Ed Gein: How ‘Monster’ Killer Inspired Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Silence of the Lambs

ET looks at how serial killer Ed Gein inspired horror classics ‘Psycho,’ ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ and ‘The Silence of the Lambs,' with never-before-seen interviews and rare footage captured at his small Wisconsin town. The infamous murderer’s brutal crimes landed him the name ‘the Butcher of Plainfield' before Hollywood would know him on screen as Norman Bates, Leatherface and Buffalo Bill. ET spoke with a police officer who toured Gein’s home in November 1957, when law enforcement discovered the body of a missing woman, along with gruesome evidence of multiple atrocities committed by Gein over several years. ‘Psycho’ author Robert Bloch explained how the gory details reported about Gein’s house, post-mortem mutilations and grave-robbing led to his novel-turned-cinema masterpiece. Actor Anthony Perkins called Norman the ‘Hamlet’ of horror roles, and believed Alfred Hitchcock made the ‘quintessential gothic, haunted house story' with their iconic 1960 horror film. Many scenes in 1974’s ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ were also ripped from Gein’s headlines. Jessica Biel, who starred in the cult classic’s 2003 remake, and Freddie Highmore, who portrayed Norman's villain origin story on ‘Bates Motel,’ both admitted to ET, they prepared for their roles by reading about Plainfield’s most-famous resident. In 1991, a real-life F.B.I. profiler revealed how Gein influenced the focus of Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lector’s cat-and-mouse game in Thomas Harris' best seller, ‘The Silence of the Lambs.’ The actor behind Buffalo Bill, Ted Levine, shared why he thinks audiences loved being scared by the psychological thriller, which later won the top five categories at the Academy Awards. Today, Ed Gein’s imprint on pop culture is seen just about everywhere, from the generations of filmmakers who continue to be inspired by ‘Psycho,' to Studio Tour riders spotting ‘Mother’ at Universal Studios Hollywood. Following the likes of Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez brothers, Plainfield’s ‘Butcher’ is next up in Ryan Murphy’s ‘Monsters’ true crime series, with Charlie Hunnam tackling Gein on the small screen.