Horror

Michael Villella (1940–2024), villain from The Slumber Party Massacre

Michael Villella was an actor best known as the drill-wielding villain from the 1982 cult-classic horror film, “The Slumber Party Massacre.”

Kazuo Umezu (1936–2024), manga’s “god of horror”

Kazuo Umezu was a longtime manga artist who was sometimes called the “god of horror” over the course of his decades creating works like “Reptilia,” “The Drifting Classroom,” and “My Name Is Shingo.” 

Susan Backlinie (1946–2024), first shark attack victim in Jaws

Susan Backlinie was an actress and stunt performer best known for playing Chrissie Watkins, the first person attacked by a shark in the 1975 blockbuster film, “Jaws.”

Ray Garton Jr. (1962–2024), award-nominated horror writer

Ray Garton Jr. was an author and novelist nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for “Live Girls,” who was also known for works such as “Seduction,” “Darklings,” his “A Nightmare on Elm Street” novelizations, and the controversial book, “In a Dark Place.” 

David Soul (1943–2024), Starsky & Hutch star

David Soul was an actor and singer known for his starring role in “Starsky & Hutch” and his hit single “Don’t Give Up on Us.”

Camden Toy (1955–2023), Buffy the Vampire Slayer character actor

Camden Toy was a character actor who specialized in villains and creatures for independent movies and horror shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," often performing under layers of grotesque prosthetics and makeup.

Anthony Hickox (1959–2023), director of Hellraiser III and Waxwork

Anthony Hickox was a film director known for his work on horror franchises such as “Waxwork,” “Hellraiser,” and “Warlock.” 

Jeff Burr (1963–2023), director of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III 

Jeff Burr was a filmmaker who worked on popular horror franchises like “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “Puppet Master,” and “Pumpkinhead.” 

Manny Coto (1961–2023), writer and producer for Star Trek, 24, Dexter

Manny Coto was a screenwriter, director and producer known for his work on popular genre shows such as “American Horror Story,” “Star Trek: Enterprise,” “24,” and “Dexter.”

Ricou Browning (1930–2023), Creature from the Black Lagoon’s Gill-man

Ricou Browning was an actor, stuntman, screenwriter, and director who played the Gill-man in the classic horror film “Creature from the Black Lagoon.”

Peter Straub (1943–2022), top horror novelist & Stephen King coauthor

Peter Straub was an award-winning author of horror novels including "Ghost Story," who cowrote “The Talisman” and “Black House” with Stephen King.

Clu Gulager (1928–2022), “The Virginian” star

Clu Gulager was an actor known for starring roles in “The Virginian” and “The Return of the Living Dead.”

Veronica Carlson (1944–2022), British actress in Hammer horror films

Veronica Carlson was a British actress known for her roles in Hammer horror films including “Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed.”

Anne Rice (1941–2021), ‘The Vampire Chronicles’ author

Anne Rice , the author of the popular vampire novel series ‘The Vampire Chronicles,’ died Saturday evening, her son Christopher announced on social media.

Yuko Takeuchi (1980–2020), star of “Miss Sherlock,” “Ring”

Yuko Takeuchi was a Japanese actress known for roles including the title character in the HBO Asia/Hulu series “Miss Sherlock.”

Lori Nelson (1933–2020), “Revenge of the Creature” star

Lori Nelsonawas aa1950s Hollywood star known for ccRevenge of the Creatured and the TV series ccHow to Marry a Millionaire.da

Danny Hicks (1951–2020), costarred in “Evil Dead II”

Danny Hicks was an actor who was best known for playing Jake in “Evil Dead II.”

Stuart Gordon (1947–2020), director of “Re-Animator”

Stuart Gordon was best known for directing the horror comedy cult classic Re-Animator. The 1985affilm was about a medical student who invents an agent that can bring dead bodies back to life.Gordon followed that film with 1aFrom Beyond,1a another horror cult classic. He also co-createdthe Disney TV series 1aHoney, I Shrunk the Kids.1a Gordon was a Chicago native who started out in theater at the University of Wisconsin.

Virginia Leith (1925–2019), starred in “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die”

She also starred in the classic film noir “A Kiss Before Dying.”

Sid Haig (1939–2019), star of “House of 1000 Corpses”

Sid Haig was a horror movie icon, starring in films including “House of 1000 Corpses” and “The Devil’s Rejects.”

David Hedison (1927–2019), “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” actor

David Hedison also starred as CIA agent Felix Leiter in two James Bond films.

Lorraine Warren (1927–2019), paranormal investigator inspired “Conjuring” movies

Lorraine Warren, famous paranormal investigator who inspired “Conjuring” movies, died Thursday, April 18, 2019, according to multiple news reports. She was 92.

