Category Archives: Rest in Peace

To highlight those that we have lost, that have made an impact to this genre we love so much. They may be gone, but will never be forgotten.

Tony Todd – Rest in Peace

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Modern horror fans have lost an icon with the passing of Tony Todd. Most known for playing the title role in the Candyman series, his career shows much more than just that. Todd could give some incredible performances, with such quiet subtlety, that he could give you the chills with just a smile. One of my favorite performances of his was in an episode of The X-Files called “Sleepless”, from 1994. But he would go on to do so much more, having close to 250 credits in a career that spanned almost four decades.

Todd would appear at many conventions over the years and was a fan favorite, showing the friendlier side of this actor known for the scarier roles he appeared in. He took on the task of appearing in the remake of Night of the Living Dead (1990), playing the lead character of Ben. But as always, he pulled off and was one of the reasons that remake is actually really good.

Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time. But rest assured, his memory, through his amazing amount of work, will definitely live on. Even if you’re not starring into a mirror.

Jonathan Haze – Rest in Peace

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The original Seymour Krelborn in Roger Corman’s ultra-low budget picture Little Shop of Horrors (1960), actor Jonathan Haze has passed away at the young age of 95. He was a staple in the early Corman films, with his first film being the Corman produced monster flick, Monster from the Ocean Floor (1954). He would appear in a handful of Corman films, wherever he was needed, in whatever kind of role. For other genre pictures, he appeared in It Conquered the World (1956), Not of This Earth (1957), and The Terror (1963).

No matter who or what he was playing, he was always memorable. I had a chance to meet him at a Cinema Wasteland show years ago, along with Little Shop co-star Jackie Joseph and screenwriter Charles B. Griffith, who told plenty of great stories of those days. But no matter, Haze will live on in those many roles he appeared in, especially Little Shop of Horrors. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time.

Charles Cyphers – Rest in Peace

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I read the news today that we have lost another great character actor, one that made his mark as an actor, but definitely in the horror genre, usually working with director John Carpenter. Charles Cyphers passed away on Sunday, Aug. 4th, at the age of 85. He’s best known for playing Sheriff Brackett in Halloween (1978), reprising the role in its sequel, Halloween II (1981). But he had worked with Carpenter before that in Assault on Precinct 13 (1976), as well as in Carpenter’s TV movie Someone’s Watching Me! (1978), The Fog (1980), Escape from New York (1981), and even reprising his role in 2021’s Halloween Kills, which was his last screen appearance.

He did a ton of television work, both as one-episode appearances to a regular cast, and he was always entertaining to watch. One of my favorite non-horror roles he did was in Major League (1989).

Our thoughts go out to his friends and family in this difficult time. Gone, but his memory will live on, especially around Halloween time.

Brett Baish – Rest in Peace

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Okay cancer … you can just fuck off now. Seriously. Most of you out there have no idea who this person is but he was my wife’s cousin, who I also knew for most of his life. I started dating Dawn a year or two after Brett was born. But Brett left this world today, which was way too fucking early. He put up a good fight, but now can rest pain free and peacefully.

I used to bring Brett (the one on the right) to a bunch of conventions years ago as my helper. He was probably one of the biggest Friday the 13th fans I knew, but also just a simple horror fan. He’d watch anything I suggested or sat him down to watch with me, and always enjoyed them. He didn’t care how cheesy or silly they might be, he still loved them as much as the biggest horror classic out there. He was my helper for quite a few of the early Cinema Wasteland shows, even went out to Baltimore once or twice with me and was always there to help if I asked. I know he was just thrilled to be there and to help out.

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Donald Sutherland – Rest in Peace

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On Thursday, June 20th, the world of cinema lost a great talent. Donald Sutherland passed away at the age of 88, leaving an incredible career that lasted six decades. Sutherland appeared in just about every genre of film, but it was with horror where he got his start in feature films. The Italian film The Castle of the Living Dead (1964), which starred Christopher Lee, Sutherland not only made his screen debut, but played 3 different characters! He played Sgt. Paul, an old man, and even the old witch. Pretty impressive for a young actor. His next feature would also co-star Christopher Lee, as well as Peter Cushing, in Amicus’ Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965). He would appear in many more films over the decades, like Hammer’s Die! Die! My Darling (1965), the heart-breaking Don’t Look Now (1973), to the incredible remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), making his wide-eyed, screeching face such an iconic image. But no matter the film or budget, he always gave it his all, even in the crazy, special effects heavy sci-fi/horror film Virus (1999) that featured an all-star cast, he helped make the film even more entertaining.

