I just did an article on the Space/SyFy show “Bitten,” which follows a pack of the most prestigious werewolves in America and its lone female wolf Elena, who struggles with maintaining her human life with her animal instincts and integrity intact. This got me thinking… What ever happened to one of the most popular werewolves, David Naughton. He played David Kessler in the 1981 classic An American Werewolf in London.
David Naughton was born in 1951 in Connecticut. After high school he graduated from University of Philadelphia and studied at the London Academy for Music and Dramatic Arts.
His many television one-off, guest spots include “Planet of the Apes” in 1974, “The Love Boat” in 1983, “Murder, She Wrote” in 1988, “The Twilight Zone” in 1989, “MacGyver” and “Seinfeld” in 1991, and “Melrose Place” and “Touched By An Angel” in 1996. He also served in a recurring role on “Makin’ It” in 1979 and “My Sister Sam” from 1986-1988. David’s single, Makin’ It, which was used as the soundtrack for the sitcom was a hit record in 1979 and reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #44 in the UK.
As I mentioned above, movie critics will most recognize Naughton for his role as David Kessler in the Oscar winning feature An American Werewolf In London. This was, however, only one of his many roles in horror film. His other credits include supporting and lead roles in Kidnapped (1987), Goddess of Love (1988) with Vanna White, The Sleeping Car (1990), Steel and Lace (1991), Amityville: A New Generation (1993), Body Bags (1993) with John Carpenter, Ice Cream Man (1995), and Mirror, Mirror III: The Voyeur. He also appeared in The Boy in Blue in 1986 with Nicholas Cage.
So, where is David Naughton now?
After a short break from mainstream media, David returned with a bang in the millennium. His television guest spots include “ER” and “The Nightmare Room” in 2001. He also returned to horror films with A Crack in the Floor and Flying Virus in 2001. After another career break, David returned again with more guest spots on “Psych” in 2009, “Big Love” in 2010, “The Mentalist” in 2011, and “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Holliston” in 2013. He also racked up horror credits in Big Bad Wolf (2006), Hallows Point (2007), and A Thousand Cuts (2012).
Currently, you can find him as a lead role on the series “Granite Flats.”
Hopefully, we’ll be seeing more of him in more mainstream horror films.
So I was just watching Halloween 2 and there is a male reporter that looks just like him. I have looked all over and that role seems to be uncredited. Was this him, considering he has connections with John Carpenter?