John Larroquette is the famous narrator in Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Picture: WireImage)
Apparently, the going rate for a role in the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre was marijuana – or at least, that was the case for one star in the iconic horror film.
John Larroquette might not be a recognisable face from the film, and that’s because he appeared only as the narrator in 1974’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre, with his voice delivering a prologue for viewers in the opening scene.
The classic horror was directed by Tobe Hooper and follows a group of friends who run out of petrol on their way to one’s grandfather’s house. However, the road trip turns into a fight for their lives as a chainsaw-wielding killer and his psychopathic family begin picking them off one by one.
Bagging the role of narrator in the film came by chance for John, who happened to meet director Tobe randomly three years before when he worked at a small Colorado resort. Tobe walked in one day and they became friends, so when John found himself in Los Angeles four years later, the filmmaker tapped on his shoulder for a favour.
‘I found myself in LA collecting unemployment checks and trying to decide if I wanted to be an actor,’ John, 75, recalled.
‘Tobe heard I was in town and asked for an hour of my time to narrate something for this movie he just did. I said, “Fine!” It was a favour.’
Despite starring in most of the franchise, John has never seen the films as he’s not a horror fan (Picture: Getty Images)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) is cemented in horror history (Picture: Getty Images)
Tobe Hooper is the visionary behind the classic movie (Picture: Getty Images)
When asked about the age-old rumour that John was paid in weed, the actor confirmed to Parade.com: ‘Totally true. He gave me some marijuana or a matchbox or whatever you called it in those days.
‘I walked out of the studio and patted him on his back side and said, “Good luck to you!” Now, I have also narrated the consequential films and did get paid.’
He added: ‘You do something for free in the 1970s and get a little money in the ‘90s. I’m not a big horror movie fan, so I’ve never seen it. But it’s certainly the one credit that’s stuck strongly to my resume.’
Of course, John has gone on to enjoy a successful career in Hollywood with roles including Night Court, The Practice, Boston Legal and his very own sitcom The John Larroquette Show.
For his long-running role in NBC’s Night Court, John won the Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for four consecutive years.
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Strange but true.
