R.I.P. Don Leifert (1950-2010)

.

The zombified, carotid-sapping star of Don Dohler's Fiend (1980), Don Leifert, passed away yesterday. Leifert also starred in the regional Baltimore filmmaker's debut The Alien Factor (1978), Nightbeast (1982), and Galaxy Intruder (1985) as well as being a longtime theatre teacher at Towson High School in Maryland. I never had the opportunity to met the actor or Dohler, despite being smack-dab in their base of operations, but fondly remember a conversation with a friend back in high school. He actually had Leifert as his teacher and knowing my interest in horror asked if I'd ever seen any of the features his teach had been in. At the time, I was only vaguely aware of Dohler's films and had no idea of Leifert or his career in education. Although now I'm quite aware of the shoestring sci-fi/horror wonders created not fifty miles away back when I was either first arriving into existence or a toddler. Dohler's films might be goofy, but their desire to entertain is certainly infectious and Don Leifert's presence only added to the delirium, R.I.P.

(Deadly Neighbor (Fiend) (1980) / 1992 Video Communications Inc. VHS)