If you saw his name in the cast, you knew it was worth your time. Thankfully, we have all of these films he’s left us to re-watch, and appreciate the talent that he was, over and over, and over again, never to be forgotten. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time.

Mark Damon – Rest in Peace

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Okay Mr. Reaper, give it a rest, will you? While Mr. Corman just left us a few days ago, now we find out that Mark Damon, who starred in Corman’s first Poe picture, House of Usher (1960), as well as in one of the segments in Mario Bava’s Black Sabbath, passed away on Sunday the 12th, at the ripe age of 91 years old, and who was still working in the industry! Granted, Damon moved into production side years ago, with over 70 titles under his credits, but I’m sure the constant working helped get him going.

As an actor, especially in the ’70s, you’d see his name in a few horror titles, such as Byleth: The Demon of Incest (1972), Crypt of the Living Dead (1973), or my personal favorite, The Devil’s Wedding Night (1973). But like a lot of these actors, directors, and others that worked on the films that we loved when we were younger, are now reaching that age. But as I always say, it is because of their work in films is what will continue to keep their work alive. And this is no different for Mark Damon. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time.

Susan Blacklinie – Rest in Peace

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Susan’s name might not be as familiar as some that worked in the movie industry, even if only a few titles. But everyone out there has either seen her work, or at least know of it. She played Chrissie, the first victim in Spielberg’s Jaws (1975). So yes, she is part of the reason I won’t go in the water. She also somewhat reprised a similar role in the opening of Spielberg’s 1941 (1979), which I think am one of the few that found it funny.

But she also appeared in William Girdler’s Day of the Animals (1977), not only as an actress but also worked behind-the-scenes because her and her husband at the time were the animal trainers for those used in the film. Seeing her attacked by a bobcat is one hell of a sequence. Blacklinie had been hitting the convention circuit over the last few years, getting to meet her fans. She passed away on May 11th, at the age of 77 years old. At least on every 4th of July, when fans bust out Jaws for their annual viewing (like me), she will at least be remembered for her brief, but powerful performance in the opening. Our thoughts go out to her friends and family at his difficult time.

Roger Corman – Rest in Peace

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I know we like to throw around the word legend when we talk about people in the film industry, but that moniker doesn’t even fit Roger Corman. That title would fit him if only because of the amount of talent that he helped come up through the ranks by giving them a chance. But it goes so far beyond that. The number of movies that he both directed and produced, on the budgets they had, and yet still turned out incredibly entertaining films, is the true testament to this man’s legacy.

While only directing 56 titles, he’s produced almost 500 in his career that has spanned over 7 decades! And no matter how cheesy some of those earlier films he made in the ’50s were, the fact that they are still cherished and remembered today shows us his talent. But then he changed all of that in the ’60s with the Poe films he did with Vincent Price. That changed the genre, once again.

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Silvia Tortosa – Rest in Peace

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Spanish actress Silvia Tortosa only made a few titles in her career that featured over 100 TV and movie appearances, but when she did, she always made an impact with the viewer. Her first role was in a on TV in 1964, but horror fans will remember her as the Countess Irina Petrovski in Horror Express (1972), followed by appearing in Amando de Ossorio’s The Loreley’s Grasp (1973). She also appeared in Paul Naschy’s The Frenchman’s Garden (1978).

She passed away on March 23rd, at the age of 77. She may be gone, but I know horror fans will always remember her for her work in these highly memorable films. Our thoughts go out to her friends and family during this difficult time.

Kristin Wicks – Rest in Peace

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This is one of the hardest of these that I have had to write. Usually when I do these, it is for someone from the movies that we admire but never really knew in person. But with Kristin, I had the honor of knowing her for maybe close to two decades??? We spent many hours traveling back and forth to conventions, trying to stay awake at the 24-hour film fests by drinking Monsters and talking about movies, multiple local horror events, and a variety of Halloween parties, where she always had the best costumes.

The horror community has now lost one of its strongest voices. When she was able to, she was always there to promote others that worked in the horror genre, whether it was someone putting on film screenings, conventions, their artwork, writings, or any number of subjects. Kristin was a true diehard horror fan, smart, a talented artist, and very dedicated to the genre, as well as her friends, who she was always supporting.  

Her voice had been quiet for a long time while she battled what seemed like a constant multitude of aliments over the last decade, but now, her voice is silent for good. And while she will be deeply missed by myself and my family, and the horror community, I can only hope that she is in a better place, and finally free of pain. 

And I will apologize once again to you, Kristin, for eating and burping up Funyuns in the van with you sitting behind me.

She may be gone, by definitely will never be forgotten. We all love you, Kristin, and you will forever be remembered in our dark and twisted hearts. Rest in Peace, my friend.