Iconic horror actor Robert Englund once made a guest appearance on The CW’s long-running series Supernatural, and here’s details on his character. Englund is of course best known for playing Springwood’s dream-stalking slasher Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, appearing in eight total films, as well as two seasons of the Freddy’s Nightmares anthology TV series. If Englund had only played Freddy, his place in horror history would be secure, but he boasts dozens of other horror roles.
Englund played rich, pompous art collector Raymond Beaumont in the first Wishmaster film, as well as sinister professor William Wexler in the first Urban Legend movie. Englund actually plays a vigilante crusading against a serial killer in Dee Snider’s Strangeland, and the charismatic but psychopathic Mayor Buckman in 2001 Maniacs. Englund even managed to get killed by fellow horror icon Kane Hodder in the first Hatchet, as well as step into a Dr. Loomis-esque role in slasher mockumentary Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.
Supernatural has also carved out a permanent place in horror history, and is set to sign off in May after a historic 15-season run on The WB/The CW. It’s only natural that Englund eventually found his way onto the Supernatural set, and here’s what he did while he was there.
Robert Englund On Supernatural: His Role Explained
Robert Englund’s first - and sadly only - Supernatural appearance came during the season 6 episode “Appointment in Samarra.” Season 6 was a rebuilding year for Supernatural, as creator and original showrunner Eric Kripke exited after the conclusion of season 5’s Lucifer apocalypse arc, the originally intended ending of the series. Sam Winchester was trapped inside a cage in Hell with Lucifer, and while he was eventually recovered, it wasn’t without consequences, as he was now missing his soul.
In “Appointment in Samarra,” Dean Winchester seeks an audience with Death itself, as he hopes to recover Sam’s soul from Hell with Death’s help. To do this, Dean has to die, temporarily, so he enlists the assistance of a family friend called Dr. Robert, played by Englund. Considering the character name, this appearance was clearly meant by Supernatural’s writers and producers as a direct tribute to the horror legend. Dr. Robert is able to successfully kill Dean long enough for the latter’s chat with Death, then revive him before things become irreversible. It’s a bit sad that Englund never reprized the role for a later Supernatural episode, as he isn’t killed off. Still, he’s one of many horror icons to stop by for a visit with the Winchesters over the years.
More: Nightmare On Elm Street’s Freddy Almost Killed Actor Robert Englund
