‘Little Shop of Horrors’ actor Jonathan Haze Passes Away at 95

Jonathan Haze, best known for his role as Seymour in the original Little Shop of Horrors, has died at 95. His daughter, Rebecca, confirmed he passed away peacefully of natural causes at his Los Angeles home on Saturday.

Haze’s performance as Seymour in the 1960 cult classic about a violent plant sparked multiple adaptations, including the well-known 1982 off-Broadway musical and the 1986 film starring Rick Moranis. In a 2001 fan event, Haze reflected on the film’s arduous production process: “All of the interior sequences were shot in two days-20-hour days. We were shooting on Skid Row with real individuals as extras, giving them ten cents per walk-through.”

Haze, born Jack Aaron Schachter, began in show business working on stage for his cousin, drummer Buddy Rich, before eventually moving to Los Angeles, where he worked with director Roger Corman. Their long partnership began with Monster from the Ocean Floor in 1954, followed by a range of Corman-produced B-movies, including The Fast and the Furious, Five Guns West, and It Conquered the World.

In addition to acting, Haze wrote, produced, and managed projects, including the screenplay for Invasion of the Star Creatures (1962) and Haskell Wexler’s Medium Cool (1969). Later, he became CEO of a company that created ads for major brands such as United Airlines and Schlitz beer.

Haze is survived by his daughters, Rebecca and Deedee, three grandchildren, and a great-grandson.