Gremlins: Where Are They Now? With Blockbuster.co.uk

Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous... Gremlins is 25 years old. Blockbuster.co.uk's Marshall Julius catches up with the cast of the classic Eighties fantasy.

A dark and scary monster comedy for kids and their grown ups, Gremlins was the brainchild of cult favourite filmmaker Joe Dante, director of The Howling, Innerspace and Matinee, and screenwriter Chris Columbus, who later directed Home Alone, Mrs Doubtfire and the first two Harry Potter movies.

Originally conceived by pilots during the Second World War, when mysterious mechanical failures were jokingly blamed on small, furry monsters, gremlins were both the subject of a 1943 Roald Dahl book, The Gremlins, and a Bugs Bunny cartoon, Falling Hare, released the same year.

Forty years later, the gremlins returned, and they'd evolved. The tale of an innocent little town overrun by impish, ill-behaved monsters, Gremlins saw Zach Galligan suffer the consequences of getting his mogwai wet, then feeding him after midnight.

Followed in 1990 by an uncommonly decent sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Gremlins is as fun to watch today as it was all those years ago, imaginative, daring, wickedly funny, packed full of movie references with a scattering of welcome scares. Plus it looks better than ever now that it's on Blu-ray, available from Blockbuster.co.uk, either to add to your list, or if you'd prefer, to buy.

Join us, then, as we track down the original cast to see where they came from, explore where they went, and discover what they're up to today...

Gremlins

An eighties classic available on High Definition Blu-ray for the very first time. An absent-minded professor brings home an unusual present for his son, a small furry creature called a Mogwai. When this creature is fed after midnight it produces gremlins who threaten the whole neighbourhood. Buy online now.

£12.99

"There are a lot of tough things to do with the business, I'm completely numb now to rejection. I get rejected for 98 out of 100 things I try for."

AKA: Billy Peltzer, incompetent bank teller, promising cartoonist and accidental hero.

Behind-the-scenes: The son of a lawyer and a psychoanalyst, New Yorker Galligan, now 45, was brand new to acting when he got the Gremlins gig, beating both Judd Nelson and Emilio Estevez to the role of Billy.

Life after Gremlins: Besides Gremlins (1984) and its sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1989), Galligan starred in a pair of exceptional b-movies for director Anthony Hickox, namely Waxwork (1988) and Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992). Outside of those four films, however, Zach largely took lesser roles in movies that rarely saw the inside of a cinema.

Where is he now? Teaching acting in New York, plus he just finished shooting a thriller in the Peak District called Cut, co-starring celebrity WAG Danielle Lloyd.

Zach Galligan Filmography >

"If the film, play or any project I'm involved in requires some sort of violence or nudity to advance the plot, scene or character in any way, then I would be considered unprofessional not to oblige."

AKA: Kate Beringer, competent bank teller, the object of Billy's affections, sweet but with a dark side.

Behind-the-scenes: A teen model from a New York filmmaking family who made her movie debut in genre-defining teen comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Cates, now 46, was named on Harper's Bazaar's list of America's Ten Most Beautiful Women shortly after appearing in Gremlins.

Life after Gremlins: Although she enjoyed starring roles in decent movies like Bright Lights, Big City (1989), Shag (1989) and Drop Dead Fred (1991), Cates reportedly turned down the chance to play both Sarah Tobias in The Accused (1988) and Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs (1991) - good news for Jodie Foster , who ultimately took both parts and won a pair of Best Actress Oscars for her efforts.

Where is she now? Five years after marrying movie star Kevin Kline in 1989, the same year he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for A Fish Called Wanda, Cates officially retired from acting and has enjoyed a life of leisure ever since, hosting dinner parties, attending benefits and the like. A mother of two, her son Owen recently starred in The Squid and the Whale (2005).

Phoebe Cates Filmography >

"Contemplating mankind's purpose turns people like me into pseudo-philosophers. I've been singing my song to life since I was born."

AKA: Randall Peltzer, Billy's Dad and inventor of The Bathroom Buddy, along with other devices that don't work very well either.

Behind-the-scenes: The Oklahoma born-and-raised son of songwriter Mae Boren Axton, who wrote Heartbreak Hotel for Elvis, Hoyt was a country and folk singer who made a few extra quid playing guest roles in telly shows like Bonanza and The Bionic Woman. Axton, who improvised most of his lines in Gremlins, was ultimately cast in the movie after it was deemed that actor Pat Hingle, who was originally considered for the role and later found fame playing Commissioner Gordon in Tim Burton's Batman (1989), was too good an actor for the part, and director Joe Dante didn't want to risk him stealing the show.

