Unearthing The Undead 01 - AL PANKOPF

We kick off our series spotlighting previously-unidentified cast and crew from Night of the Living Dead, with Al Pankopf.  

Al portrays a ghoul in several scenes which feature a large grouping of the living dead, most notably a wide shot of the ghouls advancing upon Ben as he is stranded near the gas pump and again, inside the farmhouse as the ghouls swarm through the living room after having broken through the barricades.

Born Raymond Allen Pankopf in 1932, his family owned Pankopf Ford Motor Sales Inc. in Washington, PA, a business started by his father, Raymond A. Pankopf, in Pittsburgh in 1961. Al worked with the family business until 1971 when he moved to Houston, Texas, to join a Lincoln-Mercury agency.  Al proved to be not only a talented businessman, but also had a passion for flying as an amateur pilot.

In addition, Al had a personal connection to the film's cast: according to Judith O'Dea who played "Barbra," she and Al had dated around the time of the production.

Researched and compiled by John Vullo

Text and photos © Image Ten, Inc.

If you know of any family, friends or acquaintances that appeared as extras in the original Night of the Living Dead, please contact John Vullo at jmv3683@gmail.com

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