Billy Van ( 1934—2003 )

In Canada, it’s all over the news. Billy Van has passed away at the age of 68 from cancer.

We’ll all miss him, but the one who’ll miss him the most is Igor. I think I’d ask Dr. Pet Vet to explain it to him, as he’s the most gentle person in the castle. I can picture Igor in the lab, waiting for his master to return, like a child waiting for a parent to return home from work. But the Count’s not coming home. Igor might look for consolation from the other guests in the castle, but Grizelda won’t be cooking any more meals. The Librarian has given up on trying to frighten us. The Oracle has used his last crystal ball, and the Maharishi has no more prophecies. Bwana Clyde is out of filmstrips. Pet Vet has no more animals to give away. And EECH radio has fallen completely silent.

What makes Billy’s death even more painful for me, is that I know he wasn’t finished yet. I know he had written a book, but I don’t think it ever was published. I don’t think he got all the recognition he deserved, and I don’t think enough was done with Frightenstein. I wanted to shoot more interviews, to present to him a gift of an old Frightenstein postcard I recently acquired, to produce a Frightenstein DVD or book, or something that would ensure that Frightenstein would last forever. I just need more time… but it’s too late now.