Larry Brand, a writer-director whose credits include Halloween: Resurrection and several Roger Corman films, died peacefully February 9 at his home in Hollywood. He was 69.

Brand was born in New York City on December 16, 1949. He grew up in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens and attended City College in New York before making his way to Los Angeles in 1974. His first job in the film industry was as driver and production assistant to the legendary Orson Welles. Brand wrote his first feature film, the psychological thriller Backfire with frequent collaborator Rebecca Reynolds. From there, he expanded his skills in directing and acting. He collaborated with indie film producer Roger Corman on movies including The Drifter, Masque of the Red Death and Overexposed.

He continued his indie streak with award-winning films such as Paranoia and Christina. He also had a hand in studio productions such as Hard Luck starring Wesley Snipes as well as Halloween: Resurrection (2002), which went on to become the second most profitable sequel in the franchise’s history.

He and Reynolds maintained their professional relationships and in 2008, they formed 8180 Films along with James Carpenter. Under the 8180 banner, they made the aforementioned Christina which Brand starred in alongside Stephen Lang and Nicki Aycox. Other projects from 8180 Films included many films which Brand directed and wrote includingThe Coexist Comedy Tour, A Perfect Man starring Liev Schreiber and Jeanne Tripplehorn and The Girl on the Train starring Henry Ian Cusick, Beyond Glory starring Stephen Lang. He also dove into the podcast realm, writing and directing Young Charlie by Hollywood & Crime which became the #1 podcast in the English-speaking world. In May 2018, The Wonderland Murders by Hollywood & Crime, written, directed, and narrated by Brand, was the #1 podcast in America for nine days.

In addition to being a filmmaker, writer, director, producer and actor, he was also an author. In a letter written to his brother Nick Roth, writer Michael Perry said: “Larry blazed his own trail and there was nothing he couldn’t do.” He added, “Just when it seemed like there were no new hats for Larry to wear, he produces the #1 podcast in the country. Larry’s ease in moving from medium to medium makes the rest of us seem timid.”

Brand is survived by his brothers Tim Roth and Nick Roth, his sister-in-law Amanda Roth, his nephew Chris Roth and his writing partner of 39 years Rebecca Reynolds. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association or, for fellow animal lovers, themunchkinsmission.org.