Life after Gremlins: Hoyt continued to do his thing, singing for his devoted fans and acting in shows like Dallas: The Early Years and Murder, She Wrote.

Where is he now? Four-times married with a colourful history of alcohol and cocaine addiction, Axton suffered a stroke in 1995 and died of a heart attack, at the age of 61, in 1999. In 2007 he was posthumously inducted, along with his mum, to the Oklahoma Country Music Hall of Fame.

Hoyt Axton Filmography >

"I've done a lot in the sixty-odd years I've been on this Earth, yet whenever I'm approached on the street by someone who recognises me, they usually want to know what it was like to microwave a Gremlin!"

AKA: Lynn Peltzer, loving mother, supportive wife, Gremlin killer.

Behind-the-scenes: A classically-trained actress who'd shoot TV shows and movies between stage engagements, Pennsylvanian-born McCain, now 66, played Charles Grodin's wife in Albert Brooks' debut feature film Real Life (1978), and in 1984, took supporting roles in both Footloose and Gremlins. The year after, she appeared as Lea Thompson's mum in Back to the Future, which was shot at the same time, and on a lot of the same sets, as Gremlins.

Life after Gremlins: A gifted character actress, McCain was never short of work, and on the big screen appeared in such films as Stand By Me (1986), Scream (1996), Patch Adams (1998), with Robin Williams, and for director Clint Eastwood, True Crime (1999).

Where is she now? Never one to rest on her laurels, McCain received a Master's Degree in Psychology from the Californic Institute of Integral Studies in 2000, and continues to act on the stage, close to home in San Francisco.

Frances Lee McCain Filmography >

"My family was tyrannised by my father's misery. I stayed out of his way but my brother wasn't so lucky. I fought back. My brother didn't. He committed suicide in 1988."

AKA: Gerald Hopkins, creepily smug, ladder-climbing assistant bank manager.

Behind-the-scenes: Born Edward Ernest Reinhold, Jr, but nicknamed Judge as a baby by his trial lawyer father, Delaware-born Reinhold, now 52, joined Phoebe Cates among the cast of Fast Times at Ridgemont High before going to work for Joe Dante in Gremlins. Sadly his role in the movie was severely curtailed in the final cut.

Life after Gremlins: Best known for his portrayal of junior detective Billy Rosewood in the Beverly Hills Cop trilogy (1984-1994), Reinhold also scored big with comedies Ruthless People (1986) and Vice Versa (1988). The Nineties weren't so rosy, with Judge playing in largely forgettable family fare, though he did score an Emmy nomination in 1990 for his memorable guest spot in Seinfeld as the infamous 'close talker'.

Where is he now? Keeping busy, cranking out middle-of-the-road family entertainment.

Judge Reinhold Filmography >

"If I'd had a choice, I probably would have focused more on my music because it's a part of my soul. Acting is my bread and butter, not my passion."

AKA: Pete Fountaine, Billy's curious pint-sized neighbour.

Behind-the-scenes: A talented, adorable and uncommonly edgy child star, California-born Feldman was already a veteran of the business by the time he played in Gremlins at the age of 13, having started acting when he was just 3. Shortly after he found lasting fame, if not fortune, co-starring in The Goonies (1985), Stand By Me (1986) and The Lost Boys (1987).

Life after Gremlins: As a teen idol frequently paired with Corey Haim, Feldman enjoyed considerable success in a string of lame straight-to-video comedies like License to Drive (1988), but behind the scenes, his life was a tragedy. Between being exploited and ripped off by his parents, who he divorced at 15, being sexually abused at 14, and physically devastated by drugs and alcohol, he was branded a has-been before even making it to 20.

Where is he now? Rebuilding his career, one appearance at a time. Most recently, Feldman and Haim worked together on their own reality show, The Two Coreys, and on horror sequel Lost Boys: The Tribe (2008). Regardless of their long history together, says Feldman, now 38, his rocky relationship with Haim may be too traumatic to maintain. Next stop: Lost Boys 3.

Corey Feldman Filmography >

"I just got asked, at a convention, which Gremlin I preferred - Spike or Gizmo? 'Neither one,' I told them. 'They're both very bad people.'"

