Forget your Draculas and your Frankensteins, this famous Thirties and Forties Hollywood supporting actor almost scared you to death without the aid of makeup.

Milton Parsons was his name and gaunt was his demeanour. Born in Minnesota, he died aged 73.

With a prominent Adam's apple and a sinister, quiet voice, he was mostly cast as the owner of a funeral parlour or the butler who opened the huge creaking doors of spooky houses.

Versatile as the rest of his ilk, he was a marvellous psychotic in the Hidden Hand (Warner Bros 1942) with the very comical Willie Best.

Then he was almost normal in Roxie Hart (TC Fox 1942), starring Ginger Rogers and George Montgomery. The courtroom scene in this film had Milton Parsons broadcasting aloud all the wares of a chemist shop.

He made many TV appearances before he died, on the Twilight Zone and Dick Van Dyke show to name just two.

His roles suggested he could still turn up some place on Hallowe'en. Well you never know...

-Gordon Dean, Lancing