Whedonesque : Comments on 9775 : Mormon Vampires?

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March 11 2006

Mormon Vampires? Makes you think twice before asking those boys in for a quick bite. A tounge in cheek look at characters, writers and actors that are in some way related to Vampires and The Church of Later Day Saints. Mentions of Eliza Dushku, Larry Bagby III and Mark Deakins.

Crypto | Cast&Crew | 19:08 CET | 20 comments total | tags: buffy, mormon, mark deakins, larry bagby iii, eliza dushku

Donny and Marie Osmond
Well, they kind of look like vampires. But they're not.

So you say.

AmazonGirl | March 11, 19:18 CET

OMG, how much did I love that article.
And, yes, about the Osmonds, they are soooooo vampires, or at least some kind of demons. *shivers*

twa_corbies | March 11, 19:27 CET

Anne Rice is not only not a Mormon, she is a practicing Catholic, having returned to the Church after having drifted away from it at about 18 years of age.

Definitely didn't know that about Larry. He could have become a vampire, a la Harmony, but I guess things just didn't work out that "well" for him!

Chris inVirginia | March 11, 19:38 CET

Well it's nice that some of the rumors are dispelled here. Often heard that "Alice Cooper is a Mormon" rumor, not that he couldn't join like others who were previously famous with other lifestyles, like Gladdys Knght (probably not a big lifestyle change for her) and Eldridge Cleaver of the Black Panther Party/"Sould On Ice" fame, but who starts these rumors anyway? Was it because Alice quit drinking?
Gotta say though, ...always loved Donny. Still do.

Anna von Ovonov | March 11, 19:57 CET

Nice article. But given the LDS practice of Proxy Baptism, it occurs to me that there are no non-Mormon vampires (or non-Mormon slayers, for that matter), only potential Mormon vampires and slayers. Get Count Drac on the baptism list, and voila! (No disrespect to LDS intended).

SoddingNancyTribe | March 11, 20:49 CET

In the 70's the Alice-Cooper-played-Beaver-Cleaver rumor had legs. But I never heard Alice Cooper is a Morman. Kinda funny. It reminds me of one of his lyrics: "I'm a dirt-talkin', beer-drinkin', woman-chasin' minister's son."

batmarlowe | March 11, 21:50 CET

I enjoyed reading this very unique article. Great find, Crypto!

Invisible Green | March 11, 22:35 CET

I would think that becoming a vampire would disqualify an individual, with respect to any Christian based religion, what with the cross and holy water issues. Obviously this becomes moot with other religions. Still it seems a strange combination to even consider, akin to rumors about vampiric bowling leagues or tupperware parties. Perhaps I am merely being prejudiced against our Fanged-American brethren.

DejaThoris | March 11, 23:58 CET

I just imagined that vampire club from "Lie to Me" in Buffy season 2 having a tupperware party. Plastic containers might be the answer to the dangerous religious accoutrement problem.

I was surprised to see Larry Bagby in Walk the Line, I thought he did well with the part.

Biff Turkle | March 12, 00:20 CET

(ahem, cough, cough) "Fanged-American brethren"?...I believe you meant to say, "Undead Americans"!

Chris inVirginia | March 12, 01:49 CET

I think the preferred term is Circulatorily Challenged.

This link is so utterly random it's fantastic (though i'm not sure about some of the famous mormons - seems a little bit free with the 'inventor' tag e.g. Baird was up there in TV albeit a mechanical one and when you think Doom you usually think Carmack and Romero, Sandy Petersen ? Not so much)

Saje | March 12, 02:48 CET

"I think the preferred term is Circulatorily Challenged."

Dunno, Saje, I always thought one of the "Suspend your disbelief at the door" things about the whole Buffyverse was a vampire's able to smoke...oh, yeah, and to have an erection.

But, I'm totally okay with that!

Chris inVirginia | March 12, 03:34 CET

Not to mention get drunk. One of those 'science' questions that Joss likes to duck, like why do vampire's clothes turn to dust when they're staked ? Joss' answer, so that we don't have piles of clothes lying everywhere on the set.

And by the looks of season 6 you could hang your hat on Spike's 'suspension of disbelief' ;).

Saje | March 12, 03:53 CET

This link is of particular interest to me as, while my family hasn't been members of the LDS church for several generations, we are direct descendants of Joseph Smith Jr, The Prophet of their Church. I must say I never knew Eliza's family was LDS. However for some reason I'm not surprised Larry Bagby is LDS don't know why I'm not surprised though. Guess he just stikes me as a really nice guy.

Crypto | March 12, 04:55 CET

Chris,
Wouldn't Undead-Americans be zombies? Or would that be Ambulatory Corpse-Americans? Oh yeah, I wasn't intending to be sexist as well as prejudiced with the "brethren" usage. I am a chick, so take back the night and up with grrlpwr and all that.

Saje,
That was the most beautiful mixed metaphor I have ever seen. Now, is this a top-hat or a ten gallon? My interest is purely academic.

DejaThoris | March 12, 05:59 CET

I've never heard that Alice Cooper was Mormon, but he is a born-again Christian.

rkayn | March 12, 06:41 CET

When did Alice Cooper become a born-again Christian?

batmarlowe | March 12, 11:33 CET

I have another Mormon vampire connection. One of the members of "Ghost of the Robot" is Mormon. I think it was Aaron.

Yentroc | March 12, 11:46 CET

Hey Crypto, My family has not been part of the LDS for a few generations either, but my understanding is that they were at Nauvoo during those last years before Joseph Smith was killed. So I guess our ancestors probably knew each other 160 or 170 years ago or so. I guess we could also be distantly related. I have not heard of any vampires in the family, however.

newcj | March 13, 19:47 CET

Even odder than the article is the range of discussion it has started.
Joss is, of course, notorious when it comes to the "scientific" aspects of some of his work. Vampires not only can smoke, they can breathe heavily. As evidenced in one Angel ep when Angel is climbing a cliff and breathing heavily to show what hard work it is.
And of course, as evidenced in Season 6 Buffy.

Lioness | March 13, 22:31 CET

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