Russ Doughten Films closed its doors Sept. 15, according to a company representative.

The news came on the heels of the death of company founder and head, Russ Doughten, at age 86. Doughten died Aug. 19 after a protracted battle with a cardiac illness.

Russ Doughten Films was the flagship studio for the pioneer Christian filmmaker. The production company was behind more than a dozen evangelistic films—including the 1970s’ “Thief in the Night” series shown in many churches and which laid the groundwork for Left Behind and other end-times thrillers.