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Nick Castle | |
|---|---|
 Castle atGalaxyCon Raleigh in 2024 | |
| Born | (1947-09-21)September 21, 1947 (age 77) |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1970–present |
Nicholas Castle (born September 21, 1947 inKingsport, Tennessee[1][2]) is an American screenwriter, film director, and actor. He is known for playingMichael Myers inJohn Carpenter's horror filmHalloween (1978).[3][4] He also had a cameo as Myers inHalloween (2018). Castle also co-wroteEscape from New York (1981) with Carpenter.[5] AfterHalloween, Castle became a director, taking the helm of films such asThe Last Starfighter (1984),The Boy Who Could Fly (1986),Dennis the Menace (1993), andMajor Payne (1995).[6]
Castle's film credits includeDark Star where he played the beach ball alien,Major Payne,Dennis the Menace,The Last Starfighter, andConnors' War as a director. He wrote the screenplays for the filmsEscape from New York andHook. He was the writer and director of the filmTap.
In 1978, he played the iconic starring role ofMichael Myers in the classichorror filmHalloween, directed by former USC classmateJohn 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 inThe Fog, co-writing the script ofEscape from New York, and performing the title song ofBig Trouble in Little China as part of the band The Coup De Villes, alongside Carpenter and another friend, writer/directorTommy Lee Wallace. AfterHalloween, Castle had his directorial debut inTag: The Assassination Game, followed by taking the helm of films such asThe Last Starfighter,The Boy Who Could Fly,Dennis the Menace, andMajor Payne.[6]
Castle wroteAugust Rush, a musical-drama directed byKirsten Sheridan and starringFreddie Highmore,Jonathan Rhys-Meyers,Robin Williams, andKeri Russell, which was released in 2007. He also stars as himself in the 2010 documentaryHalloween: The Inside Story by Filipino filmmaker Nick Noble.[9]
In 2018, Castle had a cameo as Michael Myers in the direct sequel,Halloween, directed byDavid Gordon Green, becoming the third actor to play Michael Myers more than once.[10][11] The announcement of Nick Castle's participation was widely reported as his retaking the role of Michael Myers he originated,[12] withstunt performerJames 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.[13] 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 acameo appearance,[14] Castle reprises his role in one scene withJamie Lee Curtis and did all of Michael Myers' breathing sounds in post-production.[10][11] Courtney referred to collaborating with Castle as an "honor", while Castle described it as a "passing of the torch".[15]
Castle won aSaturn Award for Best Writing forThe Boy Who Could Fly, a Silver Raven (forDelivering Milo), a Grand Prize (forThe 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 bySteven 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 |
NICK CASTLE b. September 21, 1947, Los Angeles
| Records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byasGrandpa Sawyer | Playing the same role over the longest time 39 years 10 months 2018 –2019 With:Jamie Lee Curtis | Succeeded by |
| Reprising a role after the longest time 39 years 10 months 2018 – 2022 | Succeeded byasRoberta Blureberry | |
| Preceded by Harrison Ford Mark Hamill | Playing the same role over the longest time 42 years 11 months 2021 – 2022 With: Jamie Lee Curtis | |
