Meeting 80s Stars At Chiller Theatre, Part 4: April 2019 And October 2019

Welcome to the fourth and final part of Meeting 80s Stars At Chiller Theatre. This article will cover my April 2019 and October 2019 visits to my favorite convention, but first a bit of background as to what happened in the months between October 2018 and April 2019. In early 2019, I was forced to cut down my hours at my retail job even further than they already were due to reasons I can't get into here. I was nervous about what that meant for my attending the Chiller Theatre convention in the future, but with the help of some good friends, as well as several different sources of money, I'll be able to attend Chiller for a long time to come.

Johnny Caps and Cathy Silvers

We start with the April 2019 Chiller, where the first 80s star I met was my Facebook friend, Cathy Silvers. Well-known to Happy Days fans for her role as Jenny Piccolo, my first exposure to Cathy's work came vIa her voice work as Marie Dodo in Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird. As I did with Caroll Spinney and Eddie Deezen when I met them at Chiller, I told Cathy of the impact Follow That Bird had on me as both a child and adult. For more about Ms. Silvers' life and work, here's a link to my Pop Geeks interview with her from last year.

Johnny Caps and Samantha Fox

After Cathy, I met famous 80s singer and model Samantha Fox, making her return to the Chiller Theatre convention for the first time since October of 2013, two shows before I started attending Chiller regularly. As I've mentioned before, Samantha Fox was my first successful phone interview subject, and I was glad I had the chance to finally meet her in person. For a more in-depth look at meeting Samantha Fox, here's a Pop Geeks article I wrote about meeting Samantha, but the short version is that Samantha is as cheeky and sweet as her music is, and she's fantastic with her fans.

Johnny Caps and Lee Grant

Lee Grant was back at Chiller, but only for Friday night of the show. I knew I had to meet her again. After all, she's a legend of film. She was just as friendly in April of 2019 as she was in April of 2018. I had her sign a photo of her and Sam Wanamaker in the 1976 movie Voyage Of The Damned, and I asked her if Wanamaker, who moved to England when he was blacklisted, had a British accent off-screen. She said no, but that's something I've always wondered about Americans who spend extensive time abroad. Do they adopt the accents of the countries they're in?

Johnny Caps and Mark Patton

Next up was Mark Patton, who memorably played Jesse in A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge. I'd recently been added again as a Facebook friend of Mark's shortly before the April 2019 Chiller, and Mark was just as friendly in person as he is online. We talked about ANOES 2 and its' impact on audiences. If I recall correctly, I also mentioned that I was one of the Kickstarter backers of his documentary Scream, Queen!: My Nightmare On Elm Street. Mark is a kind and compassionate person, and I encourage you to meet him if he comes to a convention near you.

Johnny Caps and Jack Sholder

Signing alongside Mark was another Facebook friend of mine, Jack Sholder, who directed Mark in ANOES 2, and also directed one of the best sci-fi action movies of the 80s, The Hidden. That was the movie I got an autographed picture from, and I had the chance to tell Jack what a fantastic movie it was. I hope that a label like Scream Factory might get their hands on The Hidden to make a Special Edition Blu-Ray of the movie.

Johnny Caps and Oliver Robins

I then met a future Facebook friend in Oliver Robins, who memorably played Robbie Freeling in the first two Poltergeist movies, classics of 80s horror cinema. We talked about the films, and he had an interesting viewpoint on who really directed Poltergeist. It's sadly slipped my mind, but if I ever interview Oliver, I'll ask him again. In the meantime, I had him sign a picture from Poltergeist of the attempted clown strangulation with the personalization, "Johnny, clowns suck! Oliver Robins".

Johnny Caps and Christine Elise

After Oliver, I met another future Facebook friend and interview subject, Christine Elise. Well-known to 90s audiences for her work as Kyle in Child's Play 2 and Emily Valentine on Beverly Hills, 90210, Christine was part of the revolutionary Boston punk scene of the 70s and 80s before her acting career started in the late 80s with appearances on shows like Head Of The Class and Baywatch.

