Born: September 21, 1947
Age: 77
Birthplace: Kingsport, Tennessee, United States
Nicholas Charles "Nick" Castle, Jr. (born September 21, 1947) is an American screenwriter, film director and actor best known for his role as Michael Myers in Halloween, directed by his friend John Carpenter. Castle also co-wrote Escape from New York with Carpenter.
Castle was born Nicholas Charles Castle, Jr. in Los Angeles, California, the son of Millie and Nicholas Charles Castle, Sr. who was an actor and top choreographer for motion pictures, television, and the stage, and was nominated for an Emmy. As a child, Nick Castle often appeared as an extra or in bit roles in his father's films. He studied film at USC, where he served as cinematographer for the Academy Award-winning live action short film The Resurrection of Broncho Billy.
Castle's film credits include "Dark Star" where he played the beach ball alien, Major Payne, Dennis the Menace, The Last Starfighter, and Connors' War as a director. He wrote the screenplays Escape from New York and Hook. He was the writer and director of the film "Tap".
He played Michael Myers in the 1978 horror classic Halloween, directed by former USC classmate John Carpenter, being paid $25 a day. Castle's subsequent collaborations with Carpenter included his name being used as one of the main characters' names in The Fog, co-writing the script of Escape From New York, and performing the title song of Big Trouble in Little China as part of the band Coup de Villes, alongside Carpenter and another friend, Tommy Lee Wallace.
Castle's most recent project is the screenplay for August Rush, a musical-drama directed by Kirsten Sheridan and starring Freddie Highmore, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Robin Williams, and Keri Russell, released in 2007. He also stars as himself in the 2010 documentary Halloween: The Inside Story by Filipino filmmaker Nick Noble.
Castle won a Saturn Award for Best Writing for The Boy Who Could Fly, a Silver Raven (for Delivering Milo), a Grand Prize (for The Last Starfighter), a Bronze Gryphon, and a Gold Medal of the Regional Council.
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2006 | Connor's War | Television |
2005 | The Seat Filler | |
2001 | 'Twas the Night | Television |
Delivering Milo | Television | |
1996 | Mr. Wrong | |
1995 | Major Payne | |
1993 | Dennis the Menace | |
1990 | Shangri-La Plaza | Television |
1989 | Tap | |
1987 | Amazing Stories | Television |
1986 | The Boy Who Could Fly | |
1984 | The Last Starfighter | |
1982 | Tag: The Assassination Game |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | The Boy Who Could Fly | The Coupe De Villes | |
1978 | Halloween | The Shape (Michael Myers) | |
1974 | Dark Star | Alien | Uncredited |