Monsters, Music, and Muscles

#1 Where did you come up with your name?

#2 Where did you come up with your character?

Actually, the first two questions go hand in hand. The character came about by happy accident. At the haunted house I was appearing at in 1989 (the late, lamented Haunted Theatre of Jeffersonville, PA) I was supposed to play a werewolf character. When a friend asked to perform in that role two days before opening, I had to scramble to find something else. I went into the costume room of the theatre and found the white robe and black sash. I used a skull appliance that I already owned, and the look of Carpathian was born. Because the outfit suggested a dignified and refined character, and because one of my duties was to let customers in through the main door, I became a macabre doorman, chatting with the people and entertaining them while they waited to enter. It worked well, and I�ve been doing it ever since. I came up with Carpathian because I wanted something vaguely literary with spooky overtones. I remembered the Carpathian Mountains from DRACULA, and decide it was a perfect fit. I�m not truly certain where the personality came from. I think part of it may be childhood memories of a skeleton friend I imagined. (We had a huge cardboard skeleton hanging in my home during Halloween; it was segmented and bendable, and I was scared to death of it. I realized I wouldn�t be able to sleep at night if I didn�t make a friend of that creature, and I did that forthwith.) In many ways I sometimes feel that I channel Carpathian when I perform, so different are we.

#3 What made you decide on being a storyteller so to speak?

I always enjoyed spinning out a good tale, and I have a good memory for details. Being an actor, I�m good at presenting ideas dramatically. I love performing before a live audience more than anything. I�ve always had a good memory for legends and campfire tales, and I research constantly for new material. (Many of our fans send me stories they�ve heard, and I reinterpret them. It�s the oral tradition of storytelling, the give and take, which is quite exciting. I like hearing a good story as much as I like telling one.

#4 Do you write your own stories?

I write some of them. And I embellish many of the legends and tales I�ve heard. But for the most part my stories are very traditional.

#5 Where did you come up with your image?

From inside a closet. I mentioned that above. You weren�t listening�

#6 How long have you been doing what you do?

I�ve been an actor for 25 years. I�ve appeared in many professional stage and touring companies, and some of my favorite roles include Jesus in GODPSELL, Judas in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, James Keller in THE MIRAVLE WORKER, and Bertram Cates in INHERIT THE WIND. I�ve also directed and produced many plays, including DEATHTRAP, A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM and A CHRISTMAS CAROL, which I adapted and staged from the complete novel. I�ve also composed and written the book, music and lyrics to an original folk/rock opera EMMANUEL, which I directed and performed in. I�ve been doing Carpathian since 1989, first at The Haunted Theatre, then at other haunted houses, and currently at Six Flags America in Maryland, as well as various conventions, film and arts festivals, and storytelling events. The Patient Creatures were formed out of many of the actors I performed with. Originally there were more Creatures, but many have gone of onto their own projects. The core group now consists of Carpathian, The Grim Reaper (Grim for short), Kuzibah, a devil, and our vampire Miss Scarlett.

#7 When did you decide to make your movies also?

I�ve always wanted to expand my work into movies. During the production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL I discussed forming a small film company with some of my fellow performers. We named it TENTH MONTH PRODUCTIONS, after Halloween, and produced three short films, including the first Carpathian movie THE GHOST CATCHER. (At the time I was only performing Carpathian live.) I was surprised at the good reaction the movie received, and decided to try making a few more. Because of creative differences, TENTH MONTH separated. I formed PATIENT CREATURES LTD. and produced the next three Carpathian films, THE BLACK VELVET BAND, THE DEVIL�S POCKET, and the one we�re currently editing, THE KNIFE IN THE GRAVE. That will probably be the final one. We�re anxious to try our hand at some different things. (Although we�ll still be performing live, and have future plans for the Creatures as a television project. This Fall we�ll begin filming our first full-length independent movie called AN EVENING WITH FRIENDS. It will be darker and more adult than our Carpathian films.

#8 Who writes the movies you�ve appeared in?

I do. I�ve been writing screenplays for several years, submitting to television series such as TWILIGHT ZONE, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, MAX HEADROOM, and STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE. I�ve also written AN EVENING WITH FRIENDS and two other full length films, along with the Carpathian films. I�ve also written a couple of pieces for the stage, where I started acting.

#9 Do you have any more in the works?

The ones I mentioned above. We plan to do more full-length adult films. I don�t see myself doing any more Carpathian shorts, although I have put together some notes for a Carpathian television series. It would be about the Creatures living together in a haunted house.

#10 How did you find the other patient creatures?

