Who the hell is Marty Schiff? If you don’t know the answer to that question then you are probably not one of the millions of compulsive fans of George A. Romero’s original 1979 zombie opus “Dawn of the Dead”. Marty was one of the lucky few to portray both a ghoul and a biker in that legendary horror film. You might recognize him as the first mall raider to heave a cream pie at the walking dead in “Dawn”’s darkly slapstick climax. If you’re still having trouble putting a face with the name, pop in your “Creepshow” DVD, skip to the end and there you’ll see Marty with his old pal Tom Savini (a.k.a. “The King of Splatter”) in their scene stealing roles as garbage men (It’s a comic book!! A comic book!!).
Although having appeared in two of the greatest horror movies of the past thirty years directed by the genre’s supreme auteur is undoubtedly an enviable position for any actor, Marty Schiff is far more than the sum of his auspicious bit parts. He is a bonafide player — a multiple hyphenate who has done virtually everything that can be done in front of or behind a camera. From winning an LA Drama Critics Award for his work in theatre to his unforgettable role as “Hern Bereford” on Nickelodeon’s groundbreaking ’80s kids’ show “Out of Control” to his countless TV and commercial appearances, Schiff has literally done it all.
Now primarily focused on producing, Marty Schiff is poised to return to his genre roots in a big way with “Tom Savini’s Chill Factor”, a straight to DVD series that promises to give horror a much needed kick in the a*s with a blend of Twilight Zone-styled twists and the hardcore scares that fans have been denied for far too long. Co-created by Schiff, writer Jeff Monahan and longtime friend and associate Tom Savini who serves as the series’ namesake and host, “Chill Factor” is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated horror offerings of the year.
In this interview, Marty Schiff gives the ultimate insider’s glimpse into “Tom Savini’s Chill Factor” and its decades long journey from creative spark to completed first episode as well as insight into the evolution of his own eclectic career, his love of horror films and the beginnings of his long association with Romero, Savini and “Dawn of the Dead”.
Get the interview in part two of GRAVEYARD SCHIFF>>>
