Bob Carter, or as many of us knew him, Sammy Terry.
We lost a true horror legend today. While I always refer to the “unholy trinity of horror” as Vincent Price, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, I would have never known them if it hadn’t been for another man — Bob Carter, or Sammy Terry, as legions of horror fans came to know him.
Carter played his role every Friday night on Indianapolis channel 4, and I could barely contain myself through the nightly news, waiting for him to come on. He played all the cult classics like “Night of the Living Dead,” and introduced the House of Hammer to me, namely Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. And with Lee, such began my love affair with the monster, or my lifelong “sympathy for the devil.”
With his trusty sidekick spider, George, Sammy Terry entertained us all with his silly segments and creaky coffin, and my love of horror was born. He died today at the ripe old age of 83, breaking my heart at the thought I would never get the chance to meet him as I put off making it out to his public appearances. And a huge piece of my childhood died with him.
I still think of Friday nights as horror movie night to this day, over 40 years later.
Rest in peace, Sammy. Until we meet again, indeed…