Christine is fantastic when it comes to meeting her fans. Having seen her Head Of The Class episodes, I found her to have some great comic timing, and that timing extends to her work as a writer as well. Her book, Bathing And The Single Girl, is razor-sharp witty, and I plan on revisiting it soon. In the meantime, I look forward to Christine's eventual return to the Chiller Theatre convention. She's an amazing person in every way.

Johnny Caps and Tony Danza

The next 80s star I met, Tony Danza, was making his second appearance at Chiller Theatre. His first appearance was at the October 2017 Chiller, but I didn't think to meet him at the time. I remedied that this time out, and I found Mr. Danza to be very friendly. Not only did I get his autograph for myself, I also got autographs of him for Emerald Point's Wall Of Fame and for my friend Adam on his She's Out Of Control VHS cover, which was previously signed by Ami Dolenz after I interviewed her for Pop Geeks in 2018.

Johnny Caps and Morgan Fairchild

Near to Tony was Morgan Fairchild, one of the reasons why I'm such a big fan of the pop culture of the 1980s. Her acting roles, her great beauty, and her activism for noble causes are all things I think of when it comes to the 80s, and it was wonderful to meet her in person. I got her autograph on a very 80s photo of her that looked like it could be an album cover for her, and if I recall correctly, I had her sign it, "Johnny, let's rock and roll. Morgan Fairchild". I would actually meet Morgan again at the October 2021 Chiller, and she was just as friendly the second time I met her.

Johnny Caps and Pamela Sue Martin

I then met Pamela Sue Martin, well-known to 80s fans for her work on Dynasty. I made an impression on her by doing a few bars of the White Guy and Wife rap from Pamela's SNL appearance in Season 10, and she enjoyed recounting her appearance on that show. I got Pamela's Playboy signed on Friday night, and I would get her autograph on a Dynasty photo on Sunday of the show as well. Pamela was friendly to meet, and I plan on sending her an interview request soon. In the meantime, I went up to my hotel room for the night to rest up for Saturday, the busiest day of the show.

Johnny Caps and Cheryl Ladd

The first star I met on Saturday was Cheryl Ladd, well-known to 80s fans for her work in movies like Purple Hearts and Millennium. When I met Cheryl, I asked her about appearing on The Muppet Show, which she had fond memories of, and she signed a bikini photo with my favorite personalization, "Johnny, let's go for a swim! Cheryl Ladd". She was fantastic to meet.

Johnny Caps and Larry Hankin

Equally fantastic to meet was another future Facebook friend of mine, Larry Hankin. The versatile Mr. Hankin has been performing for decades with no signs of slowing down. When I met Larry, I talked about how I thought it was cool that he appeared in the music video for Janet Jackson's What Have You Done For Me Lately?, leading to a brief discussion about celebrity appearances in music videos. For more in-depth stories from Larry's life and career, here's a link to my Pop Geeks interview with him from 2019.

Johnny Caps and Cindy Pickett

Around the corner from Larry was Cindy Pickett, who played Katie Bueller in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I'd briefly interacted with her on our mutual Facebook friend Terry Soto's page a while prior, and in that interaction, I brought up her 1980 collaboration with Roger Vadim, Night Games. Although she expressed some reluctance in talking about that movie on social media, she did have a sexy shot from that movie available for signing, so I went for it.

Johnny Caps and Lyman Ward

Signing alongside Cindy was Lyman Ward, who played Tom Bueller in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and was married to Cindy in real life for a period of time as well. If I recall correctly, we discussed how people apply the Alternate Character Interpretation trope to Ferris Bueller's Day Off. In my opinion, I see Ferris the way the movie wants us to see him, as a hero. Some people, though, view Ferris as a manipulative jerk, but the way I see it, you need to watch the movie through the eyes of a teenager. What teenager honestly likes school, anyway?

Johnny Caps and Piper Laurie

The next star in the grand parade was Piper Laurie, the three-time Oscar nominee well-known to 80s fans for her work in movies like Return To Oz and Children Of A Lesser God. When I met her, though, I talked about her work in the 70s horror classic Carrie. That was a very powerful film, and I'm glad I had the chance to tell Piper about the impact it had on me and so many others. Conventions are a way for fans to say thank you to the stars whose work impacted them, and in some cases, changed their lives. It's a great feeling.

