SO LONG, KEVIN CONWAY...

You exuded a distinct vocalization and an unforgettable presence, Mr. Conway, covering material diverse, unconventional and moving. 

I loved you most in Tobe Hooper's underrated gem, "The Funhouse" as the appearance-changing carnival barker, but you were equally mesmerizing (on or off screen) in "Slaughterhouse Five"; "The Lathe of Heaven '80"; "Lawnmower Man 2"; "Mercury Rising"; "The Elephant Man"; "Jennifer 8", "Flashpoint", "Gettysburg"; "Gods and Generals"; "Streets of Laredo"; "The Quick and the Dead '95"; "The Scarlet Letter '79"; "Paradise Alley"; "F.I.S.T."; "One Good Cop"; "Invincible"; "Titanic '96"; "Black Knight"; "Unforgivable Blackness"; "Funny Farm"; "Mark Twain"; "Thirteen Days"; and more. 

Many fans know you as the "control voice" for "The Outer Limits'"s '95-'02 revivial, but Trekkies hold you in the highest regard for your portrayal of Kahless' clone on "Star Trek: the Next Generation". 

You had so much yet to offer, but what you left cannot be erased. You were the consummate character actor and a voice that no will ever shake. 

RIP TOBE HOOPER...

You gave us one of the most revolutionary, influential horror movies of all time: "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". But that wasn't all. There was its gruesomely comical sequel, as well as "Crocodile"; "Djinn"; "Eaten Alive"; "Eggshells"; "The Funhouse"; Invaders from Mars '86"; "Lifeforce"; "The Mangler"; "Mortuary"; "Night Terrors"; "Salem's Lot '79"; "Spontaneous Combustion"; "The Toolbox Murders '04"; not to mention your exemplary guest-starring work on "Amazing Stories"; "Freddy's Nightmares"; "Masters of Horror"; and "Body Bags".

Above all, you were (contrary to what some so crassly claimed) the driving, directorial force behind "Poltergeist '82". Without you, the film would've been nowhere near as unnervingly stellar. 

The end of your distinct style is a monumental blow for horror fans, Mr. Hooper, and though many of a lesser kind may claim to have redefined the genre, you're the one who can incontestably take that prestigious credit.