John Amplas
{{short description|American actor (born 1949)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = John Amplas
| image = Johnamplasbw.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|6|23}}
| birth_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| occupation = Actor
}}
John Amplas (born June 23, 1949){{Cite web|work=AllMovie|title=John Amplas|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/john-amplas-p1417|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200326194450/https://www.allmovie.com/artist/john-amplas-p1417|archive-date=March 26, 2020|url-status=live}} is an American actor known primarily for his work with director George A. Romero,{{cite web|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/person/1417/John-Amplas/biography|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030144749/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/1417/John-Amplas/biography|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-10-30|department=Movies & TV Dept.|publisher=Baseline & All Movie Guide|date=2013|title=The New York Times}} particularly his appearances in the title role of Martin (1977), as well as Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Creepshow (1982).
Biography
Amplas's first film with George A. Romero was the cult film Martin (1977), in which he played the title role of a man who believes himself to be a vampire.{{sfn|Williams|2015|pages=83, 108}} The character of Martin was initially an older man{{cite web|last=Knipfel|first=Jim|title=Martin: George Romero’s Teen Vampire Movie is One of His Best|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/martin-george-romeros-teen-vampire-movie-is-one-of-his-best/|work=Den of Geek|date=October 19, 2017|access-date=June 5, 2021}} but after Romero saw Amplas in a Pittsburgh production of Philemon he decided to rewrite the part to suit Amplas and cast him in the role.{{Cite web|last=Sciullo|first=Maria|title='Martin' star recalls George Romero |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/movies/2017/07/17/George-Romero-Martin-John-Amplas/stories/201707180020|work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=July 17, 2017|access-date=June 5, 2021}}
Thereafter, he appeared in a number of other films directed by Romero, including Dawn of the Dead (1978),{{sfn|Kane|2010|p=141}} Knightriders (1981),{{sfn|Williams|2015|p=274}} Creepshow (1982),{{sfn|Kane|2010|p=137}} and Day of the Dead (1985),{{sfn|Kane|2010|p=141}} as well as Toxic Zombies (1980),{{sfn|Allbright|2012|p=287}} and Midnight (1982), directed by John Russo.{{sfn|Allbright|2012|p=291}}
He acted in a horror concept teaser entitled The Three (2011) directed by filmmaker Scott Goldberg which also features co-lead from Day of the Dead Lori Cardille.[http://www.blogtalkradio.com/undeadnoise/2011/03/02/undeaad-noise-with-mistress-barbie-and-the-primal-root-ep-11/ John Amplas - BioGamer Girl Magazine] He starred also in the feature film adaption of the Rob Steigert short film Ombis.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/55308/new-trailer-ombis-interview-special-effects-artist-phill-beith|title=New Trailer for Ombis; Interview with Special Effects Artist Phill Beith|publisher=DreadCentral}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | 1977
| Martin | Martin Mathias | | style="text-align:center;"| {{sfn|Williams|2015|p=83}} |
| scope="row"| 1978
| 2nd Man on Roof | Uncredited | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 1980
| Philips | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 1981
| Whiteface | | style="text-align:center;"| {{sfn|Williams|2015|p=110}} |
| scope="row"| 1982
| Nathan as zombie | | style="text-align:center;"| {{sfn|Williams|2015|p=274}} |
| scope="row"| 1982
| Midnight | Abraham | | style="text-align:center;"| {{sfn|Stine|2003|p=187}} |
| scope="row"| 1985
| Dr. Ted Fisher | | style="text-align:center;"| {{sfn|Williams|2015|p=141}} |
| scope="row"| 1994
|No Pets | Eddie Buford | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2001
| Jimmy | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2002
| Daddy Cool | Reverend Alter | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2014
| Progression | Master of Ceremonies | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2016
| Potent Media's Sugar Skull Girls | Demetrius | | style="text-align:center;"| |
| scope="row"| 2018
| After Hours Trading | Pawnbroker | | style="text-align:center;"| |
References
{{reflist}}
Sources
- {{cite book|last=Allbright|first=Brian|title=Regional Horror Films, 1958-1990: A State-by-State Guide with Interviews|publisher=McFarland & Company|year=2012|ISBN=9780786472277}}
- {{cite book|last=Kane|first=Joe|authorlink=Phantom of the Movies' Videoscope|title=Night of the Living Dead: Behind the Scenes of the Most Terrifying Zombie Movie Ever|publisher=Citadel Press|year=2010|isbn=978-0-8065-3331-5}}
- {{cite book|last=Stine|first=Scott Aaron|title=The Gorehound's Guide to Splatter Films of the 1980s|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|publisher=McFarland|year=2003|isbn=978-1-476-61132-7}}
- {{cite book|last=Williams|first=Tony|year=2015|title=The Cinema of George A. Romero: Knight of the Living Dead|edition=2nd|publisher=Columbia University Press|location=New York City, New York|isbn= 978-0-231-85075-9}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|25355}}
- [http://www.terrortrap.com/interviews/johnamplas/ Tea Time with Martin: An Interview with John Amplas - March 2011]
- [http://thesunbreak.com/2010/11/08/interview-with-a-vampire-john-amplas-of-george-romeros-martin-speaks Interview with John Amplas, November 2010]
- [http://www.framingbusiness.net/archives/1748 Interview with John Amplas, May 2011]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amplas, John}}
Category:American male film actors
Category:Point Park University faculty
{{US-film-actor-1940s-stub}}