I might have been inclined to bypass the chance to meet and acquire an autograph of Robert Rusler had it not been for my four days of debauchery with my friend Eric Hubble back in 1987. One of Rusler’s best-known roles was that of Grady in Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (as he is seen in the photo at right). And it’s that role which brought him to the Chiller Theatre gathering on Saturday, April 18, 2009. But it was the role that he played opposite Robert Downey Jr. in Weird Science that was the clincher for me.
Along with Downey who was portraying Ian, Rusler played the obnoxious socialite jock Max in Weird Science (according to Ian, “they call him Mad Max”). These two were the constant source of irritation to the film’s heroes Wyatt and Gary. This in itself would have not been so meaningful to me had Eric and I not spent those blissful teenage days incessantly quoting this movie as we got drunk four nights in a row. In fact, during our trip to the Cedar Point amusement park, we met a couple of girls and introduced ourselves as Max and Ian, with the additional disclaimer “they call him Mad Max.” If recollection serves me correctly, I was Max.
Robert Rusler himself was a very cordial guy, more than willing to pose for a photo after I purchased the great signed 8 x 10 above (Rusler is seen on the right) from Weird Science. But he also went the extra mile after he had signed my initial photo in black Sharpie. I walked away, looked it over, and determined that his signature was too dark to read. I took it back to him and told him my worries so he gave me an additional photo signed in silver – and let me keep the original as well! Not bad, for a mad-man.
Celebs of the 2009 Chiller Theatre Show will continue…
Hi Ding! I can’t begin to tell you how much this pleases me.
Eric Hubble
June 20th, 2009