Steve Hutsko

Steve Hutsko, born smack dab on Christmas Day, 1931, in the steel-town heart of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, wasn't exactly a household name, but man, if you're into cult horror, this guy’s legacy is lurking in the background. He’s most recognized for his work in Night of the Living Dead, that black-and-white zombie flick from '68 that pretty much cracked open the whole undead genre and let all the ghouls out. Hutsko didn’t have the spotlight all to himself—let’s be real, that movie was more about the slow, creeping dread than any one person—but he was part of that ragtag team who, against all odds, made something legendary on a shoestring budget. You’ve gotta respect that hustle. Decades later, his name popped up again in Autopsy of the Dead, a 2009 documentary that pokes around in the decaying remains (pun fully intended) of the Night of the Living Dead phenomenon. The film looks back at the original cast and crew, shining a light on the folks who rarely got credit but helped build that legacy. Hutsko’s contributions and memories, tucked into interviews and behind-the-scenes stories, give fans a sense of what it was like on set—cold nights, zero cash, and everyone just kind of winging it, hoping for the best. Sadly, Hutsko passed away in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, in early March 2009. Not a big Hollywood ending, but the guy still left his mark on one of the weirdest, wildest chapters in horror history. You can’t ask for much more than that.