Paul Partain: Texac Chainsaw Massacre actor
att...@aol.com
PAUL PARTAIN Died Jan. 27, 2005
Actor Paul Partain died of cancer at age 58. Mr. Partain played one of
the most annoying, yet memorable characters in film history. The
character Franklin Hardesty may not grate on movie-goers nerves the way
Jar Jar Binks does, but he sure came close. Paul Partain played the
doomed, wheelchair bound Franklin Hardesty in Tobe Hooper's classic
1974 horror film "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Despite the
character's whining, you still hate it when he finally meets the
chainsaw-toting monster Leatherface in the woods. Mr. Partain was able
to take this pathetic character and make him sympathetic. The
claustrophobic film grows to a crescendo of terror that really gets
going at the point that Partain's character is killed. His death
scene is terrifying as his character is the most vulnerable of all the
victims. Tobe Hooper's film traps the viewer in an unrelenting
journey of terror. The movie builds slowly. Mr. Partain's character
is trapped in his chair from the outset. As things go wrong for
Franklin, his sister and her friends, the movie-goer develops a kinship
with Franklin. Suddenly our theater seat is as confining as
Franklin's wheelchair. We are trapped under Mr. Hooper's masterful
cinematic manipulation. Suddenly, we are thinking the thoughts Mr.
Partain's character has been voicing. We are not happy and wish we
could leave. Too bad, too late. Paul Partain served his country in
Vietnam. He made his film debut in Sidney Lumet's "Loving Molly?" He
worked with Peter Fonda twice. First in "Outlaw Blues" and then in the
cult classic "Race With the Devil." Mr. Partain also had a supporting
role in the William Devane/Tommie Lee Jones revenge thriller "Rolling
Thunder." He returned in one of the "Chainsaw" sequels. Mr. Partain
joined original "Chainsaw" actors Marilyn Burns and John Dugan in a
cameo for "The Return of the Chainsaw Massacre." In numerous
interviews, Paul Partain was revealed to be an intelligent, thoughtful
and talented man. The world of horror films is sadder today for his
passing.
Paul A. Partain Paul A. Partain, 58, died Friday, after a courageous
battle with cancer. He was preceded in death by his wife Jean E.
Partain and father H.A. Partain. Paul is survived by his mother Jessie
Labit of Lexington, sister Joyce Forest and husband Bill of Austin,
sister Ednoa Rylander of Lexington, brother Jim Labit and wife Tamara
of Honolulu, close friends Janet Reinhart of Austin and Lee Giddings of
Hutto, and other relatives and friends. While he earned his living in
sales, Paul s heart was in acting and music. A veteran of the Navy in
Vietnam, he studied drama at U.T. Austin, participated in community
theater, and appeared in several movies. Paul enjoyed meeting many fans
of his most notable role as Franklin in the original Texas Chainsaw
Massacre. A memorial service will be held at Riverbend Church on
Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. Memorial donations may be directed to American
Cancer Society.
Published in the Austin American-Statesman on 1/30/2005.
Brad Ferguson
<"ru...@einsiders.com"> wrote:
> Actor Paul Partain died of cancer at age 58. Mr. Partain played one of
> the most annoying, yet memorable characters in film history. The
> character Franklin Hardesty may not grate on movie-goers nerves the way
> Jar Jar Binks does, but he sure came close.
Wonderfully put.