Director Tom DeSimone, of 'Hell Night' and 'Reform School Girls', dies aged 87
Tom DeSimone, who moved from gay adult films to cult B-movies such as Chatterbox, Hell Night and Reform School Girls, died on Oct. 17 aged 87. His brother said he had terminal cancer and chose medically assisted death.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Left · 2Director Tom DeSimone died on Oct. 17 at the age of 87. The Hollywood ReporterLC “DeSimone died Oct. 17 in a senior care facility in Palm Springs” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “died Oct. 17 in Cathedral City, Calif. He was 87.” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 2His younger brother, actor and drummer Bob DeSimone, confirmed the death. He said DeSimone had terminal cancer and chose to end his life with medical assistance. The Hollywood ReporterLC “He had terminal cancer and opted to end his life with medical assistance.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “His brother Bob confirmed his death and said he chose to die with medically assisted end of death after a terminal cancer diagnosis.” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 2The Hollywood Reporter places the death in a senior care facility in Palm Springs, while Variety says Cathedral City, California. The Hollywood ReporterLC “in a senior care facility in Palm Springs” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “died Oct. 17 in Cathedral City, Calif.” Read at Variety ↗
Left · 2DeSimone was born Thomas DeSimone on July 1, 1939, in Revere, Massachusetts, and raised in Newton and Weston. He earned a master's degree in film production at UCLA after studying at Emerson College. The Hollywood ReporterLC “born on July 1, 1939, in Revere, Massachusetts, and raised in Newton and Weston” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “earned a master’s in film at UCLA” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 2His first feature was the ultra-low-budget Terror in the Jungle (1968). He said in 2022 that he quit it after about a month because of the producer, but his name stayed on the film. The Hollywood ReporterLC “he quit the picture after about a month” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “directed the low-budget 1968 adventure film “Terror in the Jungle.”” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 2He began in gay adult films, often under pseudonyms including Lancer Brooks. The Hollywood Reporter says The Collection (1970) is considered among the first gay adult films with a plot and dialogue. Other credits include Lust in the Afternoon, and Variety also lists Gay Guide to Hawaii and Prison Girls. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Under the pseudonym Lancer Brooks, DeSimone directed The Collection (1970), considered to be among the first gay adult films with a plot and dialogue.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC ““Lust in the Afternoon,” “Gay Guide to Hawaii” and “Prison Girls,” often under the pseudonyms including Lancer Brooks.” Read at Variety ↗
Left · 1In a 2019 interview he said he was interested in exploring gays in love or at least relationships, and was tired of films that started with the pizza boy delivering. The Hollywood ReporterLC ““I was interested in exploring gays in love or at least relationships,” he said in a 2019 interview for the Bijou Blog website.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 2His mainstream break was the 1977 comedy Chatterbox, starring Candice Rialson as a beautician whose vagina talks. Producer Bruce Cohn Curtis then hired him for Hell Night (1981), starring Linda Blair. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Chatterbox was produced by Bruce Cohn Curtis, who then hired DeSimone for Hell Night.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “a woman who discovers her vagina can talk” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 2He reunited with Blair on Savage Streets (1984) but left early, then directed and co-wrote Angel III: The Final Chapter (1988). He also directed The Concrete Jungle (1982) and wrote and directed the campy women-in-prison film Reform School Girls (1986), which became a cult classic. The Hollywood ReporterLC “he wrote and directed Reform School Girls (1986), starring Wendy O. Williams, Sybil Danning and Pat Ast.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “his campy 1986 “Reform School Girls” became a cult classic of the women behind bars genre” Read at Variety ↗
Left · 2In television he directed four episodes of Freddy's Nightmares in 1988-89, plus episodes of Swamp Thing, Dark Justice and other shows. In the mid-1990s he spent about a year in Mexico City and Acapulco directing the telenovela Acapulco Bay, believed to be 60 episodes. The Hollywood ReporterLC “believed to be 60 in all) of the telenovela Acapulco Bay.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “His other TV directing gigs included “Swamp Thing,” “Super Force,” “Dark Justice,” “The Big Easy”” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 2He is survived by his brother Bob, sister-in-law Lisa, nieces Amanda and Gianna, and a great-nephew, Ori. The Hollywood Reporter adds that his sister Carlene died in May. The Hollywood ReporterLC “His sister, Carlene, died in May.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “nieces Amanda and Gianna DeSimone, and grandnephew Ori DeSimone.” Read at Variety ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Both obituaries lead with his move from adult films to B-movies and cult titles. The Hollywood Reporter gives the longer biography; Variety is shorter and leans on the quirky premise of Chatterbox.
- Emphasis
- Cult film credits, the adult-film origins, and the medically assisted death. The Hollywood Reporter adds his own quotes about gay relationship stories and family background.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Variety omits his quotes and early family background. Neither article gives a date or place for any memorial.
- Charged language
- “notorious comedy”“talking-vagina comedy”“campy”
- For example
-
“who emerged from the world of 1970s gay adult movies to direct such mainstream cult films” — The Hollywood Reporter
“who transitioned from directing adult films into helming a host of B-movies” — Variety
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- DeSimone died Oct. 17 aged 87.
- His brother Bob confirmed the death and said he chose medically assisted death after a terminal cancer diagnosis.
- He was born in Revere, Massachusetts, and raised in Newton and Weston.
- He directed Chatterbox, Hell Night and Reform School Girls.
Where accounts differ
-
Where DeSimone died
- Left
- The Hollywood Reporter says a senior care facility in Palm Springs; Variety says Cathedral City, California.
Tom DeSimone person
DeSimone is presented as a director who moved from gay adult films to cult B-movies and television. His brother says he chose medically assisted death after a terminal cancer diagnosis.
“He had terminal cancer and opted to end his life with medical assistance.” — The Hollywood Reporter
“transitioned from directing adult films into helming a host of B-movies” — Variety
Left2 articles
-
Tom DeSimone, Director of ‘Chatterbox,’ ‘Hell Night’ and ‘Reform School Girls,’ Dies at 87
Neutral Detailed career obituary that gives space to his gay adult-film work in his own words and to his family background.
-
Tom DeSimone, Director of ‘Chatterbox,’ ‘Reform School Girls,’ Dies at 87
Neutral Brief obituary that stresses the B-movie and cult titles, with a lighthearted description of Chatterbox.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 26 Oct 17:47 First The Hollywood ReporterLC Tom DeSimone, Director of ‘Chatterbox,’ ‘Hell Night’ and ‘Reform School Girls,’ Dies at 87
- 26 Oct 19:12 +1h 26m VarietyLC Tom DeSimone, Director of ‘Chatterbox,’ ‘Reform School Girls,’ Dies at 87
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…