As I said, they were all performers with me at the Haunted Theatre in Norristown, PA. In addition to the Grim Reaper, Kuzibah and Miss Scarlett, some of my other Creatures included Mrs. Grim, also known as Azrael, Grim�s wife, Haggatha, a witch-fairy, Cobweb, a spider woman (both of whom appeared in my production of A Midsummer Nights Dream), Brains, a lady zombie, Hester Quagmire, a swamp-witch, and Ed, an undead creature. Ed and Brains fell to the wayside fairly early; Hester and Mrs. Grim would still like to perform with us, but their other schedules interfere. They may return some day. Haggatha and Cobweb lost interest in traveling. About this time we decided to stay with the core group, and that�s how it�s been for some time. Miss Scarlett, incidentally, is our second vampire. Originally we had a Cockney, Goth lady named Jeanette.

#11 How did you become so well known?

Just hard work and perseverance. We started performing at haunted houses, then moved to Six Flags. We also began making appearances at science fiction and horror conventions. I�ve always tried to present a professional attitude with the group, to distinguish us from just being fans, although we are big genre fans. We try to give the best performances possible to any audience, whether it�s a group of story-listeners in a huge auditorium or a small crowd of people passing in a hotel hallway. We stay completely in character and present ourselves as elegantly and impressively as we are able.

#12 What is the best convention you�ve been to? And why?

Well, it�s hard to single out any individual one. We�ve always been treated extremely well at both Balticon and Monster Bash. Balticon has always been extremely well run by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society. The only complaints seem to be the hotel; it�s arranged very oddly. Monster Bash is the result of Ron Adams and Creepy Classic Videos. Ron is a terrific guy, and his convention always shows a great deal of loving care. It�s a tribute to the classic monsters: Karloff, Lugosi, Chaney, Price, Lee, Cushing, and others. When I first contacted him about appearing there, we seemed to click immediately. He wants Monster Bash to be a family affair, without any of the unsavory elements found at some conventions. It�s worked, too. Whole families attend each year, and it�s a wonderful time to see them enjoying the old time monsters. And us, of course. Monster Bash always feels like we�re coming home, and we always feel very welcome. Last year we attended HorrorFind�s first annual Weekend of Terror. There was a very special feeling to that convention as well. All the guests seemed very happy to be there, and all were without exception polite, gracious and professional, with large dollops of affections all around, especially among actors Michael Berryman, Bruce Campbell and Horror Host Count Gore De Vol. The atmosphere was relaxed and enjoyable, and it was a grand time for all.

#13 What is the worst convention you�ve been to? And why?

I wouldn�t have been able to answer that before this summer, but it definitely remains the first Creep Con, which I will be the last Creep Con. It was, to me, an obvious example of a promoter trying to make money rather than be responsible to the fans� entertainment. I really don�t want to discuss it; I�ve already talked about it ad nauseum on my site. You can fine the information there in our ARCHIVE sections if you�re curious, but for me, now, the subject is closed.

#14 Who do you look up to?

There are many people in the genre, and outside as well, for that matter. I admire thinkers like Joseph Campbell and James Randi. I admire journalists like Ben Bradlee and Edward R Murrow; men who know their own minds and stick to their principles, no matter how unpopular. I admire musicians like Bruce Springsteen and Marshal Crenshaw. I especially admire John Lennon. All of these people are originals. There are no one else like them in the world. In the genre, I admire writers Stephen King, Richard Matheson, William Goldman. I hold a special place for Rod Serling, Harlan Ellison and Ray Bradbury. Directors I admire are Stanley Kubrick, George Romero, and David Cronenburg. Actors include Patrick MacGoohan, also a writer and director. And Robert Culp, with the same credits. The legendary Lon Chaney, definitely. And I have a special place for Boris Karloff. All of these people are originals as well.

#15 What made you get into the genre that you are in?

I�m not certain. I don�t think you can quantify what the connection is. I know that I�ve always been surrounded by the genre of Horror, Dark Fantasy, and Science Fiction. My Grandmother and my Aunt loved shows like DARK SHADOWS, LOST IN SPACE, NIGHT GALLERY, TWILIGHT ZONE, OUTER LIMITS, and STAR TREK. I�ve always been expose to it, and probably much of it rubbed off. But I also think that some of it has to do with living in Pennsylvania. The autumns are the classic Halloween Autumns, with a crisp chill in the air and a firework display of leaves. The skies are wonderfully clear and filled with stars, and some nights are fog-filled and wonderfully eerie. I also have family that lives in the New England area, and nothing compares to a New England Fall. I think the classic Horror writers - Poe, Lovecraft, King - have geography as a constant. Even Bradbury, now a California writer, was born and raised in Illinois, and I know that had an influence over many of his tales.

#16 What�s your favorite horror movie?

It changes from year to year, or even day to day. Singling out a favorite is impossible, but I can name several that are near the top of my list: SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, THE SHINING, THE EXORCIST, CURSE OF THE DEMON, THE NIGHT STALKER, PSYCHO, and JACOB�S LADDER. That�s a good beginner�s list for those unfamiliar with our field.

#17 Going to conventions you have met a lot of famous people, who is your favorite?