Johnny Caps and George Wyner

After Piper, I met George Wyner, the third Spaceballs cast member I met at Chiller, following in the footsteps of Brenda Strong and Stephen Tobolowsky. We talked about how the movie didn't initially do well with critics or at the box office, but would find its' audience on home video. For many kids, myself included, Spaceballs is their first introduction to Mel Brooks. Strange how things can work out like that.

Johnny Caps and Felipe Rose

Two former members of Village People were at this Chiller, so I knew I had to meet them. I started out by meeting Felipe Rose, the original Indian of the group. Felipe was very kind to meet. We talked about Can't Stop The Music, and I said to him that I didn't think it was as bad as some others do. I said that the music helped the movie out tremendously. After all, Village People did some memorable tunes, music that stays in your head when you hear it.

Johnny Caps and Randy Jones

Alongside Mr. Rose was Village People's original cowboy, Randy Jones. I talked positively about Can't Stop The Music with Randy as well, and I also mentioned that I liked his more recent solo song Hard Times. When I can, I like to mention different credits to the stars I meet that aren't necessarily what they might be there for. Maybe it's a more obscure movie, or a deep cut from a more recent album, but I like to think outside the box when I meet the stars I admire.

Johnny Caps and Liane Curtis

Speaking of stars I admire, my Facebook friend, and 2016 interview subject, Liane Curtis was the next star I met. We had discussed conventions in our interview, and it was great to meet Liane in person. She recognized me before I even had the chance to open my mouth, and meeting in person solidified our friendship. When you finally meet a friend in person that you'd previously known only through the phone or social media, it's a wonderful feeling, and Liane is a wonderful person. This isn't the last time you'll be hearing about in this article, though.

Johnny Caps and Mary-Margaret Humes

After Liane, I met Mary-Margaret Humes, whom I recognized from Mel Brooks' History Of The World, Part 1. She talked positively about working on that movie, saying she had a lot of fun. This was a few years out from Hulu's announcement of the upcoming series History Of The World, Part 2. so part of me wonders if Ms. Humes might come back for the show. After all, Mel Brooks himself is coming back.

Johnny Caps and Matthew Rettenmund

The next star I met was author and Facebook friend Matthew Rettenmund, the author of books like Boy Culture and Encylopedia Madonnica, the latter of which has recently been revised to cover even more about Madonna than was covered in the previous installments. Matthew was attending as a convention-goer like myself, but he's just as talented an author as the actors, musicians and artists who attend Chiller are in their fields.

Germane to this website, though, Matthew wrote the book Totally Awesome 80s, a book I discovered in the early years of my 80s fandom. He was very fair to the decade in the book, and I thanked him for that. If I recall correctly, I said I found his writing to be more respectful than VH1's I Love The 80s programs. I look forward to hopefully crossing paths with Matthew at another Chiller Theatre in the future so we can get a clearer picture.

Johnny Caps and Annabella Lwin

Returning to official guests, I next met Annabella Lwin, the lead singer of Bow Wow Wow. When I spoke to her, I talked about how, when I first heard the song C30 C60 C90 Go!, I thought it was about explosives. She found that fascinating, and I was able to tell her that I later figured out it was about cassette tapes. Annabella was fantastic to meet, and I should really consider putting together an interview request for her.

Johnny Caps and James Daughton

There was another Animal House reunion at the April 2019 Chiller, and this time out, I first met James Daughton, who played Greg Marmalard in the movie, and would go on to have memorable 80s credits in movies like Spies Like Us and Girlfriend From Hell, the latter of which was with the aforementioned Liane Curtis. Mr. Daughton had sent me a friend request on Facebook a few months prior, and again, we hit it off instantly. He's currently in Facebook jail for an extended period due to some rabble-rousing posts, but I hope to touch base with him again someday soon.

Johnny Caps and Otis Day

Also part of the Animal House reunion was Otis Day, also known as Dewayne Jessie. Otis would appear in memorable 80s movies like The Star Chamber and D.C Cab, but I went for an Animal House picture. If I recall correctly, the personalization I went with was, "Johnny, you make me wanna shout! Otis Day". That's something else I often do at Chiller. I'll have musicians personalize with their lyrics. It's a little bit different, but again, I think outside the box.

