There have been plenty of actors willing to dress up in funny suits or undergo intense make up sessions for a chance to scare movie-goers. But when audiences look at the screen, who among them remembers an actor whose face they have perhaps never seen and can’t recognize? It’s a constant surprise to find out details like the fact that Cousin Itt (played by John Franklin in the 1991 Addams Family) also made it onto Star Trek: Voyager. Most of the faceless have stayed in show biz. Some have passed on - even though they may still be getting credits as old footage is resurrected from archives. And a few have made it big. So, where have the rest of our monsters gone?

The Creature from the Black Lagoon hasn’t just been sitting around sipping Coors since 1954. The Gill-Man made his appearances in two follow-up films: Revenge of the Creature (1955) and The Creature Walks Among Us. In each of the three, Ricou Browning played the creature while underwater - different actors took charge of the role on land. Browning honed those underwater skills during his time on set and went on to stage and direct a number of underwater sequences, including those in Bond flicks Thunderball (1965) and Never Say Never Again (1983). But what has he been up to lately? Just last year, Browning recut his James Bond footage into the Thunderball Boat Show Promo. The Gill-Man suit has kept busy, too. Richard Hale wore it when playing Uncle Gilbert on The Munsters.

The Thing From Another World seems to have done pretty well for himself, after slaughtering most of an artic expedition in 1951. The Thing was James Arness, who went on to the more recognizable role of Marshal Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke, which he reprised as recently as the 1994 TV movie, Gunsmoke: One Man’s Justice, setting a record for portraying the same character in five different decades. In 2006, he lent his voice talents to Commanche Stallion. Mostly, though, Arness seems to be taking it easy, writing notes on his website every couple of months, giving out interviews, and doting on his grandchildren.

Vincent Price, who appeared in enough horror movies to become a legend, died in 1993. But he has movie, video game, and TV credits as recently as 2006. His voice is still used to evoke those same emotions created by his roles in House of Wax (1953), The Last Man on Earth (1964) and even Edward Scissorhands (1990), along with television shows ranging from The Bionic Woman to Scooby Doo. His lengthy acting career is testament to the man’s abilities to give viewers the heebie-jeebies. But less appreciated was his cooking skill. To the few in the know, A Treasury of Great Recipes, written by Vincent and Mary Price, is a guided tour of Vincent Price’s culinary experiences. And the price of a copy of the 1965 book in good condition is evidence of his kitchen acumen, ranging upwards of a hundred dollars.