Scott Spiegel, beloved by horror fans for co-writing 1987’s Evil Dead II (as a frequent collaborator with director Sam Raimi) and executive producing the Hostel franchise, has passed away.
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Special effects artist Robert Kurtzman announced Spiegel’s death at 67, which Evil Dead franchise star Bruce Campbell described as “a big personal loss.”
“Scott Spiegel was a huge part of my formative years back in Michigan,” Campbell wrote 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!”
The term “Fake Shemp,” a reference to The Three Stooges and Spiegel’s involvement in the Evil Dead franchise, was coined by Spiegel, Bruce Campbell, and director Sam Raimi. It describes crew or cast members who filled in as another character or a deadite during a scene.
Scott Spiegel Also Collaborated with Directors Clint Eastwood and Eli Roth
Born on Dec. 24, 1957, in Birmingham, Michigan, he attended West Maple Jr. High School, where he met Campbell and Raimi. He later played Scotty in Within the Woods, the short film precursor to The Evil Dead.
In addition to writing Evil Dead 2, he appeared as a “Fake Shemp” in both The Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2. According to IMDb, Spiegel also had cameos in Raimi’s later films, including Darkman, The Quick and the Dead, and Spider-Man.
Beyond his collaborations with Raimi, Spiegel gained recognition for writing and directing the 1989 slasher Intruder, a film inspired by his own experiences working in a grocery store.
Meanwhile, Spiegel directed From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money (1999) and Hostel: Part III (2011). He also executive-produced the Hostel franchise with director Eli Roth, co-founder of the production company Raw Nerve.
Spiegel co-wrote Clint Eastwood’s The Rookie, produced 2001 Maniacs, and connected Quentin Tarantino with producer Lawrence Bender, leading to the making of Reservoir Dogs.
He also acted in the first two Evil Dead movies, Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), and Drag Me to Hell (2009). His last role was a voice appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).