#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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