  On November 20, 2003, horror fans around the world were devastated when they found out that Jim Siedow, best known for his disturbingly brilliant portrayal of Drayton "The Cook" Sawyer, had passed away at his home in Houston, Texas after suffering from complications related to emphysema. Born on June 12, 1920 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Jim Siedow left behind a loving wife, three children, two grandchildren and countless adoring fans.His unique charm, warmth and sense of humor reportedly captivated everyone who knew him, and for those of us who didn't, he somehow managed to project those wonderful characteristics both on screen and in interviews to help us feel as if we did. And not only was he a horror fan, he also appreciated the chainsaw massacre flicks in the same way that many of his fans do, one of his more popular quotes about the films being that they were "more funny than scary". And although I realize that dedicating a page to his memory hardly seems enough to show how much I and other fans of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 appreciate his contribution to cinematic horror, it's just my little way of saying thank you. Thank you for sharing your talent with the world, for making me laugh and for seeing me through some of my darkest hours. I may not have known you personally, but you will be missed. May you rest in peace. |
 Although Jim Siedow is obviously most well known for his role in the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre and its sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, his accomplishments certainly weren't limited to those two films. He also appeared in a 1971 film entitled The Windsplitter, a television movie released in 1977 called Red Alert, 1980's Hotwire and the "Miss Stardust" episode of the television series Amazing Stories in 1987, which was directed by Tobe Hooper. Beyond that, his Hollywood related contributions included two Texas Chainsaw Massacre related documentaries: 1988's Texas Chainsaw Massacre: A family Portrait and 2000's Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth. Jim Siedow's fascination with acting apparently began in his high school drama class. At 18, he left Cheyenne, Wyoming and moved to New York City where he began his career as an actor doing "all kinds of different shows" until he served in the Army Air Corps as an engineer during World War II. After the war, he moved to Chicago, started doing radio soap operas and met his wife, Ruth, a radio soap actress. From there, they "bounced around doing road shows" and finally settled down in Houston, Texas. In Houston, he started a commercial carpet cleaning business to support his family, but he didn't stop acting. He performed in plays, did dinner theatre tours and was eventually regarded as a respected stage actor. Soon, he began directing plays as well as starring in them, which led to his first appearance in a feature film, The Windsplitter, in which he acted alongside the future director of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. That fateful meeting led to his role in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and its sequel, in which he managed to steal the show and our hearts. |
 "Jim Siedow was quiet, polite, warmly humorous, dedicated and generous with his time and energy. He never complained, never phoned it in. He was intensely committed and he was a gentleman... Jim stepped forward and broke on through to the other side, making a difference to others in his world there. I know he made a difference in my life. I hope to follow his footsteps." - Bill Johnson"We've lost a great artist and my heartfelt sympathies go to his family. He was an extraordinarily unique talent. Chameleon-like truly, and his Shakespearan work for the stage was truly fantasticâ. I'm at a loss for words. What people don't realize is that he was a wonderful comedian, a very funny and extremely kind man. Definitely the real deal." - Tobe Hooper "Jim was incredible fun to work with, the sweetest, most gentle person that you'd ever want to be around. He had a great intuitiveness as an actor. The scenes shot with him were extremely easy to play, because he made it just a real joy." - Ed Neal "People just liked to be around him because he made them laugh. I loved him very much." - Ruth Siedow
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