Robert Englund - Movie and Film Biography, Credits and Filmography

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Active

1974 - 2011

Born

June 06, 1947 in Glendale, California

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by Hal Erickson biography

Robert Englund began his acting training at age 12, taking drama courses at the University of Oakland, U.C.L.A., California State-Northridge, the Michigan Academy of Dramatic Arts, and the Rochester, NY, branch of R.A.D.A. Englund made his first professional appearance in a Cleveland production of Godspell. His first film role was the bumptious backwoodsman Whitey in Buster and Billie (1974), after which he paid his dues in a series of villainous bit parts: shooting down Burt Reynolds at the end of Hustle (1975); beating up Kris Kristofferson in A Star is Born (1976); and so on. In 1984, he was cast as Willie, one of the few sympathetic Earth-invading extraterrestrials in the sci-fi TV miniseries V.

Impressed by this performance, director Wes Craven buried Englund under several layers of latex and collodion and cast him as malevolent, mass-murdering wraith Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). The actor became an instant star, appearing in five Nightmare sequels, hosting a 1988 television spin-off, and basking in the glow of a plenitude of fan clubs. Although Freddy's only redeeming quality was his morbid sense of humor, Englund became an idol to the young, who emulated the actor each Halloween donning Freddy masks and plastic claws. Far from concerned that this idolatry might lead to delinquency, Englund allowed that he enjoyed playing Freddy, and felt pride at having created so memorable a screen persona. (In all fairness, he also emphasized to his most impressionable fans that it was all play-acting, and that his homicidal tendencies were strictly confined to the screen.) Unlike such horror icons of the past as Boris Karloff and Vincent Price, however, Englund was not able to shed his famous character's image when he wanted to move on to other roles. Outside of his Nightmare appearances, Englund's most significant credits were his one-shot directorial stint on the theatrical feature 976-EVIL (1988); his characterization of the title role in a medium-budget film adaptation of Phantom of the Opera (1989); and his hosting chores on the Craven-produced TV anthology Nightmare Café (1992).

Title	Year	Editors' Rating		User Rating
Inkubus Actor	2011
Good Day for It Actor	2010
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy Participant	2010
The Mole Man of Belmont Avenue Actor	2010
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer Actor	2008
Red Actor	2008
Zombie Strippers Actor	2008
Black Swarm Actor	2007
Killer Pad Director	2007
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon Actor	2006
Hatchet Actor	2006
Heartstopper Actor	2006
The Last Horror Picture Show Actor	2005
2001 Maniacs Actor	2004
Freddy Vs. Jason Actor	2003
Il Ritorno Di Cagliostro Actor	2003
Nobody Knows Anything Actor	2003
Justice League: Paradise Lost, Part 1 Voice	2002
Justice League: Paradise Lost, Part 2 Voice	2002
Wish You Were Dead Actor	2002
Charmed: Size Matters Actor	2001
Windfall Actor	2001
Python Actor	2000
The Prince and the Surfer Actor	1999
Meet the Deedles Actor	1998
StrangeLand Actor	1998
Urban Legend Actor	1998
Married... With Children: Damn Bundys Actor	1997
Perfect Target Actor	1997
Wishmaster Actor	1997
Babylon 5: Grey 17 Is Missing Actor	1996
Killer Tongue Actor	1996
Star Quest II Actor	1996
The Paper Brigade Actor	1996
The Mangler Actor	1995
The Unspoken Truth Actor	1995
Wes Craven's New Nightmare Actor	1994
Night Terrors Actor	1993
Dance Macabre Actor	1991
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare Actor	1991
Freddy's Nightmares: Dreams That Kill Actor	1990
Freddy's Nightmares: Freddy's Tricks and Treats Actor	1990
Freddy's Nightmares: Lucky Stiff Actor	1990
Freddy's Nightmares: No More Mr. Nice Guy Actor	1990
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane Actor	1990
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child Actor	1989
Freddy's Nightmares: Season 02 Actor	1989
The Phantom of the Opera Actor	1989
976-Evil Director	1988
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master Actor	1988
Freddy's Nightmares: It's My Party and You'll Die If I Want You to Actor	1988
Freddy's Nightmares: Season 01 Actor	1988
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors Actor	1987
Infidelity Actor	1987
Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors Actor	1986
Never Too Young to Die Actor	1986
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge Actor	1985
Hunter: Million Dollar Misunderstanding Actor	1985
Night Court: Dan's Boss Actor	1985
A Nightmare on Elm Street Actor	1984
Alice: Vera, the Horse Thief Actor	1984
V: The Final Battle Actor	1984
Hobson's Choice Actor	1983
I Want to Live Actor	1983
Starflight One Actor	1983
The Fighting Chance Actor	1983
V Actor	1983
Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder Actor	1982
Mysterious Two Actor	1982
Thou Shalt Not Kill Actor	1982
Dead and Buried Actor	1981
Galaxy of Terror Actor	1981
The Fifth Floor Actor	1980
Mind Over Murder Actor	1979
The Ordeal of Patty Hearst Actor	1979
Big Wednesday Voice	1978
The Courage and the Passion Actor	1978
Blood Brothers Actor	1977
Young Joe, The Forgotten Kennedy Actor	1977
A Star Is Born Actor	1976
Eaten Alive Actor	1976
St. Ives Actor	1976
Stay Hungry Actor	1976
The Great Smokey Roadblock Actor	1976
Hustle Actor	1975
Buster and Billie Actor	1974
Slashed Dreams Actor	1974

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