Whatever Happened to The Original Fright Night Cast?

With the release of a 21st Century Fright Night, the original cult movie has begun to get a lot of interest again. But what happened to the original cast?

William Ragsdale (Charley Brewster)

Ragsdale stayed working in the movies for a short time, but has spent most of his career working in television. Best known for working on Herman’s Head as Herman, Ellen as Dan, and in Judging Amy as Charles Duff. Ragsdale often turns up in popular TV shows having roles in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Desperate Housewives, Cold Case and CSI Miami. Most recently he has been found in popular FX series Justified in which he stars as Gary Hawkins.

Ragsdale despite his fame from Fright Night, says he can happily walk down the street without being recognised with the cult movie.

Stephen Geoffreys (Evil Ed)

Geoffreys had the most unexpected career move shortly after Fright Night, having stayed in movies specifically horror films which included 976-Evil, he changed performing name to Sam Ritter, and became a gay porn star, occasionally adopting a third name of Stephen Bordeaux (in more extreme roles).

Now to old to be of any real interest in the world of gay porn, Geoffrey’s works the movie festival circuits. In 2007 he appeared in Indie smash hit Sick Girl, and now works occasionally on straight to DVD features.

Amanda Bearse (Amy)

Bearse stayed for only a short time in the movie world, having come from television, two years after Fright Night she returned to television taking the role of Marcy D’Arcy in 247 episodes of Married With Children over a ten-year period.  In 1993 she opening revealed to the world that she was a Lesbian, and does a lot of work promoting Lesbian issues. She adopted a girl called Zoe, and lives with her partner Carrie. She recently returned to television as a judge on the TV hit Drop Dead diva.

Chris Sarandon (Jerry)

Sarandon will always be best known for Fright Night, it’s the first movie that comes into anyone’s head when you mention his name. Sarandon has always stayed in the public eye, but chose to take smaller roles in films and television, over the years he has starred in The Princess Bride, Child’s Play, A Nightmare Before Christmas, Deep Space Nine, Bordello Of Blood, Judging Amy and Law and Order SVU. Most recently he was the only member of the original cast to make an appearance in the Fright Night remake, as a motorist who comes face to face with Colin Farrel’s interpretation of the character he played in the original.

Roddy McDowell (Peter Vincent)

McDowell kept working right up until his death in 1998, he spent most of that time doing vocals for animated shows such as Pinky and The Brain and Batman. McDowell who was often found chain smoking when not at work, died of Lung Cancer, when asked by a co-star after diagnosis of the disease if he should cut back McDowell replied “the Damage is done now!”

While loved in Fright Night, McDowell will always be best remembered as Cornelius/Caesar in The Planet Of The Apes movies.