Editing Night of the Living Dead (section)

== Cast ==
[[File:Duane Jones NLD.jpg|thumb|alt=Ben holds a rifle in the farmhouse living room.|Ben, played by [[Duane Jones]]]]

The low-budget film included no well-known actors,<ref name="Sandell2017">{{cite news |last1=Sandell |first1=Scott |title=Classic Hollywood: George Romero, Mr. Rogers and the Pittsburgh Connection |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-classic-hollywood-20170721-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=October 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231022024324/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-classic-hollywood-20170721-story.html |archive-date=October 22, 2023 |date=July 21, 2017}}</ref> but propelled the careers of some cast members.{{sfn|Kane|2010|loc=ch.&nbsp;4}} Two independent film companies from [[Pittsburgh]]—Hardman Associates and director [[George A. Romero]]'s The Latent Image—combined to form Image Ten, a production company chartered only to create ''Night of the Living Dead''.{{sfn|Kane|2010|pp=20–23}} The cast consisted of members of Image Ten, actors previously cast for their commercials, acquaintances of Romero, and Pittsburgh stage actors.{{sfn|Kane|2010|loc=ch.&nbsp;4, pp.&nbsp;42–48}}
* [[Duane Jones]] as Ben. The casting was potentially controversial in 1968 when it was rare for a black man to be cast as the hero of an American film primarily composed of white actors, but Romero said that Jones performed the best in his audition.{{sfn|Jones|2005|p=118}} Jones went on to appear in other films, including ''[[Ganja & Hess]]'' (1973) and ''[[Beat Street]]'' (1984),<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/28/obituaries/duane-l-jones-51-actor-and-director-of-stage-works-dies.html |first=C. Gerald |last=Fraser |title=Duane L. Jones, 51, Actor and Director of Stage Works, Dies |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 28, 1988 |access-date=January 24, 2012 |archive-date=November 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104061744/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/28/obituaries/duane-l-jones-51-actor-and-director-of-stage-works-dies.html |url-status=live}}</ref> but worried that people only recognized him as Ben.<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Jones, Duane |title=Bonus Interviews |work=Night of the Living Dead |publisher=Elite Entertainment |year=2002 |type=DVD |series=Millennium Edition}}</ref>
* [[Judith O'Dea]] as Barbra. A 23-year-old commercial and stage actress, O'Dea previously worked for Hardman and Eastman in Pittsburgh. O'Dea was in Hollywood seeking entry to the movie business when contacted about the role.{{sfn|Collum|2004|pages=3–9}} O'Dea expressed surprise at the film's cultural impact and the renown it brought her.{{sfn|Collum|2004|p=4}}
* [[Russell Streiner]] as Johnny, Barbara's brother. Streiner was Romero's business partner at The Latent Image and one of the producers of the film.<ref name="image-ten-streiner">{{Cite web| last = Image Ten| title = Night of the Living Dead Cast and Crew: Russ Streiner| work = Image Ten| access-date = 2025-03-25| date = 2022| url = https://www.image-ten.com/cast-crew/russ-streiner}}</ref> In the film's credits, he is only listed as a producer and not as a cast member. He had no previous film acting experience,{{sfn|Russo|1985|p=42}} but would later go on to have a small body of work as an actor and producer, notably as a producer of the 1990 remake, where he also had a cameo as Sheriff McClelland.<ref name="image-ten-streiner"/>{{sfn|Kane|2010}}
* Karl Hardman as Harry Cooper. Hardman was president of Hardman Associates, and like Streiner, one of the film's producers. Cooper's wife was played by Hardman's real-life business and romantic partner Marilyn Eastman.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.image-ten.com/cast-crew/karl-hardman |title=Night of the Living Dead Cast and Crew – Karl Hardman |website=www.image-ten.com |access-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826031050/https://www.image-ten.com/cast-crew/karl-hardman |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Barnes2021"/> Hardman also did uncredited work as a [[sound effects]] and [[music editing]] for the film, adding electronic effects to the stock music used in film and creating a novel electronic soundtrack for some of the film's sequences.{{cite-needed|date=March 2025}}
* [[Marilyn Eastman]] as Helen Cooper.{{sfn|Collum|2004|p=3}} Vice president of Hardman Associates, Marilyn Eastman played the doomed mother Helen Cooper and the unnamed, bug-eating zombie. She later appeared in ''[[Santa Claws (1996 film)|Santa Claws]]'' (1996), directed by [[John A. Russo|John Russo]].<ref name="Barnes2021">{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/marilyn-eastman-dead-night-of-the-living-dead-1235001774/ |title=Marilyn Eastman, Actress and Vital Behind-The-Scenes Player on 'Night of the Living Dead,' Dies at 87 |first=Mike |last=Barnes |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=August 23, 2021 |access-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826025438/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/marilyn-eastman-dead-night-of-the-living-dead-1235001774/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newsweek.com/tributes-marilyn-eastman-night-living-dead-star-dead-87-1622403 |title=Tributes for Marilyn Eastman, 'Night of the Living Dead' Star, Dead at 87 |first=Emma |last=Nolan |date=August 24, 2021 |website=Newsweek |access-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826025440/https://www.newsweek.com/tributes-marilyn-eastman-night-living-dead-star-dead-87-1622403 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* Kyra Schon as Karen Cooper. Hardman's daughter in real life,{{sfn|Kane|2010|p=42}} 9-year-old Schon also portrayed the mangled corpse on the house's upstairs floor that Ben drags away.{{sfn|Kane|2010|p=43}}
