Too old to Scare???

[Jack Reaper]

I have been involved in one way or the other with a Haunt since the late 70's.
About the time I hit 30...I decided I was too old to be chasing teenagers around and became more of a management level since.

I was curious if there are 40 and over years of age that still have the energy to chase the patrons around?

[Jim Warfield]

Too Old?
I am 58 , I do the majority of the house tours here at Ravens Grin Inn which has me traveling almost half a mile up, down and around and under this house(seven physical levels!)
I got smarter long ago I don't "chase" I may have to hustle once and awhile from point "A" to pointless "B", but I designed in shortcuts for my path and lengthend the customers foot travel. Once and a while some punk who hasd been here more recently will decide to make it a race but I still usually win because of the path-thing and I am still quick for short distances.(especially in bed!)(poor wife!)
There is my one very popular shortcut , a fireman's pole, it gets me through real quick and they just can't se how I could be here and then there!?
Of course this pole is hidden from normal view.
As I get older I rely upon my natural gift of looking 58 years old to help me to unnerve many of them, yes I might drop dead and fall on you! SCARY!
I use storytelling and acting and no make up or actual costume, then when I get goofy they can't tell, "Is it real? Or Memorex?"

[Jack Reaper]

Yeah Jim...but we already know that you are not normal...hehehehehe

[mr-scary]

well I am low 30's and am in management with an acting roll. I don't see the urge to "act" ever leaving anytime soon.

[Jim Warfield]

When I was a small child (last week?) I was told that certain habits were detrimental to one's health, so I did not do those things because I wanted to be as healthy as possible to have as much fun in life as possible. In the 20 years I have now lived behind two taverns I have seen numerous people 50-52-55 years old drop dead from a combination of those habits, along with accidents caused by losing concentration due to foggy mental processes.
Maybe I am "different"?

[Warren Vanderdark]

I've been acting in haunts since the mid-70's (I'm 46) and I'll admit that if I even attempted to reprise my portrayal of the Wolfman from back then, I'd propbably end up being wheeled out on one of the old gurneys we have on hand. (It's terrible what age and extra poundage will do to one's agility, let me tell ya...)

In my current role as "owner" and host of The Baxter Avenue Morgue, I'll either walk into our funeral parlor or stand in the shadows of our front hallway, and give our guests an introduction and go down the list of rules they'll need to follow. And interestingly enough, I've been told that the fact that I'm just standing there in the dark, talking in a vaguely menacing manner to the customers, is one of the things that they've felt was TRULY scary, mainly because I'm not lunging around or making any sudden movements. It's the uncertainty, the not knowing what I might do, that's proven to be a very, very effective scare...

[Speculo]

I am in my mid 40s and still get after em! To me its more about what shape I am in when the season starts - some years I train more, some years the build is tougher and I am not as "ready" for very physical acting. Last year I didn't slide as much as normal, I just hadn't trained for it.

The great thing about Haunted House acting is however, you can shift your performance to your abilities. I think as long as you have the love of terrifying people, a certain level of talent, and a work ethic to keep going all night long, you can still be very effective with minimal exertion.

It just not as fun!

Thanks

Ben Armstrong
NETHERWORLD

[Jim Warfield]

Like one old guy here used to always say:" It's a great life, if you don't weaken!"

[Jim Warfield]

Of course he always also used to say:"When you get to be 65 they should send a guy around to ring your doorbell, when you answer the door he hits you alongside the head with a brick, putting you out of everyone's misery."

One day when he was 84 I asked him about that? He just grumbled.

Another time I was with him a local restaurant as the old woman waiting tables smiled and asked him, "How are you, Abie?"
Without hesitation he said, "As if you give a dam!", with not a smile or a hint of a smile upon his face.
Look in the Dictionary , find the word "Groutch" and there was Abie's picture.
Heather Mc Addams cartoonist fir the Chicago Reader who did the cartoon of what it is like to go through my house (seen on my web site) Said, "The older and uglier you get, it just fits the haunted house better!". No other job where this happens , I guess?

[Nightgore]

At Kings Island I worked with a man who was 74! Believe it or not, he was terrorfying! He stood about 6'3", thin and had a beard to his belly-button... we're talking ZZTOP!!! Basically, he stood totally stiff like a statue (and HUNDREDS of people thought he was fake) and while people are looking on him, another actor opposite of this guy would jump out and scare the sh*t out of people!

Age, nothing to do with haunting... anyone and everyone CAN be scary! HAHAHA... -Tyler