Robert Englund Brings an Old Friend to His Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremony

One of the most iconic horror stars of all time was finally honored by the Hollywood industry on the most appropriate day of the year. on Halloween, Robert Englund, best known for playing slasher killer Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street series, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. Not only was his co-star, Heather Langenkamp, present at the ceremony, but Englund himself decided to bring an old friend: a special version of the leather glove with knives for fingers that has become synonymous with one of cinema’s most beloved villains.

“Today, my dream is coming true,” Englund said to the audience, who chanted “Freddy! Freddy!” in unison. In an emotional speech, the actor thanked those who helped him become such an important part of the horror community. “I’m really grateful for being permanently cemented into American popular culture,” he continued before bidding farewell with “Trick or f-ing treat.” Classic Freddy.

Langenkamp, as well as horror visionary Eli Roth, were the ones responsible for introducing Englund at the ceremony. The “final girl” from the 1984 original A Nightmare on Elm Street expressed nothing but joy when explaining her co-star’s legacy:

“I feel I am uniquely qualified to speak about [Robert Englund] because I was there the day Freddy Krueger was born. It set your teeth on edge the minute Robert took on Freddy’s voice. He married that demented sneer with this wonderful portrayal of the most evil character you could think of.”

Naturally, the glove with the sharp razors is one of Freddy’s most important features. There would not be a Freddy Krueger without it. Before Englund put on a specially-designed glove for the ceremony, Langenkamp commented on Freddy’s weapon of choice. According to People magazine:

“They did a lot of months of preparing the special effects makeup that he would wear. They had many weeks of preparing a costume that would bring forth that incredible silhouette of Freddy Krueger that we all know so well. And when I look at this five-pointed star in front of me with Robert’s name on it, I think of the five fingers of that oily, dirty glove that he wore on his right hand.

“That glove dreamed up by Wes Craven. He was an unapologetic visionary, telling us how evil evil can be, and on that glove were four knives for fingernails that primal fear we all have of beasts in the wild that can just rip us to pieces when we’re not even aware of it. So, these elements all became part of Robert on these very early days of Nightmare on Elm Street.”

Robert Englund: A Horror Icon Long Overdue for Recognition

New Line Cinema

At the ceremony, Englund was also joined by one of his most important collaborators. Robert Shaye, the man responsible for producing a large majority of Freddy Krueger films, and the creator of New Line Cinema (or the House That Freddy Built), appeared beside Englund to honor the actor at such a prestigious moment. Although director Wes Craven sadly left us years ago, his presence was also felt throughout the ceremony. Along with Englund, the three of them were responsible for creating one of the most important movie icons of all time. Langenkamp said this during her speech:

“He came to set every day with something to give Wes Craven to create this magical character that we all know and love so much. This man has put his mark on Hollywood. Wes Craven put his mark on the genre, with the help of Bob Shaye, who believed in his crazy idea. One hundred years from now, no one will walk across this star and say, ‘Who was Robert Englund?’ His mark on our business, and this genre, and our popular culture – and I say, even the world – has been indelible. And will live in infamy forever.”