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Vincent Price -

Vincent Price was the king of horror. He was the perfect combination of menacing and suave.

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Vincent Price -

His most acclaimed series of films were his adaptions of Edgar Allen Poe's short stories. A match made in heaven (or hell...).

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Anthony Hopkins -

Sir Anthony Hopkins solidified his reputation as a natural villain when he played the serial killer Hannibal Lector in 'The Silence of the Lambs' (1991)

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Anthony Hopkins -

His performance earned him the Oscar for Best Actor that year. It was all in the eyes...

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Mads Mikkelsen - Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen also played Hannibal in the modern TV adaptation. There's something disquieting about his sharply symmetrical face.

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Tim Curry - Tim Curry is another legend who played a wide range of characters throughout his career. He brought an amazing eccentricity to his roles and always excelled at playing characters who were slightly unhinged.

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Tim Curry -

He was the original Pennywise in the first screen adaptation of Stephen King's 'It.' Many will never forget that voice.

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Bill Skarsgård - The Scandinavians really know how to bring the fear. Swedish actor Bill Skarsgård landed the career-defining role of Pennywise in Stephen King's 'It' (2017) at the age of 27.

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Bill Skarsgård -

It raises the question: how can one person be so handsome yet so terrifying at the same time?

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Jack Nicholson -

Another man born to play his role in a Stephen King classic was Jack Nicholson. His manic smile and dramatic eyebrows brought the perfect note of hysteria to 'The Shining' (1980).

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Boris Karloff -

Boris Karloff was an English actor who starred in all of the great horror flicks during the early days of cinema. Frankenstein's monster was his most hair-raising role.

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Anjelica Huston - Hands up if you think Anjelica Huston is a real life witch! She was iconic as Morticia Addams in 'The Addams Family' (1991) and its sequel, not to mention her role as the Grand High Witch in the terrifying kid's movie 'The Witches' (1990).

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Max Schreck - Max Schreck played one of the scariest characters in one of the creepiest movies in the history of cinema: Count Orlok in the 1922 silent horror 'Nosferatu.'

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Christopher Lee - Sir Christopher Lee was truly one of the great villains in film history. He was one of the earliest actors to play Dracula on screen, and for good reason.

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Christopher Lee -

More recently, he played the evil Saruman in 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy.

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Tobin Bell -

Tobin Bell played the psychopathic killer Jigsaw in the 'Saw' series. It's one of those characters that stays with an actor long after the cameras stop rolling...

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Brad Dourif -

Brad Dourif was the voice of the killer doll Chucky, but the horror doesn't stop there.

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Brad Dourif -

In 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' (2002), he plays one of the slimiest, creepiest characters of all time, aptly named Wormtongue.

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Helena Bonham Carter - It's no surprise that Helena Bonham Carter was the partner and muse of gothic filmmaker Tim Burton. From 'Sweeney Todd' (2007) to the 'Harry Potter' series, she always sets the right mood.

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Eva Green -

Eva Green was the perfect choice for the lead role in 'Penny Dreadful,' a TV show based around the tales told in macabre horror magazines in the 19th century. Her large eyes and dark brows give her an ominous allure.

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Terence Stamp -

Terence Stamp managed to turn Superman's General Zod into a sadistic supervillain. He was declared the “master of the brooding silence” by The Guardian.

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Joaquin Phoenix - Joaquin Phoenix is an incredibly versatile actor. He's brought a wide range of disturbing characters to life throughout his career. Most recently he gave us nightmares with his performance in 'Joker' (2019).

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Joaquin Phoenix -

Almost two decades earlier he made our skin crawl as the creepy Emperor Commodus in 'Gladiator' (2000). 

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Steve Buscemi - Steve Buscemi's creep factor is partly thanks to the Coen Brothers, who repeatedly cast him as wild-eyed oddballs in their movies.

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Steve Buscemi -

He also played a ruthless criminal in the violent Tarantino classic 'Reservoir Dogs' (1992). 

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Billy Bob Thornton -

There's just something creepy about Billy Bob Thornton. Perhaps it's the goatee that makes him look like a cartoon devil, or the alleged vials of blood he and Angelina Jolie wore while they were married. Whatever it is, he's a great addition to a psychological thriller.

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Crispin Glover -

Crispin Glover is another actor who straddles the line between handsome and ghoulish. His role as the hair-sniffing Thin Man in 'Charlie's Angels' (2000) suited him a little too well.

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David Thewlis -

David Thewlis wasn't traditionally cast as an evil character, but if you saw him play the sociopathic antagonist with rotting teeth in the third season of 'Fargo,' well, you'll never forget it!

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See also - Feeling spooky yet? Check out the 30 greatest horror movies ever made.

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