Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of Mr. Zombie and Chad!
But, just who are Mr. Zombie and Chad?
Well, pull up a chair and I’ll tell ya.
Mr. Zombie came to Hollywood as a young actor in 1949. He was a promising talent and a rising star of British film, stage, and radio. His work impressed American film executives at Warner Brothers so much he was contracted to appear in 10 films. After a series of minor movie roles, Mr. Zombie (we can’t use his given name due to sensitive legal and personal reasons) was set to co-star with Burt Lancaster, Peter Lorre and Virginia Mayo in a picture being filmed in North Africa in 1951. On location, during the first day of shooting, Mr. Zombie was bitten by insect and became very ill. He became so sick he had to be flown back to the United States and the film was abandoned. Doctors were baffled and his condition worsened. Mr. Zombie eventually sunk into a kind of “waking coma” and was placed in a nursing facility to live out his days, forgotten and alone.
On June 5th in 1968, the same day RFK was assassinated, Chad Hannahoo got off the Greyhound in Hollywood after the long bus ride from coal fields of Pennsylvania. Chad wanted to be a star. He was energetic, stylish and reasonably good looking. Unfortunately he wasn’t a very good actor. After months of rejections at casting calls, Chad realized he wasn’t cut out to be an actor. He loved Hollywood and the movie business so much; he took jobs in catering, wardrobe and make-up just to be close to the action. Those jobs didn’t pay much back in 1968, so Chad worked other jobs to make ends meet. Like most of the other young, energetic, stylish, and reasonably good looking men in Hollywood, Chad was a waiter. He managed to make many industry contacts and friends during his job waiting tables at the various Tinseltown restaurants. To make a little more money, Chad took a job as an aide working at the nearby nursing facility. It was there he met Mr. Zombie.
Chad remembered Mr. Zombie’s few film roles and was a fan. He was thrilled to finally know a real live movie star and Mr. Zombie seemed to respond to Chad’s attentions. They became inseparable. It’s still not clear how it happened, (there have been ugly rumors of lies, fraud, and deception) but in 1970 Chad became Mr. Zombie’s legal guardian. He signed Mr. Zombie out of the facility and they’ve been a pair ever since.
Mr. Zombie has become the hardest working actor in Hollywood. He’s appeared in 150+ movies and TV shows a year since 1970. He’s appeared in 97 of the 100 highest grossing films in the last 30 years. He’s appeared in most of the hit sitcoms, dramas and soap operas on TV today. There’s no role too small for Mr. Zombie. Casting directors love him. Chad, acting as his friend/agent/partner, works tirelessly to get Mr. Zombie into as many roles as possible. Mr. Zombie is a real trooper and his IMDB listing is ridiculous. Mr. Zombie and Chad are legend in Hollywood circles. Using the money from all of their acting work, the pair bought a comfortable bungalow in the Hollywood Hills, where they live today.
That’s the story of Mr. Zombie and Chad…here’s the rest of the story.
