1946 – September 11, 2001

The 1980’s were filled with tons of good and cheesy horror flicks. One of the cheesiest flick was “Toxic Zombies” AKA “Bloodeaters”. The film was about a bunch of drug smugglers who are infected by a toxic crop dusting. The film was written, produced, edited and also starred Chuck McCrann as the movies main character Tom Cole.

Toxic Zombies is one of those flicks you would put on when you have a bunch of friends over to have a good time. The movie is cheesy and good fun. The FX are cheap and the acting is amateur but for a movie that seems to have a shoe-string budget it manages to get the job done.

One interesting note about Toxic Zombie is the character “Phillips” which was played by actor John Amplas. Those in the horror community know John Amplas as the main character in George A. Romero’s vampire flick “Martin”. John Amplas was also in Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead.

Mr. McCrann was a senior vice president at Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc. when he died at the age of 55 on September 11, 2001. From the various websites and tributes online I know that he was a devoted father and husband. He is survived by his wife Michelle and his children, Derek and Maxine. From what I read online, Chuck was a great man. He would bring Michelle a cappuccino in bed every morning. He also did his kids chores before he left for work that morning on September 11th. He seemed like the perfect family man.

I never met Chuck McCrann personally, but I felt I needed to give him a tribute on GNN. On September 11th, 2001 Michelle McCrann and her children lost a great, loving husband and father… we as a horror community lost a great fan of the horror genre.

Every September 11th I break out my copy of Toxic Zombies on DVD and watch… just a a tribute to him.