William Castle

William Castle (born William Schloss Jr.; April 24, 1914 – May 31, 1977) was an American filmmaker and actor. He was best known as a director of horror and thriller B-movies in the 1950s and '60s, for which he devised innovative and distinctive promotional gimmicks. Born in New York City and orphaned at 11, Castle dropped out of high school at 15 to work in the theater. He came to the attention of Columbia Pictures for his talent for promotion and was hired. He learned the trade of filmmaking and became a director, acquiring a reputation for being able to churn out competent B-movies quickly and on budget. He eventually struck out on his own, producing and directing thrillers, which, despite their low budgets, he effectively promoted using gimmicks, a trademark for which he is best known. The Golden Globes likened Castle to P. T. Barnum, writing that "with his flair for mad inventiveness and sheer audacity, [Castle] was definitely one of the most outlandish films promoter/producer/director of all time." His distinctive gimmicks and B-movie aesthetics influenced filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock, John Waters, Robert Zemeckis, and Joe Dante.