Over 140 credits, an insanely lucrative franchise, a handful of iconic roles, and a fan base that many would sell their souls for. It’s good to be Robert Englund. Years from now, when the man’s time on this earth has expired and new Robert Englund feature films have ceased to see release, genre fans will continue to praise his work.

And rightfully so. No amount of time can erase a legacy of this caliber. Here’s the deal, plain and simple: Robert Englund is a certified stud with some absolutely amazing performances under his belt. Here’s a look at 10 of his best genre characters, which should serve as a fine reminder of how amazing and divergent the man truly is.

: What need be said of iconic dream stalker Freddy Krueger? He’s hideous and petrifying, witty and razor-sharp tongued. He also has the distinction of being the single most inventive villain of our day (it could be argued that Krueger is the most inventive villaincreated). A multi-decade run as one of three premier slashers factors into the equation, but at the end of the day, Freddy is unbelievably awesome because Robert Englund knew precisely how to approach the role. The measured vocal delivery, the slanted shoulder, the finger fiddling: career-defining work!

Professor Gordon Crowley (Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer): Talk about characters that experience radical transformations! very few undergo the extreme change that Professor Gordon Crowley experiences in the extremely underrated monster movie Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer (seriously, this is an incredible movie). Robert shows up dressed like a true professor, but it doesn’t last long. By the time the final credits roll, Mr. Englund has had the time to showcase his skills as a driven teacher, an horrific monster, and every physical alteration made between the two. This is an entertaining character in an entertaining film that more fans should be discussing. I’m still waiting on the sequel.

Doc Halloran (Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon): The only problem with Englund’s rendition of Sam Loomis (which is essentially what this character is)? He doesn’t have enough screen time. Make no mistake, Englund invests in the project and we get some quality sequences in which he stands front and center, but there just aren’t enough of those shots to leave fans feeling fully gratified. He deserves more, and if Scott Glosserman ever gets to make his planned spreequel (as he calls the proposed pic Before the Mask), one can only hope that his finds a way to work Englund back into the story. Though fairly scant in participation in the first film, the character feels truly compulsory. We need him back.

MORE of Robert Englund’s Top Roles on the NEXT page!