Commemorating Cowboy Turned Horror Hero
With zombie fever resurgence through HBO’s mega-hit The Last of Us, we must pay homage to the original cowboy turned horror hero: Clu Gulager. It’s coming up on a year since we lost him and nearly 38 years since his roles in Nightmare on Elm Street 2 and The Return of the Living Dead (1985).
The Return of the Living Dead
Clu’s turn as “Burt” in The Return of the Living Dead was a complete game changer for zombies on screen. Previous films portrayed zombies as mere flesh eaters. However, the zombies seen today as synonymous with hungering for brains came about from this cult classic. This interpretation would influence countless others and cement Clu’s status as a horror icon.
A Family Affair
You could say Clu’s love of performing was in his bloodline. His father was a former vaudevillian actor who became a county judge and inspired Clu’s acting career. In turn, Clu’s son, John, became a horror director of the film Feast, which spanned two sequels, both of which Clu acted in. Clu’s grandson even made an appearance in one as an 11-month-old. Sure, the infant could barely walk and talk, yet he couldn’t pass up the chance to appear onscreen with his iconic grandfather. It really was a family affair.
Oklahoman Cowboy
Clu Gulager wore a cowboy hat throughout his life because he was a quintessential Oklahoman cowboy. He got started playing a heightened version of himself in western classics like The Tall Man (1960), The Killers (1964), and The Last Picture Show (1971).
Paying it Forward
Despite his success, he always remembered his Oklahoman roots and even took a break from acting in 1968 to run film camps in his home state, according to The Oklahoman. As early as 1969, he ran a workshop that taught horror film acting and directing. He wanted to pay it forward.
Film Connoisseur
He is remembered as someone who loved sharing his love of film with friends and strangers. Clu frequented Los Angeles’s New Beverly Cinema and even garnered the attention of Quentin Tarantino, who owned the theater, so much so that he gave him a cameo in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).
Horror Held a Special Place in His Heart
Clu’s passion for acting never died down, and his film resume boasts an impressive 165 credits over a 70-year career. But horror, in particular, held a special place in his heart, as he believed in its power to unite people. “We need to laugh; we need to be scared; we need to hug our girl in the theater. It lightens the load of this crummy life.”
Celebrating Clu Gulager
So this is in celebration of one of horror’s most beloved figures, pop in The Return of the Living Dead, and for god’s sake, don’t let any zombies (or rabid weasels) in.
Commerative Video of Clu Gulgar’s Career (2022).
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Author
| Laura is a screenwriter and script consultant based in New York. She has a penchant for absurd comedy and psychological thrillers. |