Johnny Caps and Aileen Quinn

After Otis, I met Aileen Quinn, who played Annie in the 1982 film adaptation of the Broadway musical. I had asked her to sign a picture from that movie with the personalization, "Johnny, don't trust the 2014 version. Aileen Quinn", but she politely declined, saying she had friends who worked on that movie. I instead opted for a personalization from the song Tomorrow. We also had a discussion about her work with Cannon Films on The Frog Prince. She was polite about them, but if I ever have the chance to interview her, I'll have to go more in-depth than a convention conversation can be.

I milled around until the end of the show that Saturday, and then I went up to my room. I did second visits with a few more talents on Sunday, but there was a rather awkward event as well. I'm a member of the Chiller Theatre Fans group on Facebook, and have been for several years. Not only was I sharing news of guest announcements, but guest cancellations as well. Here comes the awkward event.

I was informed by a Chiller staffer that my mentions of guest cancellations in the group were causing other attendees to get upset at the Chiller staff. I tried apologizing, but I ended up a weeping wreck. Chiller is my favorite show, and if I ever cause anybody any upset in any field, I get upset with myself, not with the people who are upset with me. I didn't mean to bring that heat to the Chiller staff, but I inadvertently did.

I ran off crying, and in desperation, I visited Liane Curtis. She was only supposed to be there for Saturday, but she had so much fun she stayed on for Sunday as well. I poured my heart out to Liane about what happened, and as I cried, she held me like a mother would. It would take a while for the upset to get fully out of my system, but Liane definitely helped the pain lessen. While we were already friends, her comforting nature solidified our friendship.

I would later make up with the Chiller staffer who informed me of the issue, and we would become Facebook friends again. Still, the events of that Sunday really rattled me. When I post about guest cancellations now, I always make sure to tell people not to get upset with the Chiller staff. It's all beyond their control, and I don't want the staffers, many of whom are my friends, to get heat for things beyond their control.

I was thinking that the April 2019 Chiller was going to be my last one, but I didn't want my last memory of Chiller before an extended break to be breaking down crying, so when they started making announcements for the October 2019 Chiller, I knew that I wanted my time at Chiller to end in a more positive way. I went to my funds, continued saving up money from my job, and made what I thought would be my final Chiller appearance for a few years that October.

Johnny Caps and Scott Schwartz

The first star I met was before the show officially got underway. I got a picture with Scott Schwartz, my Facebook friend and a man with experiences far beyond A Christmas Story. Scott's worked in fields of all sorts from stand-up comedy to pro wrestling to adult films, and he's a presence at every Chiller, not only as a guest but also helping out the staff of the show all weekend. I'd interviewed Scott on the red carpet of the Hoboken International Film Festival earlier that year, and he remembered me from there and Facebook. Not only was Scott the first star I met at the October 2019 Chiller, he would be the last star as well.

Johnny Caps and Sondra Currie

When the show officially began, I started it off by meeting another Facebook friend, Sondra Currie. An active stage and screen presence for decades, 80s fans will recognize her from movies like The Last Married Couple In America and The Concrete Jungle, as well as appearances on TV shows like Magnum P.I, Three's Company and The Golden Girls. Our brief conversation at that Chiller would lead into a more in-depth interview a few months later, shortly before the COVID pandemic began. Here's that interview for your reading pleasure.

Johnny Caps and Nia Peeples

The October 2019 Chiller played host to a reunion of the 1982 TV version of Fame. I met two cast members from the show that weekend, and the first was Nia Peeples. Although she was there for a Fame reunion, I'd purchased a bikini picture of her from the 1987 movie North Shore for her to sign. Nia was fantastic to meet. I haven't had much luck in setting up an interview with her yet, but I'll put it out there into the universe that it will happen within the next year. After all, this Chiller is worth revisiting mostly for good reasons, but also for a bad reason as well.

Johnny Caps and Barbi Benton

Barbi Benton was back at Chiller four years after her previous appearance, and she looked lovely as always. I thought I looked dumb in our first photos from 2015, although she looked gorgeous as always, so when I saw that she was doing the sit in your lap photo op again, I knew I wanted to get some better pictures, and we did. I'm more attentive in this photo, and I look a lot happier. I'm glad I had the chance to do this picture again.

