| Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards | |
|---|---|
The Rondo Award |
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| Awarded for | Excellence in research, scholarship and creativity in keeping classic horror, science fiction and fantasy |
| Presented by | Classic Horror Film Board |
| Country | United States |
| First awarded | 2002 |
| Official website | http://www.rondoaward.com/ |
The Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award is an award presented annually by the Classic Horror Film Board to honor the top works in horror in film, television, home video, and publishing.[1]
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Unlike most awards, such as the Oscars and the Grammys, the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards are voted on by the general public instead of members of a presenting Academy.[2] The award is designed to recognize research, scholarship and creativity in keeping classic horror, science fiction and fantasy alive and thriving.[1] There are also special awards for lifetime achievement, noted as the Monster Kid Hall of Fame.
The physical award is a representation of character actor Rondo Hatton, and is based on the bust of The Creeper, portrayed by Hatton in the 1946 film House of Horrors, released by Universal Pictures. The bust was sculpted by artist Kerry Gammill and cast by artist T. M. Lindsey.[2]
The awards were first presented in 2003. All votes are calculated through e-mail, and are overseen by David Colton. The location of the first ceremony was at the Old Dark Clubhouse hotel room at the Monster Bash convention in Pittsburgh, PA. The very first recipient of the award was Bob Burns. The award ceremony is currently held at the Wonderfest convention in Louisville, Kentucky.[3]
The 2008 ceremony introduced a new category in the form of Best Horror Host. The award is given in honor of Maila Nurmi (Vampira), as well as living horror host John Zacherle (Zacherley).
The Rondo awards continue to grow every year adding new voters, as well as new categories. Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News said, "if I could win any award ever, it would be a RONDO."[4] Magazines like Starlog, Fangoria and Video Watchdog cover the awards on a yearly basis, solidifying the award's notability among classic horror enthusiasts.