Where in the Horror are they Now? Halloween III’s Stacey Nelkin!

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

HALLOWEEN III's STACEY NELKIN

Having loved HALLOWEEN and the 1982 sequel appropriately entitled HALLOWEEN II, I remember being very excited to see a third chapter. That was until I finally watched HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH. Like many, I was extremely disappointed in the Michael Myers-less film. And yet, as the years have passed and with the whole damn franchise finally available on Blu-Ray in one set, it has given me an appreciation for this bizarre little film. To be fair, my own take on the movie varies depending on the mood I am in, but one thing is for sure, there are things that I really kind of loved about it. One of the most important elements of SEASON OF THE WITCH is the cast. Tom Atkins and Dan O’Herlihy are both awesome. And for a leading lady, you have this weeks Where in the Horror; the spunky Stacey Nelkin.

Stacey didn’t start out in horror. In fact, she didn’t do too much of it at all. The New York City born actress started off with a few familiar – as well as unfamiliar (at least to this writer) – series with a guest role here and there. Her first guest appearance was a show called Fish in 1978. The more popular TV shows she made guest appearances on include Eight is Enough, CHiPs, The Waltons and The Paper Chase, all in 1978. She stuck with the small screen for a TV-movie called Like Mom, Like Me that same year, which also offered Linda Lavin and Kristy McNichol. That was a big year for the actress thanks to so many gigs, so it is no surprise she graduated from one episode roles to feature and made-for-TV flicks the following year.

In 1979 she starred in the breezy comedy/drama CALIFORNIA DREAMING. The film also featured Glynnis O’Connor, Seymour Cassel, Dennis Christopher and Tanya Roberts. She also had the mini-series The Chisholms, as well as The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal in 1979 and Children of Divorce in 1980. After that, she was back on the big screen with the comedies UP THE ACADEMY and SERIAL in 1980, and GOING APE! in 1981. Ms. Nelkin had a knack for the funny, and for much of her career it seemed that her charming personality was a good fit for the lighter fair. Yet that also translated to another genre as well.

In 1982, the controversial HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH arrived in theates and there was no masked psychopath. This time, the bad guy was a mask maker that had devious plans for the children of the world. Why? Well because he was nuts I guess. Casting the adorable Nelkin opposite Atkins was a smart move on the part of the filmmakers. The two actors gave this mean little movie a laugh or two. Nelkins was great as a young woman who not only gets seduced by Atkins, but she is also faced with some scary stuff. As I stated, this movie is far from my favorite in the HALLOWEEN franchise, but it has grown on me throughout the years. And yes, she is a big reason the film still holds up for me.

Next up for Stacey was an adventure called YELLOWBEARD in 1983. The production may have been a fiasco, but it’s still one hell of an impressive cast. You had Graham Chapman, Peter Boyle, Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Marty Feldman (who passed away during filming) Eric Idle, Madeline Kahn, John Cleese and more. While there were issues, the film certainly has its fans. That same year she appeared in a movie called GET CRAZY – a musical comedy – and then it was back to television. She starred in the TV-movie The Jerk, Too – a sequel to the Steve Martin classic – as well as episodes of Murder, She Wrote, The Fall Guy, The A-Team and The Insiders, all in 1985. She did return to the horror genre a little bit with one episode of The Twilight Zone in 1986.

Nelkin did step into one thriller in 1993 called DISTANT COUSINS which featured a ton of TV stars including Mel Harris, David Keith, William Katt and Marg Helgenberger. And in 1994, she was featured in the Woody Allen caper BULLETS OVER BROADWAY. This cool little flick had one hell of a line up. You had John Cusack, Dianne Wiest, Jennifer Tilly, Chazz Palminteri, Mary Louise-Parker, Rob Reiner, Tracey Ullman, Jim Broadbent, The critically acclaimed feature earned Dianne Wiest a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award win, while both Jennifer Tilly and Chazz Palminteri scored supporting nominations. Many consider this one of Allen’s best works, and it also earned the filmmaker a couple Oscar nominations himself including Best Screenplay and Best Director. So that’s a pretty solid flick to have on your resume. 

NOW: After several years in the business, Stacey’s cinamatic career slowed down a bit. However, every once in awhile, according to her IMDb page, she has a short film show up, and she did do one episode of Fringe in 2009. Her most recent film credit in the 2015 short Dante and Beatrice: A Family Film. However, that doesn’t mean she hasn’t kept busy. The one time actress is now – according to her wikipedia page – a self-styled “relationship expert.” She has her own website and YouTube channel. She is also the author of a book called “You Can’t Afford to Break Up: How an Empty Wallet and a Dirty Mind Can Save Your Relationship. 

While I don’t expect to see Ms. Nelkins in another horror flick, it’s great to see that she has found another creative outlet. With that, I will once again put HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH on and enjoy the haunted Halloween holiday with the film I have a love/hate relationship with… Hey, it always keeps me coming back!