Johnny Caps and Danielle Brisebois

Also attending this Chiller was actress/singer/model Danielle Brisebois, whom 80s fans would recognize from Archie Bunker's Place and the cult classic sequel Big Bad Mama II. What I talked about with Danielle, though, was her music. She's an accomplished songwriter who, among other credits, wrote Pocketful Of Sunshine and Unwritten for Natasha Bedingfield, and was nominated for an Oscar for Lost Stars from Begin Again. I told her that I thought she was robbed of a win, and if I ever have the chance to interview her, I'll go more in-depth about my thoughts on the subject.

Johnny Caps and Julia Montgomery

The October 2019 Chiller also played host to a Revenge Of The Nerds reunion, so I met several cast members from that movie, starting with my Facebook friend, Julia Montgomery. I went in a different direction with Julia. Instead of getting a Revenge Of The Nerds picture signed, I brought her a trade advertisement for the VHS release of her 1989 action movie Savage Justice. She was pleasantly surprised by that, and I told her that I enjoyed the movie. See what I mean when I talk about different credits?

Johnny Caps and Robert Carradine

Speaking of which, I next met Robert Carradine. Although I got his autograph on a Revenge Of The Nerds photo, I told him that my first exposure to his nerd character was through the 1988 Disney special Totally Minnie. He was also pleasantly surprised by my bringing that credit up. I hope that might get put up on Disney+ someday. It's one of Disney's most 80s creations, and I say that as a compliment because I'm an 80s fan.

Johnny Caps and Nancy Allen

Facebook friend Nancy Allen made her return to Chiller in October of 2019 as well, so I got an updated picture with her, one that I think was in a better light than our first one. She remembered me from the first time we met, and she was just as friendly the second time out. She was also okay with signing the sexy picture of her I purchased off eBay. You never know how someone might react to a photo like that, but Nancy was very friendly about it.

Johnny Caps and Peter Jason

After Nancy, I met veteran character actor Peter Jason, well-known in the 80s for frequent collaborations with Walter Hill and John Carpenter. A lot of Peter's onscreen characters are brash, but he's very friendly and kind in person. We talked about his work in 48 HRS, and we talked about trying to keep a straight face when it came to Eddie Murphy's lines. We also briefly discussed They Live as well. If Peter comes back to Chiller, I'll have to get a They Live picture signed.

Johnny Caps and Austin Pendleton

Next up was Austin Pendleton, who was making his convention debut at Chiller Theatre. Recognizable to 80s audiences for his work in movies like Short Circuit and Hello Again, Austin was a very friendly man to meet. We talked about his work in The Muppet Movie, which I knew he didn't exactly like working on, but I told him that I thought he did a great job in it, and he appreciated hearing that.

Johnny Caps and Priscilla Barnes

After Austin, I met my Facebook friend Priscilla Barnes, known to 80s audiences for her work on Three's Company and in movies like Licence To Kill. Priscilla still looks as lovely now as she did in the 80s, and she was very friendly to me when we met, recognizing me from Facebook. I got her autograph on two rather sexy photos of her I found on eBay, and she joked about the photos, but in a way that indicated she had good memories of the shoots.

Johnny Caps and Kristy McNichol

Another returning guest from the October 2016 Chiller was Kristy McNichol. This time out, I'd brought a vintage press shot of her out and about to sign. She thought it was a cool photo, and if I recall correctly, she said it was taken when attending one of her brother Jimmy's concerts. Remembering me from the October 2016 Chiller, we got a new picture together, and this one was far better-quality than our first photo. As with so many guests I've discussed in these articles, if Kristy comes to a convention near you, be sure to say hello to her. She's very kind and friendly.

Johnny Caps and Cherie Currie

I then met Cherie Currie again. Literally the second guest I ever met at Chiller Theatre, she remembered me from five years back, and it was a pleasure to see her again. This time out, I purchased a press photo from her 1980 movie Foxes for her to sign, and she thought it was a cool image. I look forward to Cherie's next Chiller appearance, which I hope happens sooner than later.

