Nick Castle | |
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Born | |
Occupations | |
Years active | 1974–present |
Nicholas Castle (born September 21, 1947 in Kingsport [1] [2] ) is an American screenwriter, film director, and actor. He is known for playing Michael Myers in John Carpenter's horror film Halloween (1978). [3] [4] He also had a cameo as Myers in Halloween (2018). Castle also co-wrote Escape from New York (1981) with Carpenter. [5] After Halloween, Castle became a director, taking the helm of films such as The Last Starfighter (1984), The Boy Who Could Fly (1986), Dennis the Menace (1993), and Major Payne (1995). [6]
Castle's film credits include Dark Star where he played the beach ball alien, Major Payne , Dennis the Menace , The Last Starfighter , and Connors' War as a director. He wrote the screenplays for the films Escape from New York and Hook . He was the writer and director of the film Tap .
In 1978, he played the iconic starring role of Michael Myers in the classic horror film Halloween , directed by former USC classmate John Carpenter, [7] and was paid 25 dollars a day. [8] Castle's subsequent collaborations with Carpenter included his name being used as one of the main characters' names in The Fog , co-writing the script of Escape From New York , and performing the title song of Big Trouble in Little China as part of the band The Coup De Villes, alongside Carpenter and another friend, writer/director Tommy Lee Wallace. After Halloween, Castle had his directorial debut in Tag: The Assassination Game , followed by taking the helm of films such as The Last Starfighter , The Boy Who Could Fly , Dennis the Menace , and Major Payne . [9]
Castle wrote August Rush , a musical-drama directed by Kirsten Sheridan and starring Freddie Highmore, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Robin Williams, and Keri Russell, which was released in 2007. He also stars as himself in the 2010 documentary Halloween: The Inside Story by Filipino filmmaker Nick Noble. [10]
In 2018, Castle had a cameo as Michael Myers in the direct sequel, Halloween , directed by David Gordon Green, becoming the third actor to play Michael Myers more than once. [11] [12] The announcement of Nick Castle's participation was widely reported as his retaking the role of Michael Myers he originated, [13] with stunt performer James Jude Courtney only doing additional work as the character. However, an interview with Courtney revealed that Castle's screentime was minimal and that the great majority of the work under the mask was done by Courtney himself, which led to the question of whether the return of Castle had been misrepresented by the production. [14] While Courtney was involved in every scene featuring Myers, including those of Castle, who was only involved for a minimal amount of filming, which Castle described to the journalists on set as a cameo appearance, [15] Castle reprises his role in one scene with Jamie Lee Curtis and did all of Michael Myers' breathing sounds in post-production. [11] [12] Courtney referred to collaborating with Castle as an "honor", while Castle described it as a "passing of the torch". [16]
Castle won a Saturn Award for Best Writing for The Boy Who Could Fly , a Silver Raven (for Delivering Milo ), a Grand Prize (for The Last Starfighter ), a Bronze Gryphon, and a Gold Medal of the Regional Council.
Year | Film | Director | Writer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1970 | The Resurrection of Broncho Billy | No | Story | Also cinematographer, short |
1979 | Skatetown, U.S.A. | No | Yes | |
1980 | Pray TV | No | Yes | |
1981 | Escape from New York | No | Yes | |
1982 | Tag: The Assassination Game | Yes | Yes | Directorial debut |
1984 | The Last Starfighter | Yes | No | |
1986 | The Boy Who Could Fly | Yes | Yes | |
1989 | Tap | Yes | Yes | |
1991 | Hook | No | Story | Replaced as director by Steven Speilberg |
1993 | Dennis the Menace | Yes | No | |
1995 | Major Payne | Yes | No | |
1996 | Mr. Wrong | Yes | No | |
2001 | Delivering Milo | Yes | No | |
2001 | 'Twas the Night | Yes | No | |
2004 | The Seat Filler | Yes | No | |
2006 | Connors' War | Yes | No | Direct-to-video |
2007 | August Rush | No | Yes | |
Acting roles | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
1974 | Dark Star | Beach Ball Alien | Also camera assistant |
1978 | Halloween | Michael Myers / The Shape | |
1981 | Escape from New York | Pianist | |
1981 | Halloween II | Michael Myers / The Shape | Archive breathing sounds |
1986 | The Boy Who Could Fly | The Coupe De Villes | |
2018 | Halloween | Michael Myers / The Shape | Cameo and breathing sounds |
2019 | In Search of Darkness | Himself | Documentary film |
2020 | In Search of Darkness: Part II | Himself | Documentary film |
2021 | Halloween Kills | Michael Myers / The Shape | |
2022 | Halloween Ends | Michael Myers / Party Dude | Cameo and breathing sounds for Michael Myers / The Shape |
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1987 | Amazing Stories | Yes | No | Episode: "The 21-Inch Sun" |
1988 | Mama's Family | No | Concept | Episode: "Mama's Girls" |
1990 | Shangri-La Plaza | Yes | Yes | Also executive producer & composer, TV Pilot |
2001 | 'Twas the Night | Yes | No | TV movie |
John Howard Carpenter is an American filmmaker, composer, and actor. Most commonly associated with horror, action, and science fiction films of the 1970s and 1980s, he is generally recognized as a master of the horror genre. At the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, the French Directors' Guild gave him the Golden Coach Award and lauded him as "a creative genius of raw, fantastic, and spectacular emotions".
