Talk from the Crypt: An Interview with John Kassir
Summary
Host Michael Roffman and guest Andrew Bus interview John Kassir, the voice of the Crypt Keeper, to kick off a month of Tales from the Crypt coverage. Kassir recounts winning Star Search, his audition for HBO, and how the character’s voice evolved alongside the puppet’s animation. They discuss the show’s prestige production, its blend of horror and comedy, and its unexpected appeal to younger audiences.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Blood of Dawnwalker RPG
Intro: Host and Guest Andrew Busch
Introduction of John Kassir
Origin of the Crypt Keeper voice
Puppet mechanics and voice adaptation
Early career: Broadway and stand-up
Musical comedy and variety show days
Developing the TV-addicted persona
Pressure and existential crisis in career
Working with Robin Williams
Auditions and typecasting challenges
Voice acting: Deadpool and other roles
The Pocahontas raccoon audition story
Voice preservation and Warner Bros. roles
Evolution of the Crypt Keeper character
Becoming the Crypt Keeper identity
Tales from the Crypt production quality
Horror landscape and audience reaction
Kids watching HBO and the cartoon spin-off
HBO's prestige TV strategy
The 'It's not TV, it's HBO' tagline
Childhood horror movie memories
Reefer Madness musical origins
Reefer Madness stage to film journey
Scene with Kristen Bell in Reefer Madness
Favorite episodes: Ventriloquist's Dummy
Morty the Exterminator and It references
Closing remarks and Q&A fears
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