"The truth of it is when you get an audience to laugh and camp along with you, it's much easier to scare 'em again because they're using two sides of their emotions. It's much easier to set them up for a good cheap thrill scare again."
Robert Barton Englund (born June 6, 1947) is a classically trained actor, who primarily works in film and television.
He became famous for his contributions to horror genre, most notably with the role of Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street films.
However, he first hit the big time as the lovably innocent Willie in the V (1983) franchise. This created a TV image strong enough that when Freddy's Nightmares had an Origin Story story for Krueger, Englund's face was largely obscured to avoid associations with Willie.
Along with his acting work, he has also directed two movies; 976-EVIL in 1988 and Killer Pad in 2008.
Also, he and three others once fought a zombie-fied George A. Romero.
Appearances:
Film
- 2001 Maniacs (2005) — Mayor Buckman
- The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990) — Smiley
- Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006) — Doc Halloran
- C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud (1989) — Cameo as a man in trenchcoat
- Dead & Buried (1981) — Harry
- Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder — (1982) — Tripper
- Eaten Alive (1977) — Buck (Englund's film debut)
- Fear Clinic (2015) — Dr. Peter Andover
- Galaxy of Terror (1981) — Ranger
- Hatchet (2006) — Sampson
- Lake Placid: The Final Chapter (2012) — Jim Bickerman
- Lake Placid Vs Anaconda (2015) — Jim Bickerman again
- The Mangler (1995) — Bill Gartley
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984 - 2003) — Freddy Krueger
- The Phantom of the Opera (1989) — Erik Destler, The Phantom
- Python (2000) — Dr. Anton Rudolph
- 'Strangeland (1998) — Jack Roth
- Urban Legend (1998) — Professor Wexler
- Wishmaster (1997) — Raymond Beaumont
- Zombie Strippers! (2008) — Ian
Live-Action Television
- Babylon 5 — Jeremiah
- Chuck — Dr. Stanley Wheelwright
- Freddy's Nightmares — Freddy Krueger
- Married... with Children — "Lou"
- Nightmare Cafe — Blackie
- Supernatural — Dr. Robert
- V (1983) — Willie
- Bones — Ray Buxley
Video Games
- Call of Duty: Black Ops: Zombies — As Himself
- Mortal Kombat 9 — Freddy Krueger
- Super Hero Squad Online — Dormammu
- Injustice 2 — Scarecrow
Western Animation
- The Batman — The Riddler
- Green Lantern: The Animated Series — Myglom
- Hulk And The Agents Of Smash — Pluto
- Justice League — Felix Faust
- Regular Show — Stagman and Anti-Pops
- The Spectacular Spider-Man — The Vulture
- The Super Hero Squad Show — Dormammu
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) — Dream Beavers
Tropes associated with Robert Englund:
- As Himself: He plays himself as a character in Wes Craven's New Nightmare as well as a cameo in Call of Duty.
- Cool Old Guy: He's in his seventies and still seems endlessly enthusiastic about traveling and making movies.
- I Am Not Spock: He as been permanently Spocked as Freddy Krueger. To a lesser degree, he has also become typecast as a creepy/evil/weird guy in B-grade horror films. But these movies often feature Englund, and promote his inclusion, solely because of his "horror icon" status - a status he gained from playing Freddy.
- Large Ham: Not afraid to go over the top, as some of the later Nightmare movies show.
- Serendipity Writes the Plot: While a young actor friend was sleeping on his couch, Englund encouraged him to try out for a big-budget science-fiction movie Englund was considered for. The young actor did, and eventually won the part. The name of that friend? Mark Hamill.
- Motor Mouth: Get him going and he'll talk your ear off. His love of a good conversation has sometimes been an issue when he's getting the Freddy Krueger makeup applied.