Donald Henry Pleasence was an English actor. He began his career on stage in the West End before having a screen career, which included starring in a 1954 BBC adaptation of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, before playing numerous supporting and character roles in films including RAF Flight Lieutenant Colin Blythe in The Great Escape (1963), the villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice (1967), SEN 5241 in THX 1138 (1971), and the deranged Clarence "Doc" Tydon in Wake in Fright (1971).
Halloween III: Season of the Witch is a 1982 American science fiction horror film and the third installment in the Halloween film series. It is the first film to be written and directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. John Carpenter and Debra Hill, the creators of Halloween and Halloween II, return as producers. The film stars Tom Atkins, Stacey Nelkin, and Dan O'Herlihy. Halloween III is the only entry in the series that does not feature the series antagonist, Michael Myers. After the film's disappointing reception and box office performance, Michael Myers was brought back six years later in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988).
Michael Myers is a character from the slasher film series Halloween. He first appears in 1978 in John Carpenter's Halloween as a young boy who murders his elder sister, Judith Myers. Fifteen years later, he returns home to Haddonfield, Illinois, to murder more teenagers. In the original Halloween, the adult Michael Myers, referred to as The Shape in the closing credits, was portrayed by Nick Castle for most of the film and substituted by Tony Moran in the final scene where Michael's face is revealed. The character was created by John Carpenter and has been featured in twelve films, as well as novels, video games, and comic books.
The Fog is a 1980 American independent supernatural horror film directed by John Carpenter, who also co-wrote the screenplay and created the music for the film. It stars Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Atkins, Janet Leigh and Hal Holbrook. It tells the story of a strange, glowing fog that sweeps over a small coastal town in Northern California.
Debra Hill was an American film producer and screenwriter, best known for her professional partnership with John Carpenter.
Halloween II is a 1981 American slasher film directed by Rick Rosenthal, in his directorial debut, written and produced by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, and starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence, who reprise their respective roles as Laurie Strode and Dr. Sam Loomis. It is the second installment in the Halloween film series and is a continuation sequel to Halloween (1978). The plot picks up directly after the cliffhanger ending of the first film, with Michael Myers following survivor Laurie Strode to the local hospital, while his psychiatrist Dr. Loomis continues his pursuit of him.
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers is a 1988 American slasher film directed by Dwight H. Little, written by Alan B. McElroy, and starring Donald Pleasence, Ellie Cornell, Danielle Harris in her film debut, and Michael Pataki. It is the fourth entry in the Halloween franchise and a direct sequel to Halloween II (1981), and marks the return of Michael Myers as the primary antagonist, ignoring the events of Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982).
Laurie Strode is a character from the Halloween series. She first appeared in Halloween (1978) as a high school student who becomes targeted by serial killer Michael Myers, in which she was portrayed by Jamie Lee Curtis. Created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, Laurie appeared in nine of thirteen films in the series. The character has subsequently been represented in various other media, including novels, video games, and comic books.
Halloween is a 2007 American slasher film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. It is a remake of John Carpenter's 1978 horror film of the same name and the ninth installment in the Halloween franchise. The film stars Malcolm McDowell, Sheri Moon Zombie, Tyler Mane, Scout Taylor-Compton, Brad Dourif, Danielle Harris, and William Forsythe. The "reimagining" follows Michael Myers who murdered his family as a child and becomes institutionalized at an asylum, before breaking out and stalking Laurie Strode and her friends on Halloween night.