Johnny Caps and Brie Howard

Signing alongside Cherie was her friend and frequent musical collaborator Brie Howard. I recognized Brie from the cult classic 80s sci-fi movie Android, and from the cult classic 80s band American Girls. Brie was wonderful to talk to, and the following year, I would befriend her on Facebook, leading to an in-depth Pop Geeks interview. Brie is an amazing storyteller who has led a very interesting life, so check out our interview at this link for some of those fantastic stories.

Johnny Caps and Michael Beck

Another big reunion at this Chiller was a Warriors reunion, and Michael Beck, my Facebook friend whom I met at Chiller three years prior, was back for the reunion at the October 2019 show. This time out, I got his autograph not for me, but for my longtime friend Adam. Michael signed Adam's Warriors VHS cover and a Xanadu comic book. We got a new picture together as well, and Michael was just as friendly as ever.

Johnny Caps and David Harris

Another Warriors cast member, David Harris, invited me over to get a picture with, and autograph of, him. I recognized him from the 80s movies Fire With Fire and Fatal Beauty, among other credits, so I went for it. David was also very friendly to meet. While I didn't meet all the Warriors cast members at that show, I would meet one more, but he'll be at the end of the article. I went up to my hotel room to get some sleep, and was up early again for Saturday of the show.

Johnny Caps and Cynthia Gibb

I started out by going back to the Fame reunion room for an autograph of, and picture with, Cynthia Gibb. A versatile talent who looks as lovely now as she did in the 80s, I got Cynthia's autograph not on a Fame picture, but on a picture from her movie Modern Girls, which I told her I thought was an underrated movie that deserved more credit than it got. If you want a movie that captures the nightlife scene of mid-80s L.A in a very intriguing way, try to track down a copy of Modern Girls. It's a fantastic film.

Johnny Caps and Hayley Mills

I met the first of three Oscar winners who attended the October 2019 Chiller when I got an autograph of, and picture with, Hayley Mills. As a long-time Disney fan, I went back a long way with Hayley's work, and I got her autograph on a vintage press photo for a 1981 television special she co-hosted with Pearl Bailey about Disney animation up to The Fox And The Hound. She enjoyed seeing that photo. I tried giving her my card regarding an interview, but was understandably hurried along by her handler because it was a very busy weekend for Ms. Mills.

Johnny Caps and Tatum O'Neal

Up next was the second Oscar winner I would meet at this Chiller, Tatum O'Neal. Tatum was actually at the October 2014 Chiller, but I was so overwhelmed by that show that I didn't think to meet her at the time. This time out, I was more prepared, and the picture I brought for Tatum to sign was a vintage press photo of her and George Michael at a party for Michael's album Faith.

Tatum thought the picture was so cool that she took a photo of it to send to her children before signing it. I told Tatum of how I developed an interest in the pop culture of the 80s, and how it related to my autism spectrum disorder, and she told me she thought she might be on the spectrum as well. If I ever have the chance to interview her, I'll definitely have to follow up on that.

Johnny Caps and Cassandra Peterson

I then met a previous interview subject of mine, and one I've been hoping to interview again ever since then. Cassandra Peterson, also known as Elvira, Mistress Of The Dark, was attending Chiller for Friday and Saturday of the show. She wasn't in her Elvira drag, but in or out of costume, Cassandra is an age-defying beauty. I got two autographs from her, one as Elvira and one as Cassandra. Ms. Peterson was very busy that weekend, but also very friendly.

Johnny Caps and Nell Campbell

The next star in the grand parade was Nell Campbell of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, although 80s fans would recognize her from that movie's sortaquel Shock Treatment, as well as roles in Pink Floyd: The Wall and The Killing Fields, and her work as a nightclub owner. When I spoke to Nell, though, I told her of how I loved her work in the movie Jubilee, a movie that was a fusion of practically every film genre you could imagine, and at least half-a-dozen more beyond that. Although she didn't have any pictures from that movie for signing, she spoke of Jubilee with great enthusiasm. It's a great movie you should all track down if you can.

