David R Ellis, the child actor and former stuntman who went on to direct gory films, including Snakes on a Plane, has been found dead in a Johannesburg hotel.
Ellis, 60, was last seen alive in a restaurant on Saturday.
His body was discovered in a bathroom by a hotel manager at the weekend.
There was no indication of foul play or robbery, police said yesterday.
"It is unknown what was the cause of death," police said.
Ellis was in South Africa shooting a movie.
His 2006 film, Snakes on a Plane, about reptiles slithering through a jet inflicting gruesome deaths on passengers, spawned numerous parodies and massive internet hoopla and was one of the most hyped films of the US summer season.
The film's star, Samuel L Jackson, threatened to quit when the studio considered changing the title, saying he had taken the job based on the name.
"So talented, so kind, such a good friend. He'll be missed. Gone too soon," Jackson tweeted yesterday.
Ellis also directed other B-list thrillers, including Shark Night and Cellular.
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