* {{anchor|Keith_Wayne}}Keith Wayne as Tom. "Keith Wayne" was Ronald Keith Hartman's stage name.{{sfn|Kane|2010|p=43}} After this lone acting role, Wayne went on to work as a singer, dancer, musician, and night-club owner.<ref name="news.google.com">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2519&dat=19740314&id=vSpmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S3cNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2494,2330548 |title=Former Houston Man Heading for Stardom |last=Hazlett |first=Terry |newspaper=Observer-Reporter |date=March 14, 1974 |page=C-6 |via=Google News Archive Search |access-date=December 30, 2022 |archive-date=January 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200118031102/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2519&dat=19740314&id=vSpmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S3cNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2494,2330548 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|Kane|2010|p=43}} Wayne became a successful [[chiropractor]] in North Carolina.<ref name="news.google.com"/> Wayne explained the change in careers during a 1992 interview, "I am not that person anymore. [...] I got to a point in my life where I wanted to have some control. I didn't want to wake up at 40 or 50 and not be in control."<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The News and Observer |date=December 18, 1992 |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com./article/the-news-and-observer-a-zombie-in-his-cl/130949569/ 1D], [https://www.newspapers.com./article/the-news-and-observer-a-zombie-in-his-cl/130949651/ 3D] |title=A Zombie in His Closet |last=Langford |first=Bob |location=Raleigh, North Carolina |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-a-zombie-in-his-cl/130949569/ |access-date=August 30, 2023 |archive-date=August 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831002525/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-a-zombie-in-his-cl/130949569/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1995, he took his own life at age 50.{{sfn|Kane|2010|p=204}}<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Hartman |first=Keith |title=How to Find Chiropractic Help, Bursitis and Tendinitis, Sternum Noises, Knee and Neck Care; Plus the Notice of the Death of Dr. Hartman |date=1995 |issue=40 |magazine=Hard Gainer |url=https://www.hardgainer.com/product/issue-40/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705060922/https://www.hardgainer.com/product/issue-40/ |archive-date=July 5, 2022 |url-status=deviated}}</ref>
* Judith Ridley as Judy. The 19-year-old receptionist from Hardman Associates auditioned for Barbra without any acting experience and was given the less-demanding role of Judy.{{sfn|Kane|2010|pp=42–43}} Ridley starred in Romero's unsuccessful second feature ''[[There's Always Vanilla]]'' (1971).{{sfn|Kane|2010|pp=90–92}}
* [[Bill Hinzman]], who played the first ghoul encountered by Barbra and Johnny in the cemetery, went on to work on a number of horror films including ''[[The Majorettes]]'' (1986) and ''[[Flesheater]]'' (1988).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/30563/rest-in-peace-bill-hinzman/ |title=Rest in Peace: Bill Hinzman |first=Steve |last=Barton |date=February 6, 2012 |website=Dread Central |access-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826033246/https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/30563/rest-in-peace-bill-hinzman/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-16923467 |title=Night of the Living Dead Actor Bill Hinzman Dies |work=BBC News |date=February 7, 2012 |access-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826034935/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-16923467 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[George Kosana]] as Sheriff McClelland. Kosana also served as the film's [[Unit production manager|production manager]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/news/george-kosana-dead-night-living-dead-actor-was-81-960454 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |title=George Kosana, 'Night of the Living Dead' Actor (And Investor), Dies at 81 |author=Barnes, Mike |date=January 3, 2017 |access-date=October 18, 2017 |archive-date=October 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019124749/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/george-kosana-dead-night-living-dead-actor-was-81-960454 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Bill Cardille|Bill "Chilly Billy" Cardille]] as himself.{{sfn|Kane|2010|p=45}} Cardille was well known in Pittsburgh as a TV presenter who hosted a horror film anthology series, ''[[Chiller Theatre (Pittsburgh)|Chiller Theatre]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://archive.triblive.com/news/bill-cardille-marks-50-years-on-pittsburgh-airwaves/ |title=Bill Cardille Marks 50 Years on Pittsburgh Airwaves |date=September 3, 2007 |last=Hasch |first=Michael |newspaper=Tribune-Review |publisher=Total Media LLC |location=Pennsylvania |access-date=September 2, 2023 |archive-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826055638/https://archive.triblive.com/news/bill-cardille-marks-50-years-on-pittsburgh-airwaves/ |url-status=live}}</ref> His daughter [[Lori Cardille|Lori]] would go on to star in Romero's ''[[Day of the Dead (1985 film)|Day of the Dead]]'' (1985).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Squires |first1=John |title=First Image of Original 'Day of the Dead' Cast Reunited in Upcoming 'Night of the Living Dead 2' [Exclusive] |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3689149/first-image-original-day-dead-cast-reunited-upcoming-night-living-dead-2-exclusive/ |website=Bloody Disgusting! |access-date=March 10, 2024 |date=October 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite interview |interviewer=Eric N. |first=Lori |last=Cardille |title=Lori Cardille |url=http://www.bloodygoodhorror.com/bgh/interviews/07/26/2007/lori-cardille |website=Bloody Good Horror |access-date=March 10, 2024}}</ref>