Halloween is an American slasher media franchise that consists of thirteen films, as well as novels, comic books, a video game and other merchandise. The films primarily focus on Michael Myers, who was committed to a sanitarium as a child for the murder of his sister, Judith Myers. Fifteen years later, he escapes to stalk and kill the people of the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois. Michael's killings occur on the holiday of Halloween, on which all of the films primarily take place. Throughout the series various protagonists try to stop Myers including, most notably Laurie Strode and psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis. The original Halloween, released in 1978, was written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill—the film's director and producer respectively. The film, itself inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Bob Clark's Black Christmas, is known to have inspired a long line of slasher films.
Thomas Lee Wallace is an American film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in the horror genre, directing films such as Halloween III: Season of the Witch and Fright Night Part 2 and also directing the 1990 television miniseries adaptation of Stephen King's epic horror novel It. He is a long-time collaborator of director John Carpenter, receiving his first credit as art director on Carpenter's directorial debut Dark Star. Along with Charles Bornstein, he edited both the original Halloween film and The Fog.
Dr. Samuel J. Loomis is a fictional character in the Halloween franchise. A main protagonist of the overall series, Loomis appears on-screen in eight of the thirteen Halloween films, first appearing in John Carpenter's original 1978 film. Donald Pleasence portrayed the character in five films, with Malcolm McDowell taking on the role in the 2007 reimagining and its sequel. In both portrayals, Loomis is introduced as the psychiatrist of series antagonist Michael Myers, driven to pursue and restrain his murderous former patient. He also appears in a flashback in Halloween Kills.
Dean Raymond Cundey, A.S.C. is an American cinematographer and film director. He is known for his collaborations with John Carpenter, Steven Spielberg, and Robert Zemeckis, as well as his extensive work in the horror genre, in addition to numerous family and comedy films. His filmography as a cinematographer includes Halloween (1978), The Fog (1980), Escape from New York (1981), The Thing (1982), the Back to the Future trilogy (1985–1990), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Jurassic Park (1993), Apollo 13 (1995), and Garfield: The Movie (2004).
Halloween is a 1978 American independent slasher film directed and scored by John Carpenter, who co-wrote it with its producer Debra Hill. It stars Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, P. J. Soles, and Nancy Loomis. Set mostly in the fictional Illinois town of Haddonfield, the film follows mental patient Michael Myers, who was committed to a sanitarium for murdering his teenage sister one Halloween night during his childhood; he escapes 15 years later and returns to Haddonfield, where he stalks teenage babysitter Laurie Strode and her friends while his psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis pursues him.
Anthony Moran is an American actor and producer. He is known for briefly playing the unmasked Michael Myers in the 1978 horror classic Halloween. Since then, he has gone on to make guest appearances in television series The Waltons and CHiPs. He is the elder brother of fellow actors Erin Moran and John Moran.
Halloween is a 2018 American slasher film directed by David Gordon Green, and co-written by Green, Jeff Fradley and Danny McBride. It is the eleventh installment in the Halloween film series and a sequel to the 1978 film of the same name, while disregarding all previous sequels. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis who reprises her role as Laurie Strode. James Jude Courtney portrays Michael Myers, with Nick Castle returning to the role for a cameo. Halloween also stars Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Haluk Bilginer, and Virginia Gardner. Its plot follows a post-traumatic Laurie Strode who prepares to face Michael Myers in a final showdown on Halloween night, forty years after she survived his killing spree.
James Jude Courtney is an American actor, stunt double, and stunt performer. He is best known for playing fictional mass murderer Michael Myers in the 2018 film Halloween and its two sequels, Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends. He also played Der Kindestod in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Killed by Death".
Halloween Kills is a 2021 American slasher film directed by David Gordon Green, and co-written by Green, Danny McBride and Scott Teems. It is the sequel to 2018's Halloween and the twelfth installment in the Halloween franchise. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Thomas Mann, and Anthony Michael Hall. The film begins on the same night where the previous film ended with James Jude Courtney reprising his role as Michael Myers whose presence has become apparent to the residents of Haddonfield.
Halloween Ends is a 2022 American romantic slasher film directed by David Gordon Green, and co-written by Green, Danny McBride, Paul Brad Logan and Chris Bernier. It is the sequel to Halloween Kills (2021), the thirteenth installment in the Halloween franchise, and the final film in the trilogy of sequels that started with the 2018 film, which directly follows the 1978 film. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, Rohan Campbell, Will Patton, Kyle Richards, and James Jude Courtney. The plot follows the outcast Corey Cunningham who falls in love with Laurie Strode's granddaughter while a series of events, including crossing paths with Michael Myers, drives him to become a serial killer.
NICK CASTLE b. September 21, 1947, Los Angeles