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The Bizarre Story Behind The Iconic Michael Myers Mask In Halloween

June 11, 2018

One of the most iconic Halloween masks is no doubt the one worn by Michael Myers in the "Halloween" films.

But did you know the mask is William Shatner's face?

The budget for John Carpenter's Halloween was so small that the actor playing Michael Myers was paid $20 per day. There was no room in the budget for a costume department, so the entire cast's wardrobe was purchased on the cheap at local department stores.

The filmmakers originally approached Don Post Studios about making an original mask for use in the film but they were turned down. So, they went and bought the cheapest mask they could find at a local costume shop.

It was a Star Trek mask of Captain Kirk, and it cost $1.98.

Credit: The Blood-Curdling Blog of Monster Masks

Credit: The Blood-Curdling Blog of Monster Masks

"There was a choice we had to make, because we didn't have any money to make a mask," Carpenter told the Hollywood Reporter in an interview. "So the art director went up to Bert Wheeler's magic shop on Hollywood Boulevard, which was right up the street from our offices, and he got two masks. One was a clown mask, and one was a Captain Kirk mask. It was supposed to be Captain Kirk. It looked nothing like William Shatner, nothing like anybody, really. It was just a strange mask, which was perfect for us. So we spray-painted it, altered the eye holes and just did a couple things with the hair — and there you had it."

Nick Castle, who played Michael Myers in the original film

From a budget of $320,000 John Carpenter's Halloween went on to gross $47 million, making the 1978 film one of the most successful independent films of all time.