Charles Russell, Director of The Mask and Eraser, Dies at 74

3 articles · Updated · Deadline · Jul 24

Charles Russell died Wednesday at his San Diego-area home at 74 after firefighters responded to a reported medical emergency involving an unconscious man.
The cause of death was not disclosed, though TMZ first reported it and Variety confirmed the death.
Russell broke out with 1987's A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, which grossed $44.8 million domestically and became the franchise's biggest hit to that point.
He later directed 1994 smash The Mask, 1996 action hit Eraser and 2002's The Scorpion King, which helped launch Dwayne Johnson's film career.
His later films never matched that peak, but his run across horror, comedy and action made him a defining Hollywood genre director of the 1980s and 1990s.