Creative Director and Manager
David Barton fell in love with monsters and chose his vocation at the age of nine, the particular beast … “The Creature From The Black Lagoon”, the vocation … “monster making”. From that point forward, David continued his monster education reading Famous Monsters of Filmland, Cinemagic and Fangoria.
David began shooting Super 8 movies at the age of 12 and dabbled in all forms of special effects. Simultaneously, inspired by a visit to the Disney’s Haunted Mansion, David developed a love of high-end haunted house attractions and themed attractions.
At age 16, Barton was hired to overhaul the O.C. Barber Haunted Mansion, designing and building scenes and creating masks and props. The following year, David was back with much more work and an actual budget. It was also around this time that David met with make-up FX artist Tom Savini at his home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania … Savini had recently completed make-up FX work on the movie “Creepshow”, which solidified David’s desire to pursue make-up effects as a career.
Shortly after graduating high school, David was the make-up FX key on “The Dead Next Door”, directed by his best friend J.R. Bookwalter and financed by Sam Raimi (director of “Evil Dead” and “Spiderman” 1, 2, and 3). Shortly after this David used his skills to “spice up” another haunted house, The Haunted Asylum. A year later, David was rehired to totally design, build from scratch and decorate the entire attraction.
Hollywood was next at 21, David worked on his first film,“Phantasm II”, specializing in animatronics. Within 2 years, David was running his own shows, and shortly thereafter opened his own make-up FX studio. Altogether, David has worked professionally in Hollywood for 22 years, contributing work on: “The Abyss”, “Starship Troopers”, “The Usual Suspects”, “Bound”, “Bicentennial Man”, “Face/Off”, “A Beautiful Mind”, “Apocalypto” and “300”. In 2001, David wrote and directed the ultra-low budget film “Dead & Rotting”.
David has professional skills as a sculptor, painter, mold maker, a conceptual designer, prototyping, machining and animatronics, construction, prop construction, and set dressing to name a few. David’s followed the haunt industry closely for ten years, attending Transworld for 8 of those years, and is very familiar with all aspects of haunted house attractions.
David, the Creative Director for “Kreepy Krawly’s House of Horrors” is working with Spook House Logistics, Ltd. to finish building a haunted house attraction of his own design-- A state-of-the-art, 17,000 sq. ft. haunt with all the bells and whistles.
President, Spook House Logistics, Ltd.
Michelle Barton is the book smart counterbalance to her husband’s creative endeavors. She never wanted to be involved with monster movies and haunted houses, but has always been there to lend support to David's effort.
Currently, Michelle is at the helm of Spook House Logistics, Ltd., the company that is raising funds to complete “Kreepy Krawly’s House of Horrors”.
Michelle’s previous work experience includes being an Office Manager Assistant at two Los Angeles based law firms, specializing in Worker’s Comp fraud cases and Insurance Bad Faith litigation .
Michelle also handled the books for her husband’s Hollywood based FX company for 12 years.
Currently, Michelle is also the bookkeeper for an Ohio based business.
Treasurer - Business Manager
George Peyton has been attracted to monsters and all things horror from an early age. Watching Night of the Living Dead at age 6 from the back seat of a station wagon at the local drive-in, his life was changed forever.
George is a successful entrepreneur managing several growing businesses.
Owner and president of White Tiger Graphics a design and printing company doing business nationwide. Est. 1988
Owner and managing member of Geo-Sites, ltd. A real estate development company, with properties ranging from residential to commercial. Est. 2003
Owner of the London State Theatre. A movie theater established in 1936. This theater purchased in 2009 was badly in need of a remodel. This project is currently under way with a projected open date of March 19, 2010.
George brings a wide variety of skills to the mix. Business Management, Art & Digital Design, and Project Management being just a few.
Senior Attraction Designer
Paul Diefendorf is the Senior Attraction Designer for “Kreepy Krawly’s House of Horrors”.
Paul previously worked 25 years at the famous “Haunted School House” and “Haunted Laboratory” haunted attractions in Akron, Ohio, where he was an integral part of those attractions success. Fangoria rated these attractions as the 8th best in the nation, HauntWorld ranked them in the top 13, and AOL ranked them as the #3 best attraction in the nation. Much of this success is directly due to Paul’s efforts and skills.
Paul started out playing a monster at these attractions at the age of 16, and, due to his many skills, soon became the key designer and builder of the attraction’s creative scares and highly detailed scenes that many in the haunt industry have called “film quality”.
Paul’s duties at the Haunted School House and Haunted Laboratory included: designing and building scenes; creating characters; hiring actors; meeting with the local Fire Chief and other Inspectors; and attending conventions and classes to keep at the top of his game.
Few people have contributed to as much of the look and physical workings of the Haunted School House and Haunted Laboratory as Paul has, his blood and sweat investment has been a critical element making sure both attractions kept customers coming back for more.
You can read about Paul and these attractions here.
Audio/Visual Director
J.R. BOOKWALTER began his career at age 19 with THE DEAD NEXT DOOR, an ambitious zombie epic financed by a now-legendary Hollywood director, Sam Raimi. After learning the ropes with a series of less-than-satisfying work-for-hire features, Bookwalter founded Tempe Entertainment as an outlet to make & self-distribute such films as OZONE and POLYMORPH. In 1997, Bookwalter relocated to Hollywood, where he produced 12 features for Full Moon Pictures in just 3 years as well as directing two popular WITCHOUSE sequels.
The Akron, Ohio native went back on his own in 2003 with Tempe DVD, releasing deluxe Special Editions of his past work as well as creating a new home for some "not-so-classics" with the comedy series BAD MOVIE POLICE. Considered by many to be a "pioneer" in the wildly popular shot-on-video movement, in 2005 Bookwalter celebrated his 20th year in the business, marked by Anchor Bay's release of THE DEAD NEXT DOOR Special Edition DVD, bringing his career full circle.
Bookwalter has joined “Kreepy Krawly’s House of Horrors” as its audio-video director, handling sound design, video elements and commercials for the attraction.
