The world of special effects makeup has lost an undeniable icon, as Cleve Hall, known as “Monster Man” after the Syfy reality series he was the subject of, passed away on Wednesday, March 31st, at the age of 61. His daughter confirmed the news over the weekend, saying “Cleve spent many many years as a special makeup FX artist, foam fabricator and horror movie actor. He was a family man, an adored father proud, grandpa and a beloved mentor. He loved movies, Godzilla, sculpting, and inspiring the next generation of creatives.”
Hall began his work in the Eighties, with a full-circle moment coming when he donned a Godzilla costume in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. As a young man, he adored Godzilla vs. The Thing, and it was that film that made Cleve want to enter the SFX game. He went on to create effects for films such as TerrorVision, Re-Animator, Troll, and Ghoulies, as well as costumes for rock legends like KISS’ Gene Simmons and Alice Cooper.
In 2012, the reality series Monster Man chronicled his more modern work, with clients including Sean S. Cunningham, Tony Randel, and Devo. That same year, he also played the killer of Elizabeth Short in Black Dahlia Haunting, a role which earned him a Best Killer award at the 2013 Shockfest Film Festival. Hall was also a member of goth and metal musical acts such as Exquisite Corpse and Urn.
His daughter Constance has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the family cover funeral expenses. You can contribute to this cause here.
We here at CryptTeaze extend our condolences to the family of Cleve Hall in this difficult time, and ask our readers to honor the memory of the “Monster Man” by checking out films and features where his work was shown.