Johnny Caps and Shirley Jones

I then met the third Oscar winner at this Chiller, and that would be Shirley Jones, the Partridge Family star known to 80s audiences for the movie Tank and appearances on shows like The Love Boat and Murder, She Wrote. I've heard recently that she's retired from all public appearances and autograph signings, so I'm lucky I got to the chance to meet her at this Chiller before she called it a day.

I'd actually gotten a personalized photo of Shirley from my friend Tracey when she attended another convention where Shirley was making an appearance, so although I got Ms. Jones' autograph, I didn't get it for me. I got it for the Wall Of Fame at my friend Erin's restaurant Emerald Point. If I recall correctly, Ms. Jones was the first Oscar winner whose autograph would be hanging on the Wall Of Fame. I like to help my friends out when I can.

I went up to my hotel room to relax for a bit, but the relaxation wouldn't last long as, unbelievably, someone called in a bomb threat for the second year in a row. I was in such a state of shock when this happened that I accidentally left my wallet and key in my hotel room. While the situation was eased a lot quicker this time out, we were all still rattled and upset anyway. The upset was not at the Chiller staff or the hotel staff, but at the putz who called in the threat.

Once everything was settled, I was able to get back to my hotel room with a new key to get access to my wallet. For the rest of the weekend, I wouldn't be without either. I retired for the evening a few hours later, and was up early the next day for what I figured would be my final Chiller before an extended break. I got pictures with the talent bookers I'm friends with, pictures with friends I've made through the show, and pictures with the staff, all in addition to the stars I met that Sunday.

Johnny Caps and The More Twins

I started out by meeting Camilla and Carey More, the twin actresses known to 80s movie fans for their roles as, respectively, Tina and Terri in Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter. I'd recently rewatched it in anticipation of meeting them, and they were very friendly. The More twins are British, so we talked about what it was like to be using American accents on film. I told them I found their American accents to be very convincing. I'm friends with Carey on Facebook, and I hope to interview her and Camilla someday.

Johnny Caps and Curtis Armstrong

I then met Curtis Armstrong, well-known to 80s fans as Booger in Revenge Of The Nerds and Herbert Viola on Moonlighting. I got his autograph on a Revenge Of The Nerds photo, and I also talked to him about how I prefer One Crazy Summer to Better Off Dead. He was understanding of where I was coming from as I find the dark comedy of Better Off Dead to be a little too dark, instead digging the combination of edginess and whimsy that was One Crazy Summer. I'm glad he was okay with me telling him that.

Johnny Caps and Jery Hewitt

The second-to-last star I met that weekend (another picture with Scott Schwartz being the last) was Jery Hewitt, the late, great stuntman who was there for the Warriors reunion as he was one of the Baseball Furies. Jery was the brother of my friend Don, also an accomplished stuntman. Don is married to my friend Mary, and Don was picking me up from the show to take me home. Naturally, he said hello to his brother and they talked for a bit. Having previously met Jery in October of 2015, although I didn't get a picture with him then, he recognized me, and I actually got a free autograph from him. He was very friendly, and he will be missed.

As the show ended, Don took me home, and I unwound from the weekend. I was feeling sad because I didn't know if I'd be able to go to Chiller again anytime soon due to the issues discussed at the beginning of this article. When they started announcing the guests for the April 2020 Chiller, though, I decided to go to my funds again and withdrew some money for what would be my return to the show after all.

Unfortunately, in March of 2020, COVID hit the United States, and many, many, MANY events were tabled. Sadly, that included the 2020 Chillers. It would take two years, but the Chiller Theatre convention came back in October of 2021, and I came back as well. For the stories behind the 80s stars at Chiller from October 2021, though, check out the following links at Pop Geeks:

Johnny Caps' Return To Chiller Theatre (October 2021)

Chiller Theatre April 2022: Johnny Caps Recaps

Chiller Theatre October 2022: Johnny Caps Recaps

Chiller Theatre April 2023: Johnny Caps Recaps

I hope you all enjoyed this mini-series. I would like to thank you all for reading this. I would like to thank Kevin Clement, my friend and the man behind the Chiller Theatre convention, for putting this show on twice a year. Finally, I thank all the stars mentioned in this mini-series, many of whom have become friends of mine, for being so kind and wonderful to meet. You've all given me memories that will last a lifetime.

Until then, keep the spirit of the 80s alive.