AKA: Murray Futterman, flag-waving American xenophobe, grumpy but good-hearted with a pathological hatred of Gremlins.

Behind-the-scenes: Born in the Bronx, New York, Richard "Dick" Miller, now 80, served in the navy and made a fair living as a middleweight boxer before moving to LA in the Fifties and going to work as an actor for low-budget filmmaker Roger Corman, who cast him in almost all of his movies, mostly as unpleasant types, for more than 20 years. In the Seventies, Corman apprentice Joe Dante started casting Miller in all of his features too, mostly bit parts, but with a featured role in Gremlins, and later its sequel.

Life after Gremlins: Blink and you'd miss most of his roles, but if you look close enough you'll spot Miller in a multitude of movies, selling guns to Arnold in The Terminator (1984), driving a cab in Innerspace (1987) and many more besides.

Where is he now? Still acting, in films and TV, live action and 'toons, his familiar, wrinkled face and gruff tone of voice delighting film fans whenever they spot him.

Dick Miller Filmography >

"Because of my appearance, or because of my personality, or whatever it may be, I was always put into good Boy Scout roles - lawyers, doctors, business executives and tycoons, the nice Chinese guy down the block."

AKA: Mr Wing, wise old Chinese gentleman, curio store proprietor, guardian of the mogwai.

Behind-the-scenes: Born in China in 1904, but raised in Seattle, Luke worked first as a commercial artist before turning to acting in the Thirties, gaining fame as 'No. 1 Son' Lee Chan in the popular Charlie Chan film series. Years later, in the Seventies, he won a new generation of fans playing Master Po in hit show Kung Fu. By the time he appeared in Gremlins he was 80 years-old, only he looked considerably younger, but as he was meant to be playing a very old man, old age make-up had to be applied!

Life after Gremlins: In great demand as a character actor, Luke worked hard throughout the Eighties, mostly in TV shows like Miami Vice, T.J. Hooker and MacGyver.

Where is he now? Shortly after reprising his role as Mr Wing in Gremlins 2 (1990), Luke died of a stroke in California, aged 86, in 1991.

Keye Luke Filmography >

"People ask me to say my old Alice catchphrase, 'Kiss My Grits!', but the way I get out of it is by suggesting they should say it to me. I tell them they can probably say it pretty well themselves."

AKA: Ruby Deagle, the richest lady in town, as wicked as the worst of Oz's witches with no tolerance for the young, the poor, or dogs.

Behind-the-scenes: Alabama-born actress Holliday, now 72, found considerable fame playing brash Southern waitress Flo in long-running sitcom Alice (1976-1985) and short-lived spin-off Flo (1980-1981), winning Best Supporting Actress Golden Globes for her performance in 1979 and 1980. Unforgettable as the evil Mrs Dingle in Gremlins, Holliday won a Best Supporting Actress Saturn award for her performance from The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA.

Life after Gremlins: A character actress in reasonable demand, Holliday appeared in films and shows from The Golden Girls and The Equalizer to Mrs Doubtfire (1993) and The Parent Trap (1998).

Where is she now? In 2000 Holliday was inducted into the Alabama Stage and Screen Hall of Fame. Still active in the theatre, her most recent film role was in Ben Stiller comedy The Heartbreak Kid (2007).

Polly Holliday Filmography >

"Gizmo was cute and naive, so, you know, I got in touch with that and gave him kind of a baby's voice. I couldn't envision going any other way."

AKA: Gizmo the Mogwai, cute and cuddly with a penchant for singing and killing his accidental, evil offspring.

Behind-the-scenes: A Canadian stand-up comedian best known to British audiences for playing wise-cracking Dr Wayne Fiscus in hit medical show St Elsewhere (1982-1988), Mandel, now 53, was hired to voice Gizmo on the recommendation of legendary voice actor Frank Welker, who voiced Stripe in Gremlins (and Megatron in Transformers). As very little dialogue had been written for Gizmo, Mandel improvised almost his entire performance, later recording Gizmo's lines phonetically for the movie's foreign dubs.

Life after Gremlins: Despite a mediocre movie career and a failed talk show, Mandel managed to keep his head above water making kids TV and standup specials.

Where is he now? Currently hosting the US version of hit game show Deal or No Deal, Howie received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008.

Howie Mandel Filmography >