William Burchinal

William Burchinal came into the world back in ’22, tucked away in Smithfield, Pennsylvania—a classic small town vibe, honestly. The guy made his mark in film, mainly remembered for his role in the cult classic Night of the Living Dead from 1968. If you’re into old-school horror, you’ve probably seen his work, whether you realize it or not. That film pretty much set the standard for zombie flicks way before the walking dead were cool. People still talk about the way it changed horror, and yeah, Burchinal was right there, bringing the chaos to life. His career didn’t just stop there, though. Decades after Night of the Living Dead hit the screen, Burchinal popped up in projects like Autopsy of the Dead in 2009 and Walking Like the Dead in 2018. Those were kind of love letters to the original, diving into the legacy and behind-the-scenes stories that keep fans coming back. Not everyone gets to have their work dissected and celebrated forty, fifty years later, but Burchinal did. That’s something. He passed away in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, in 2013—lived a full circle kind of life, right in his home state. His legacy, though? Still kicking. For horror fans and movie buffs, his name’s tied to one of the most influential films of its genre, and his performances keep popping up in conversations about why those early horror movies still matter.