school in California at a time when it had great public schools, and also had wonderful drama programs. So that's what happened, I became the star of my drama program in the years I was in high school. And through that experience, I know that I wanted to be an actor, but had no idea how to go about doing that I kind of knocked around, it was the late sixties and I was kind of a hippie, and I tried a bunch of different kinds of jobs and went to school and dropped out earlier on. Then I took I took an intensive summer ten week training program at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, they gave me a scholarship to take the full program and from there made me a part of the acting company. I got my Actor's Equity, or my Union card, and after that I got to be lucky enough to make my life as an actor. You know, mostly theater for about twelve to fifteen years, then I kind of transitioned to film and television, and I have continued to be a professional actor ever since.
Rob: That is amazing to hear about you fulfilling your dream and never giving up on that, very inspirational. Of course I am a massive fan of your work in George Romero's "Day Of The Dead, where you played dare I say, the greatest zombie ever put on the screen. How did that part come about?
Howard: It was just like any other job, really. I auditioned for the role, I was cast, and I prepared for it as I would any other role. I really just asked myself a core question, and that was, "If this situation was real, how would it all work?" In my case, it had to do with, I mean "Bub" is a real exception in the history of zombies because it really was an actual part. Normally, zombies don't get the chance to do anything, they're usually just extras in the background. So I actually had things to do, and it gave me the opportunity to come up with behavior which is really interesting. And like I said, I prepared for it like any other role, I just saw this flesh and it was dead but still sort of works, just not very well (laughs). I asked myself what that would feel like, and I tried to generate that as believably as possible. And from that point on I went on to the next job which could have been a Shakespeare play, or a new play, or even a television series. I don't know, you know, I never have any idea what comes next. I never had any special involvement with horror or zombies except for this role I had played once upon a time.
prepared for it as I would any other role. I really just asked myself a core question, and that was, "If this situation was real, how would it all work?" In my case, it had to do with, I mean "Bub" is a real exception in the history of zombies because it really was an actual part. Normally, zombies don't get the chance to do anything, they're usually just extras in the background. So I actually had things to do, and it gave me the opportunity to come up with behavior which is really interesting. And like I said, I prepared for it like any other role, I just saw this flesh and it was dead but still sort of works, just not very well (laughs). I asked myself what that would feel like, and I tried to generate that as believably as possible. And from that point on I went on to the next job which could have been a Shakespeare play, or a new play, or even a television series. I don't know, you know, I never have any idea what comes next. I never had any special involvement with horror or zombies except for this role I had played once upon a time.
Rob: And it was truly an incredible role, one of the best.
Howard: (Gets a little embarrassed) Well, thank you. I really do appreciate that.
Rob: How did you study for a role like "Bub"? I mean, if you had no true connection to horror or even zombies, how did you get your mind into a dead guy that is truly somewhat freethinking?