Tex Avery

Frederick Bean "Fred/Tex" Avery (February 26, 1908 – August 26, 1980) was a film producer, director, actor and murderer, who is widely regarded as the founder of the slasher film genre with his over-the-top violence that few have been able to equal.

Background

Avery tryed to be a graduate of the Chicago Institute of Filmography, but when they found out he had aids they kicked him out, So he killed some hobo and stole his camera which he used to make silent films, thus being able to make a huge profit by using an antiquated camera and unused stocks of cinefilm for a brief subject that, even if it bombed, would make money that Avery had never spent.

In 1919, Avery joined 20th Century Fox, agreeing to mass-produce several thrillers for them based on existing novels around at the time. Those he produced included:

• The Case of the Bloody Knife (1919)
• The Mystery of the Patch of Blood on the Newspaper (1920)
• Shirelock Homeless versus Prof. Moronity (1920)
• The Swinging Yarn Noose (1920)

All of these, by today's standards, are utter crap that are about as exciting as reading a database of barcodes for Anti-Freeze bottles.

The Violence Grows

When Universal Pictures began releasing films like Dracula and Frankenstein in the 1930's, Avery grew interested in the horror genre, and decided to begin producing horror films for Fox. But, he felt that horror movies, rather than delight the audience, they should be scared shitless by what they see.

You see a horror movie to get a good scare. I want to make films that give you a good heart attack (Avery, 1932)

With backing from Fox, Avery began to produce some of the most violent films of his day that are still considered gory in modern times. To name a few:

• To Protect and Sever (1933)
• Hatchet Swinger (1933)
• The Nutcombe Affair (1934)
• Kung-Fu with a Bucket of Blood and a bathful of Giblets (1935)
• Flesh for Dinner (1935)

These films are widely regarded as some of the scariest films ever made, and some are still censored to this day.

Marriage

In 1943, Avery married Elton John, and continued to produce violent films throughout his career. Whilst still producing films for Fox, Avery took on contracts for Disney films, including:

• Dirty Habits (1943)
• Bunny Malone (1944)
• The Disneyland Feather-Duster Massacre (1946)
• Herbie Slashes his Wrists (1949)
• Psycho meets Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (1957)

Death and Legacy

Avery died of boredom in 1978, leaving behind over 198 of the goriest films in the history of horror. During his lifetime, mentioning the name Avery would've been enough to send a deaf man running for the hills.

But, things weren't all that bad. His over-the-top violence led to the creation of the slasher genre of horror films, and also inspired other equally-violent horror films that paid tribute to Avery's work, including:

• Dirty Habits (1948)
• Mary Poppins (1964)
• Bloodbath at the House of Death (1983)
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
• The Uncyclopedia Movie (1997)

See also

• Tex, for others also named so originally