That�s another one that�s impossible to choose from just one. There have been so many wonderful people whose company I�ve enjoyed. I�ve been especially fortunate in that many of the people I�ve met have become friends. These include authors P. D. Cacek, Darrel Schweitzer, James Morrow, James Stoddard and J. M. Comeau and HorrorHosts Count Gore De Vol and A. Ghastlee Ghoul. Meeting Caroline Munro was definitely a thrill. I�ve been in love with the lady for many years, and she was as beautiful and gracious as I imagined. I�ve also spoken with Harlan Ellison many times, and found him to be a very trusted and gracious individual, despite a reputation of being difficult. He has never been less than cordial to me. I�ve had the good luck to speak with both Isaac Asimov and Fritz Leiber, both legends in the genre, before their unfortunate passings. But probably the greatest thrill was meeting Forrest J. Ackerman at the first Monster Bash the Creatures attended, the WinterFest of 1999. He has always been a great hero of mine, and our time with him was wonderfully witty, charming and warm. He was an absolute pleasure, and I feel so badly about his recent health and financial problems. He�s done so much for all of us; I only wish we could repay the favor. But that, of course, is simply impossible. The debt is just too large.

#18 What do you think makes a great story?

First of all, the story must be about people. Plotting, mood, and pacing are very important in the mechanics of telling a story, but each story is only about individuals. If you don�t care about them or aren�t interested in their problems, all the pacing and plotting and mood will be for naught. And if the people are alive and real enough, their actions will determine the pacing and the plotting and mood. A surprise is always good, because you don�t want a story to be predictable. But that doesn�t necessarily mean a trick ending like the TWILIGHT ZONE shows. All that means is that the story should involve the reader, take them places they�re not expecting to go. If they get to the end before you do, your audience won�t forgive you very often. But I think the absolute most important rule is that you have to believe the story you�re telling. If you�re telling a romance, you have to feel romantic. If you�re telling a science fiction tale, you have to have the sense of wonder. And if you�re not at least a little frightened when you tell a horror tale, no one else will be either.

#19 What advice would you give to anyone out there who may want to follow in your footsteps?

Practice, practice, practice! Get as much experience as you can. I�ve never studied in formal classes (I�m self-trained), but school has helped some actors. But I think experience is terribly important. Join a local theater group, and don�t just try out for plays as a performer. Learn to run a light booth so that you know how a scene should be presented technically. Help on stage crew, so you know how a show actually runs backstage. Put up a sound system, paint the set, sweep the floor, and very importantly, talk with fellow performers. Ask how they work, and trade stories of shows you�ve been involved in. But first and foremost, I think you have to truly love what you�re doing, whatever you do, whether it is entertaining or sports or music or anything else. If you�re not enjoying it to the maximum, I see little point in doing it. And by all means, do it! Don�t talk about it, or wish about it, or dream about it. Just do it, like Nike. If you want to be an actor, find a theater group and start trying out for shows. Don�t be nervous, and don�t let anyone tell you you can�t. If you want to be a guitar player, grab a guitar and a chord book and start playing. If you want to be a filmmaker, grab a video camera and some VCRs for editing and start filming. Don�; let anyone talk you out of doing something you want to do, and don�t just talk about it, or sooner or later you�ll find that you�ve talked about it and not accomplished anything. If you want to be a writer, sit down at the computer or typewriter and get started. And then finish it. Don�t worry about it being great; if you do it enough, it will become great. It will take a lot of work, but if you never start, it will never be anything, great or otherwise.

#20 What is your favorite haunted house and where is it located?

Other than the Haunted Theatre, my favorite haunted attraction has to be NETHERWORLD in Atlanta, GA. I�ve performed there several times, and it�s always been a terrific experience. It�s put together by a very talented group of individuals, lead by Billy Messina and Ben Armstrong. It�s two haunted houses in one: a frightening and claustrophobic �dark� event and a brightly colored house filled with 3D effects painted onto the walls. The place is enormous! The crowds are very enthusiastic, and the acting and artistic detail are phenomenal. Anyone who live in the area, or who can take a day trip there for Halloween should consider it. It�s well worth the ride. For more information, you can go to their website at www.fearworld.com. #21 how would one become a patient creature if they wanted to? At the moment, we�re not looking for any more Patient Creatures. We�re rather happy with our core group. However, anyone can create a good Halloween character. First, truly think about your character's history. That�s even more important than its appearance, and in any case, the appearance will grow out of the character�s history. Remember, people are going to ask you about who you are; children especially, and if you don�t come up with good answers you�ll disappoint them. You�re probably going to have to put out a little bit of money for your outfit. However, don�t go rushing out and buy a lot of neat Halloween things. Many of your stylings can be found in Good Will and costume shops. Anything chosen must again confirm to the character. Finally, consider every aspect of your character; how he�s walk, the type of language he would or wouldn�t use, how he holds his hands, his arms, and his body when at rest or in motion. Anybody can purchase an expensive Halloween costume, but if you clunk around in it like a teenager, the effect will be diminished. Practice in front of a mirror or in front of your friends, and then go out and put on a great show! Happy Halloween, all!

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