According to producer Tony Randel, Tom DeSimone, a director who helmed such notable cult classics as Chatterbox (1977), Hell Night (1981), The Concrete Jungle (1982), and Reform School Girls (1986), passed away on October 17. He was 87. (The tribute Tony Randel posted on social media lists Tom DeSimone's date of birth as July 1, 1939.)
While I never Tom DeSimone in the flesh, I did interview him a few years ago regarding his work on Terror in the Jungle (1968), a pretty bad adventure flick but one with a fascinating production history. Terror in the Jungle came to my attention via its release on a Mill Creek 50-movie DVD set (namely "Pure Terror"), and, when I contacted Mr. DeSimone about sharing his memories of the shoot, he was happy to answer my questions.
Although we were connected via social media, we didn't correspond very much after the interview, and I never pursued meeting him in person when I was living in California. Naturally, I regret that now, but I'm grateful that I was able to interview him and record his memories of his first film (as dubious an experience as it was.)
Rest in peace, Tom.
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