Julie Adams (1926–2019), “Creature from the Black Lagoon” actress

Julie Adams, the actress best remembered for her work in “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” died Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019 in Los Angeles, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She was 92.

Scott Wilson (1942 – 2018), “The Walking Dead” actor

Veteran actor also appeared in “In Cold Blood.”

Trust No One: Cinema Paranoia

A look at the unsettling science fiction and horror films of 1968.

Basil Gogos (1939 – 2017), painter who turned movie monsters into pop art

Basil Gogos, the painter who turned movie monsters into pop art, died Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, according to an announcement on his Facebook page. He was 78.

George Romero's True Legacy Is Heart, Not "Brains"

Forget Hollywood zombies—what fans loved was the filmmaker's brave spirit.0

George Romero (1940 - 2017), Night of the Living Dead director

Director of the zombie classic “Night of the Living Dead”…

Erin Moran (1960 - 2017), played Joanie on Happy Days

Erin Moran, the actress best known for her role as Joanie Cunningham on the 1970s sitcom “Happy Days,” died Saturday, April 22, 2017. She was 56.

William Peter Blatty (1928 - 2017), The Exorcist author

William Peter Blatty, the best-selling author and screenwriter who terrified readers and moviegoers with "The Exorcist," died Thursday, January 12, of multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. He was 89.

George Kosana (1935 - 2016), Night of the Living Dead actor

Actor George Kosana played the sheriff in the classic zombie movie “Night of the Living Dead.”

Herschell Gordon Lewis (1929–2016)

Horror filmmaker known as the Godfather of Gore.

Marina Malfatti (1940 - 2016), Italian horror movie actress

Marina Malfatti, an Italian actress known best in the U.S. for the 1971 films “The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave” and “The Fourth Victim”

Angus Scrimm (1926 - 2016)

Angus Scrimm, a character actor best known for playing the frightening “Tall Man” in the "Phantasm" horror films, has died at the age of 89.

Does Frankenstein Deserve an Oscar?

Boris Karloff is known to most as Frankenstein. But his daughter remembers a soft-spoken, funny, and modest gentleman.

Gunnar Hansen (1947 – 2015)

Gunnar Hansen, 68, the actor who played terrifying cannibal Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, died at his home in Maine from pancreatic cancer, according to Associated Press.

How Wes Craven Defined Modern Horror

When Wes Craven died, fans of the horror genre lost one of the most influential filmmakers ever to scare us sleepless.

Bela Lugosi's 5 Greatest Monsters

Bela Lugosi didn't become one of the great legends of Hollywood's golden age by playing heroes. It was monsters – bloodthirsty, twisted and sometimes tragic monsters – that made him famous.

Lon Chaney Jr.: A Monster of a Star

Werewolves and vampires and zombies have enjoyed top billing on the silver screen in recent years. But if anyone thinks that today’s sparkly vamps and rabies-infected undead are the start of a trend, they’re dead wrong. Movie monsters have been around for just about as long as movies have, and one of the greatest monster actors of them all died 40 years ago today. He was Lon Chaney Jr. , and you might say he was born to be a monster.

Peter Cushing: Doctor, Villain, Vampire Hunter

In the course of his long career, Peter Cushing was lucky enough to be part of three wildly popular entertainment institutions: Hammer Films, "Doctor Who" and "Star Wars"...

Presenting Alfred Hitchcock

Thirty-two years after Alfred Hitchcock's death, Sir Anthony Hopkins is starring in a new Hitchcock film.

Anthony Perkins: American "Psycho"

"Psycho" is a horror classic from beginning to end, thanks in no small part to the critically acclaimed performance of Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates.

No Mere Mortal: Vincent Price and Michael Jackson’s Thriller

Michael Jackson's masterpiece "Thriller" was made all the creepier by Vincent Price's spooky rap.

Tod Browning: From Sideshow to Big Screen

Director Tod Browning made some of early cinema's spookiest movies, including the classic 1931 version of "Dracula." On the day he was born, we take a look at the filmmaker’s life and work...

Janet Leigh's Best Roles

Janet Leigh appeared in more than 50 films during her career. On her birthday, we look back at five of her best roles – including one that involved standing in the shower for seven days in a row.

Bram Stoker, Father of Vampire Fiction

We're remembering Bram Stoker on his birthday with a look at his most famous creation, Count Dracula.

Robert Wise, The Anti-Auteur

Robert Wise is one of America’s most underappreciated filmmakers. We take a look back at his eclectic body of work.

Edward Gorey, Comedian of the Macabre

Eccentric and influential, Edward Gorey wrote and illustrated more than 100 books.