Paul Alan Partain (November 22, 1946 – January 28, 2005) was an American actor, perhaps best known for his role in the original ''

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre ''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'' is a 1974 American independent horror film produced, co-composed, and directed by Tobe Hooper, who co-wrote it with Kim Henkel. The film stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, ...

'' (1974) as the wheelchair-user Franklin Hardesty.

Life and career

Partain was born in

Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

. He served in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

, and on his return to the

U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

, started working at an electronics manufacturing plant during the day, and at a

dinner theater Dinner theater (sometimes called dinner and a show) is a form of entertainment that combines a restaurant meal with a staged play or musical. In the case of a theatrical performance, sometimes the play is incidental entertainment, secondary to th ...

at night. In the fall of 1972, Partain found out he had been laid off from the plant, and while at the theater where he worked, was asked to audition for the part of Willy in the 1974

Sidney Lumet Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. Lumet started his career in theatre before moving to film, where he gained a reputation for making realistic and gritty New York City, New York dramas w ...

film ''

Lovin' Molly ''Lovin' Molly'' is a 1974 American drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Anthony Perkins, Beau Bridges, Blythe Danner in the title role, Ed Binns, and Susan Sarandon. The film is based on Larry McMurtry's second novel, '' Leavi ...

'', by the theater director there. Through the help of this director, Partain got the role and his acting career began. The director got Partain his next movie role as well, by pointing

Kim Henkel Kim David Henkel (born January 19, 1946) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and actor. He is best known for co-writing the horror film ''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'' with Tobe Hooper. Early life Henkel was born in Virginia and ...

, the screenwriter and producer of

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'' is a 1974 American independent horror film produced, co-composed, and directed by Tobe Hooper, who co-wrote it with Kim Henkel. The film stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, an ...

, toward Partain. Partain originally read for the part of the hitchhiker, but the film's director,

Tobe Hooper Willard Tobe Hooper (; January 25, 1943 – August 26, 2017) was an American filmmaker, best known for his work in the horror film, horror genre. The British Film Institute cited Hooper as one of the most influential horror filmmakers of al ...

, was not impressed. Hooper had Partain read for Franklin and cast him in that part instead.Alison Macor. ''Chainsaws, Slackers, and Spy Kids 30 Years of Filmmaking in Austin, Texas'' University of Texas Press: Austin, 2010. After appearing in two more films in the 1970s ('' Race with the Devil'' as Cal Mather and '' Rolling Thunder'' as the brother-in-law), Partain had stopped acting by 1978. Partain started appearing in movies again in the 1990s, starting with a cameo in ''

The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre ''The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre'', later released as ''Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation'', is a 1995 American black comedy slasher film written, co-produced, and directed by Kim Henkel in his directorial debut, and star ...

'' (1995), the third sequel to the 1974 original. One of his other roles in the 1990s was that of the Militia of Texas Minister in the 1997 movie ''Burying Lana''. For about 10 years, Partain worked as a Regional Sales Manager for

Zenith Electronics Corporation Zenith Electronics, LLC, is an American research and development company that develops ATSC and digital rights management technologies. It is owned by the South Korean company LG Electronics. Zenith was previously an American brand of consumer e ...

. He was married to Jean E. Partain.

Death

Partain died from cancer on January 28, 2005, in Austin, Texas.

Filmography

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Partain, Paul 1946 births 2005 deaths American male film actors Male actors from Austin, Texas Deaths from cancer in Texas 20th-century American male actors