Tom Neyman, The Master in MANOS, has passed away

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

In 1966, fertilizer salesman Harold P. Warren released a horror movie he had made on a bet, MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE. He wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the film, filling the cast with local actors, including Tom Neyman and Neyman's seven-year-old daughter Jackey, who was given a bicycle as payment for appearing in the movie.

The synopsis: 

Mike (Harold P. Warren) and Maggie (Diane Mahree), on a road trip with their daughter (Jackey Neyman) and family dog, take a wrong turn in Texas and become trapped at a weird lodge inhabited by a polygamous pagan cult. They soon find themselves in the middle of a power struggle between caretaker Torgo (John Reynolds), cult leader The Master (Tom Neyman), and two warring factions of the Master’s wives. As the family tries to escape, the worshipers of “Manos” decide their fate…

MANOS didn't really go anywhere at the time. It was when Mystery Science Theater 3000 dug it up and mocked it for a 1993 episode that the movie began to gain a cult following – not because it's good, but because it's considered to be one of the worst films ever made. It does have its charm, though.

Recently, Jackey Neyman Jones spearheaded the production of a fiftieth anniversary sequel called MANOS RETURNS, which was directed by Tonjia Atomic and is described as 

a tongue-in-cheek return to Valley Lodge. It follows a group of young would-be filmmakers who learn their favorite movie, Manos: The Hands of Fate, was based on a true story. They set out to visit the site of the events that inspired the original and of course they find more than they bargained for. 

Father and daughter Neyman reprised their roles for the sequel, which is now in post-production. The filmmakers have been working toward getting the movie ready to screen in time to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the premiere screening of MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE on November 15th.

Sadly, the man who plays The Master has passed away just short of this anniversary date. Yesterday, Jackey took to her Facebook account to announce to friends and fans of MANOS that Tom Neyman passed away from heart failure on the night of November 12th. November 23rd would have been his 81st birthday.

We here at Arrow in the Head send out our sincere condolences to Neyman's family, friends, and fans.

It is sad to see Neyman go, and I'm glad that he got to enjoy seeing MANOS get more and more popular over the last twenty years. I'm also glad that he was able to play The Master again before he passed away. MANOS RETURNS will now not only serve as a celebration of the original film, but also as a tribute to Neyman himself.

So as we mourn Neyman's passing, let's also look forward to seeing him back on the screen as The Master in MANOS RETURNS.