing Bassanio to Sandy Duncan's Portia in "Merchant of Venice", in a stage production. A top voice talent for many years, Edwin was chosen for inclusion in "The World's Greatest Commercials" by Carson Productions. Other top selling CD-ROM projects he has completed are: "Wing Commander II", "The Nile", "The Cartoon History of the Universe", and others. Edwin annually tours world-wide making many public appearances as 'The Hitch Hiker' at science-fiction conventions and related gatherings.

Trivia

Inducted into 'Hollywood Horror Hall of Fame' 1993

Has one of the world's largest movie poster collections, from 1900 to the present day.

Owns Leatherface's apron, worn in TCSM

Received Bronze Star for Valor, in Vietnam, 1969

Has six children: Kirsche, David, Heidi, Morna, Preston, and Marlee.

Currently living in Austin, TX

When he auditioned for the part of the hitchhiker, he read the script and thought the character reminded him of an eccentric relative. He screen tested acting as his relative and got the part.

Interview of Edwin Neal from Iconsoffright.com

Wow. You're actually the only character in the film to ever refer to 'Leatherface' by that name. Was he always listed in the script as 'Leatherface' or was that something that came about while filming? What's the original of the name 'Leatherface'?

Nopers ... the original TITLE of the movie was "Leatherface" ... but was deemed not "commercial" enough ...

The origin was simply him killing people and then wearing a "leather-rized (tanned) mask" of the latest victim ...

Read the rest of this exclusive interview at the www.iconsoffright.com