Angus Scrimm, Star of Phantasm Movies, 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.”

Angus was a terrific actor and an even better friend. He will be missed. #heartbroken

— Don Coscarelli (@DonCoscarelli) January 10, 2016

Scrim 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.

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.

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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.

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Update: 2024-09-21

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