Scott Spiegel Dies: ‘Evil Dead II’ Co-Writer & ‘Hostel’ EP Was 67
He was not on the list.
Scott Spiegel, known for co-writing Evil Dead II (1987) and executive producing the Hostel franchise, has died. He was 67.
The horror legend’s death was announced by special effects makeup artist Robert Kurtzman and shared by Evil Dead star and Spiegel’s longtime friend Bruce Campbell, who lamented the death as “a big personal loss.”
“Scott Spiegel was a huge part of my formative years back in
Michigan,” added Campbell on X. “From Sunday School to being stock boys
together, to Evil Dead II, which Scott co-wrote, I can’t look in the rear view
mirror without seeing this unique guy doing cheap gags. I’m grateful for the
treasure trove of happy memories. Keep Shemping, Scott!”
A Three Stooges reference and Spiegel’s acting credit in the Evil Dead franchise, ‘Fake Shemp’ is what he, Campbell and director/pal Sam Raimi referred to as crew or cast who pretended to be another character or a deadite in a scene.
Recalling the trio’s 1977 movie It’s Murder!, Campbell said in Bill Warren’s 2000 book The Evil Dead Companion, “During that summer, we did most of the shooting of It’s Murder, but then everybody had to go back to school that fall.”
“So Scott [Spiegel] and I wound up running around grabbing shots on weekends and sending them to Sam so he could cut them in,” he explained. “I wore other guys’ outfits all the time, and did a lot of Fake Shemping.”
Spiegel made his feature writing debut in high school with It’s Murder!, also executive producing and playing a detective in the Raimi-helmed Super 8 film, also starring Campbell and Raimi.
Born Dec. 24, 1957 in Birmingham, Michigan, where he met Campbell and Raimi while attending West Maple Jr. High School, before the they made the move to Los Angeles together.
Making his feature directorial debut with 1989’s Intruder, Spiegel has also directed From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money (1999) and Hostel: Part III (2011) after executive producing the Hostel franchise alongside OG director and Raw Nerve production company co-founder Eli Roth.
Spiegel also co-wrote 1990’s The Rookie, directed by and
starring Clint Eastwood. As an actor, he appeared in the first two Evil Dead
movies, Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Drag Me to Hell (2009), as
well as a voice appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
(2022).
Filmography
Year Film Director Producer Writer Actor Role Notes
1977 It's Murder! Yes Yes Yes Detective Short
film
1978 Clockwork Yes The Killer
Within the Woods Yes Scotty
1979 Attack of the
Helping Hand Yes Yes Yes
1980 The Blind
Waiter Yes Yes Yes Yes Chef
1982 Cleveland
Smith: Bounty Hunter Yes Yes Yes Native
1985 Thou Shalt Not
Kill... Except Yes Yes Yes Pin Cushion
1987 Evil Dead II Yes
1989 The Dead Next
Door Yes Richards
Intruder Yes Yes Yes Bread Man
Robot Ninja Yes
1990 The Rookie Yes
Lionheart Yes Pool Fight Bookie
Darkman Dockworker
#5
1992 The Nutt House Yes Yes Credited as Peter
Perkinson
1995 The Quick and
the Dead Yes Gold Teeth Man
1999 From Dusk Till
Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money Yes Yes
2004 Spider-Man 2 Yes Rooftop Pizza Thief
My Name Is Modesty Yes Direct-to-DVD
2005 2001 Maniacs Yes
Hostel Executive
2007 Hostel: Part II Executive
2009 Drag Me to Hell Yes Mourner at Death Feast
2011 Hostel: Part
III Yes Yes Direct
to DVD
2017 Cain Hill Executive Direct
to DVD
2019 QT8: The First
Eight Yes Himself Documentary
2022 Doctor Strange
in the Multiverse of Madness Yes Souls of the Damned Voice
TBA Spring Break '83 Yes Filmed
in 2010, unreleased
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