“The creepiest villain never in a Frankenstein movie,” John Brockmeyer was a 6'5" titan of the stage, and a force in Charles Ludlam’s New York-based Ridiculous Theatrical Company throughout the 1970s and ‘80s. Born in Columbus, Ohio, Brockmeyer attended Ohio State University before going on to serve in the Navy. In 1970, he made his debut with Ludlam’s troupe, and quickly established himself as the go-to player for all villainous, dastardly and otherwise insidious personalities. Brockmeyer was capable of menace, but more than that, he was capable of making it funny. He died of AIDS, aged 50, at his parents’ house in his hometown of Columbus.