Josh Becker, ‘Evil Dead’ Crew Member, Suddenly Dies at 67

Josh Becker, the 67-year-old filmmaker who worked on the original The Evil Dead and frequently collaborated with director Sam Raimi, died on December 7, his family announced; no cause of death was disclosed.

• Who: Josh Becker, filmmaker, writer, director and longtime Sam Raimi collaborator
• Age & date: 67, died December 7
• Known for: Crew work on The Evil Dead, directing credits and a best-selling guide on low-budget filmmaking
• Family announcement: Sister Pamela shared the news on Facebook
• Obituary: Online notice published by Ira Kaufman Funeral Home; cause not disclosed

Becker began making Super 8 films in Detroit with Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell as a teenager, eventually contributing to Raimi’s breakthrough. On the 1981 cult classic The Evil Dead, Becker handled lighting, sound and multiple on-set duties and kept a detailed production journal that today is preserved in the Evil Dead Archives.

The Legacy

Becker’s career spanned independent filmmaking, television and authorship. Three of his most notable achievements:

1. The Evil Dead (1981) — Key crew member on Sam Raimi’s landmark horror film; documented the shoot in a now-circulated journal.
2. Running Time — Becker’s taut directing work that cemented him as a distinctive low-budget filmmaker.
3. The Complete Guide to Low-Budget Feature Filmmaking — His practical book that taught generations of filmmakers how to make features on small budgets.

He also returned to Raimi productions as a “fake shemp” on Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness, and made an uncredited cameo in Darkman. Becker wrote and directed across formats, contributing to shows and projects including Xena: Warrior Princess and several genre films.

Social Reaction & Tributes

Becker’s sister Pamela announced the loss in a heartfelt Facebook post, writing she was “in a state of disbelief and profoundly heartbroken” and sharing a candid photo of the two. The family obituary confirmed the December 7 date but gave no cause of death.

News of his passing prompted condolences from fans, fellow filmmakers and genre communities who recalled his early work with Raimi and Campbell and praised both his on-set contributions and his practical filmmaking guide. Archives of his journal and production notes have been cited by historians and fans as a valuable record of indie horror filmmaking in the early 1980s.

Josh Becker is survived by his sister Pam Becker; brother-in-law Skip George; step-sister Wendy Davis; nephew Ari Siesser; and his cat, Ike. Funeral details are listed in the family obituary published online.

For those seeking the primary sources mentioned here: Pamela’s Facebook post and Becker’s obituary are publicly available, and his Evil Dead production journal can be viewed in the Evil Dead Archives.