Uncle Seymour

About me:

Biography In 1965 Willie Wendall Jackson was born in Toledo, the youngest of eleven brothers and sisters . He grew up in Toledo's Korea Town neighborhood, where he went to high school although he never bothered to learn Korean, thus making his school years very stressful. He later received a bachelor’s degree in potato boiling from the school of hard knocks. In 1975 he enlisted in the Marines and served in South America and Japan until it was discovered he was only ten. After the Marines, he returned to Toledo and joined a local actor’s company. In 1985 he gained his first television experience at WFGR –TV in Philadelphia, where he was hired as an actor to play several roles such as STUMPY, COUSIN DUM and GOOEY on the popular senoir’s show BONGO and BONGO HOUR. Three years later, he was hired as the host of WYHF 14’s PUNK PARTY , which debuted November 15, 1987. As the host, Willie appeared wearing a black leather jacket and tiger pants as the character "Asshole the Punk" who lived in a hot dog bun with his wife “Bruce” and his assistant Joey. The hosting of this cutting edge show involved numerous stylized gags that have become standard on television. In the opening sequence, Willie as Asshole would descend a long twisty straw to the tune of “Crippled Children Suck”. The producers erred on the side of caution, showing fake crippled children with blood simulated with strawberry syrup. The show sometimes featured live "cut-ins" during the band’s performances in which the soundtrack continued to play on the air, while the visual feed switched briefly to a shot of Asshole in the middle of a humorous stunt, such as riding a rabid monkey or eating a log of cheese. The show ran for 392 broadcasts through 1997. The purchase of Haddonfield’s 18 in 2005 prompted Willie to rethink his television dreams and thus UNCLE SEYMOUR COFFINS was born. Along with his constant sidekick KASHMIR he began a new career as the “ghost host with the most” a phrase stolen from a rival horror host Dr. Wolfenstein. Ownership over the phrase was later settled in a lawsuit. In a 2008 promotional stunt Coffins staged a Presidential campaign. His "platform" recording can be found on the album Suck Along with Coffins, which originally included a Coffins for President book and poster set which is highly collectible today considering only three where made. By the end of 2008 Uncle Seymour Coffins Creature Double Feature was the most watched show on Haddonfeld’s 18 and Coffins was full-blown celebrity, even dating Ashley Olsen for brief period of several minutes before being asked to leave her NYC apartment, and the catch phrase “NO REALLY” was sweeping the nation. Coffins was king. In 2009 he struck up a friendship with movie director Rob Zombie playing "Leroy," a drug-dealing werewolf Nazi, one of the lead characters in Zombie’s 2009 epic WEREWOLF WOMEN OF THE SS. Although later all of Coffins scene would be cut from the final film for being “ unwatchable”. Coffins continues to make appearances whether they want him or not at annual HADDONFIELD PHANTOM JAM, and to this day, Coffins collectibles are still selling, including model kits, T-shirts, posters and any other crap he can put his name on. "I really do enjoy putting a part of Uncle Seymour into everyone I meet... especially the ladies" - UNCLE COFFINS HADDONFIELD WEEKLY GAZETTE April 21st, 2007 UNCLE SEYMOUR COFFINS OPENS UP! By Roman Chmielewski – Entertainment and Arts Editor For almost three years, (every Friday night on Channel 18) Haddonfield’s very own Creature Double Feature host, Uncle Seymour Coffins has given the youth and horror fans many spooky moments filled with fright and humor. As luck would have it, I was given the opportunity for a private meeting with this mysterious man, at an undisclosed tavern he haunts. As expected, he insisted on coming fully dressed in costume and make up. The owner of the establishment seemed unfazed and even knew our man well. With the first order of a cocktail, our interview began and was followed by several more. We began with his youth; “I spent most of my childhood, alone in the cinema, dropped off after school and on the weekends, picked up late in the night by my doting mother. It became my house of worship and introduced me to the legends of horror like Price, Lugosi, Whale and Karloff. These men spoke directly to me, teaching me many life lessons with their elegance and grace.” After extensive training and performances on the East coast and Europe, Uncle Seymour (he insists on only using his stage name) found himself lured back to his love of horror, developing his own unique packaging of horror classics with postmodern comedy. “On and off for the last 26 years, I’ve been able to spread the joys of horror to so many viewers in the Tri-State, Michi-ana markets and now here in Haddonfield. I’ve been touching as many people as I could along the way.” As expected, Uncle Seymour has an extensive horror memorabilia collection, which includes actual face casts of the legendary Elsa Lanchester and Ben Chapman. He also collects art. “Like my idol, Vincent Price, I have a vast taste in artwork in which I’ve acquired from exotic lands, such as my Mexican puppet collection. I’ve started others locally, like my Amish quilt and wet felt craftwork collection. Of course, I hold my horror collectibles closest to my heart which I often bring to my many appearances!” As Uncle Seymour gets up to relieve himself, a dark mysterious man approaches me from the bar. He introduces himself as none other than Kasmir, the Uncle’s off screen sidekick and producer for most of his career. Off the record, Kasmir speaks of how the two were both part of the experimental dance troupe No Way Out, disciples of Martha Graham and the African tribal movement. Kasmir begins to tell me about his days modeling for Salvador Dali when he abruptly stops and returns to the bar seeing Seymour return. “I’m just happy, I’ve put a little Uncle Seymour into so many lives on my journey with my work and passion. It’s really the only reward I need.” After this statement Uncle Seymour quickly concludes the interview following his discovery of Kasmir at the bar and the two disappear into the darkness through the tavern exit, just like one of his favorite horror legends did. Uncle Seymour Coffins will be appearing live at the River Valley Jet Ski Show, Saturday April 28th, in the Cummings Bait and Tackle shop parking lot, at Route 37 and the I 9.