Hellroller's Gary J. Levinson

Unfortunately I was unable to contact Gary J. Levinson, director of the infamous HELLROLLER for an interview, but don’t fret the search for Gary continues and hopefully we will have one for you in the near future.

In the meantime cult director Donald Farmer (CANNIBAL HOOKERS, VAMPIRE COP) was kind enough to share some recollections about Gary with us.

“Gary used to be very active in the 80's and 90's. He was a writer on the very first issue of the Hammer fan magazine LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, then made his acting debut in the Peter Cushing/John Carradine film SHOCK WAVES where Gary was one of the bald zombies.

After moving to L.A., Gary appeared in at least four Fred Olen Ray movies. He played one of Gunnar Hansen's goons in HOLLYWOOD CHAINSAW HOOKERS, was a scientist in EVIL SPAWN, played a bar patron in ARMED RESPONSE, and is credited as a "mutant" in PHANTOM EMPIRE.

Gary was also a murder victim in Troma's SURF NAZIS MUST DIE, and he played "LOBO" in my 1988 CANNIBAL HOOKERS. Here's a music video someone made for the movie. . .Gary is the big bald buy with the scar on his head.



I think the biggest budgeted film Gary ever acted in was the 1986 theatrical release MODERN GIRLS starring Virginia (DUNE) Madsen and Daphne (SPACEBALLS) Zuniga. It's never been released on DVD, but if you get one of the old VHS copies, Gary can clearly be seen in the movie playing a thug.

During the time he worked with me and Fred, Gary lived at the corner of Wilcox and Sunset Boulevard, directly across the street from the warehouse where CAMERON'S CLOSET was made (and around the corner from Club Lingerie where Haunted Gararge (the band at the opening of Fred's CYCLONE) would regularly perform.

I remember for the production of HELLROLLER, Gary hired his CHAINSAW HOOKERS co-star Michelle Bauer, porn star Hyapatia Lee, and actress Elizabeth Kaitan from FRIDAY THE 13th PART 7 and ASSAULT OF THE KILLER BIMBOS. Mary Woronov was also in the cast as a bag lady, but worked under an alias to avoid SAG trouble.

Gary shot Hellroller with his standard VHS format home video camera, which explains the film's very gritty picture quality.”

*Update*
According to an un-credited source I was told that Gary J. Levinson was a convicted Child Molester. I'm not sure if this is true or not but I do know from a reliable source that he did serve some time in prison.