Considering his short directing career before his untimely death, William Girdler delivered an impressive number of drive-in shockers that have gone on to garner a loyal cult following. Almost everyone here has likely seen his "Jaws" knock-off sensation, "Grizzly" (1976). Starting off as a local filmmaker in Louisville, KY, Girdler made the infamous "Asylum of Satan" (1972) and "Three on a Meathook" (1973) before making his mark in the blaxploitation genre with Pam Grier in "Sheba, Baby" (1975) and the notorious "Exorcist" knock-off, "Abby" (1974). He finally hit it big in Hollywood with the box-office success of "Grizzly" in 1976, and went on to make the nature runs amok film, "Day of the Animals" (1977) and the mind boggling, "The Manitou" (1978), staring Tony Curtis as a phony psychic who must do battle with a 400-year old Native American demon growing out of a tumor on Susan Strasberg's neck!
While scouting locations for his next film in the Philippines, Girdler died in a helicopter accident and was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery in his hometown of Louisville. There's plenty of information about the man and his films at www.williamgirdler.com (http://www.williamgirdler.com).
Today, I journeyed deep into the Southern Gothic nether regions of Cave Hill Cemetery to pay tribute to the man who brought me so much guilty pleasure in many nights of late show, buttered popcorn joy. Here is the gravesight you would see if you made the pilgrimage yourself.
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This is my favorite photo. Note the tag line on the mini poster.
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After the Cave Hill Cemetery visit, I drove down the street to Eastern Cemetery where one of William Girdler's favorite reoccurring character actors, Charles Kissinger, is buried. Not only did 'Charlie' appear in Girdler's "Asylum of Satan" and "Three on a Meathook," but he was also Louisville's own Shock Theater style horror movie host. He was The FearMonger on Channel 41's "Fright Night" from 1971 to 1975. You can find out much more about Charles Kissinger, The FearMonger and "Fright Night" at Dave Conover's tribute website at http://www.williamgirdler.com/kissinger.html. (http://www.williamgirdler.com/kissinger.html.)
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COOL!! LOVE this guy's flicks!!We're huge death hags here too........but sadly, there's no one left here whose grave needs to be hunted.
Cool! I just mentioned in another thread how much fun it would be to take a vacation and visit famous graves! I want to do it and get charcoal rubbings off of them.
That first website is on my "favorites" list. His film making history is just so mesmerizing to read about. Didn't he comment once that he would die young? Loved his movies and it's really cool you got to see his burial place, RRW. Thanks for sharing.