Roger Watkins

Roger Michael Watkins (September 17, 1948 – March 6, 2007) was an American film director best known for the 1970s grindhouse movie Last House on Dead End Street.[1] He also directed several adult films, working with pornographic actors such as Jamie Gillis, Vanessa del Rio, and Samantha Fox.

Roger Michael Watkins
Watkins in the early 1970s
Born	September 17, 1948 Binghamton, New York, U.S.
Died	March 6, 2007(2007-03-06) (aged 58) Apalachin, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Other names	Claude Armand, Ray Hicks, Victor Janos, Richard Joseph, Norman F. Kaiser, Brian Laurence, Richard Mahler, Steven Morrison, Brian Newett, Bernard Travis, Bernie Travis
Alma mater	Oneonta State College
Occupation	Film director
Years active	1977-1988
Spouse(s)	Marcia Elizabeth Elliott ​ ( m. 1972; div. 1987)
Children	2

The Internet Movie Database lists a number of Watkins' aliases (see the information box at right), most of which seem to have been used in Last House on Dead End Street to conceal the fact that he worked in several capacities on that film (director, actor, writer, editor, and producer).

Biography

Watkins was born in Binghamton, New York. He graduated from Oneonta State College in 1971 with a Bachelor's degree in English Literature. While studying for his degree he visited England and served as an apprentice for film director Freddie Francis. On returning to the U.S. he continued his apprenticeship, working for Otto Preminger and Nicholas Ray.[2] He married Marcia Elliott in 1972, with whom he fathered two daughters.[3][4]

Watkins began his career in adult film by writing the screenplay for Mystique (1979) which was directed by Roberta Findlay and for which he was uncredited. The following year he began writing and directing adult feature films under the pseudonym Richard Mahler, which he took from combining the names of two of his favorite composers, Richard Wagner and Gustav Mahler. His best known adult films (Her Name Was Lisa (1980), Midnight Heat (1983), Corruption (1983), and American Babylon (1985)) are considered by many to be more cult films or arthouse films than pornography due to their multi layered narratives that are downbeat in tone, comtaining elements of avant-garde, horror and satire.

Watkins died at his home in Apalachin, New York on March 6, 2007, aged 58.[5][4]

Partial filmography

Year	Film	Function					Notes
		Director	Screenwriter	Producer	Actor	Role
1976	The Doctors (TV series)				Yes	Doctor Slocombe	Guest appearance
1977	Last House on Dead End Street	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Terry Hawkins	Filmed in 1973 under the working titles At the Hour of Our Death [6] and The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell.[2] Also released as The Fun House.[7]
1979	Mystique		Yes				Uncredited
1980	The Pink Ladies	Yes	Yes
1980	Shadows of the Mind	Yes	Yes				Uncredited as screenwriter
1980	Her Name Was Lisa	Yes	Yes
1981	Spittoon	Yes	Yes
1981	A Day in the Life of... The Cosmopolitan Girls	Yes	Yes				Uncredited
1983	Corruption	Yes	Yes	Yes
1983	Midnight Heat	Yes	Yes
1984	Driller: A Sexual Thriller						Production manager
1986	Avenged			Yes
1986	Scorpion			Yes
1986	Spine				Yes	At Police Headquarters
1987	American Babylon	Yes	Yes
1988	Decadence	Yes	Yes

References

1. Kerekes, David, ed. (2002). Headpress 23: Funhouse. Headpress. pp. 67–143. ISBN 9781900486187.
2. Dalmas, John (April 18, 1973). "He knows audiences want violence". The Journal News. Rockland County, NY. p. 10A – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Couples recite vows". The Journal News. White Plains, New York. July 11, 1972. p. 9A – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Obituaries: Roger M. Watkins". Press & Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, NY. March 8, 2007. p. 4C – via Newspapers.com.
5. Dermody, Dennis (April 5, 2007). "R.I.P. Roger Watkins". PaperMag.com. Archived from the original on March 30, 2008.
6. "Modest a Bit Too Late" (PDF). Syracuse Post Standard. October 17, 1975. p. 3 – via Fultonhistory.com.
7. "Hartford Courant". May 6, 1977. p. 79 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

• Richard Mahler at the Internet Adult Film Database
• Roger Michael Watkins on IMDb