Since debuting in 2004, GHOST HUNTERS remains one of cable’s hottest shows. In season four, an average of 2.8 million viewers tuned in each week to catch the latest cases from the files of TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society), led by Rhode Island plumbers Hawes and Wilson. Hot on the heels of GHOST HUNTERS wrapping its most successful season to date, Sci Fi has renewed the reality show for a sixth season; season five will premiere in March.

Other exciting guests/programs set for Fango’s Big Apple blowout (and this is just the early tip of the iceberg!) include:

• Tobe Hooper: director of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, POLTERGEIST, EATEN ALIVE, ’SALEM’S LOT, LIFEFORCE, TOOLBOX MURDERS, INVADERS FROM MARS and MASTERS OF HORROR

• Doug Bradley: HELLRAISER’s Pinhead, NIGHTBREED, PUMPKINHEAD: ASHES TO ASHES, PROPHECY: THE UPRISING, THE COTTAGE and new Clive Barker film BOOK OF BLOOD

• Tony Todd: CANDYMAN and FINAL DESTINATION trilogies, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1990), SHADOW: DEAD RIOT, BLOODWARS, upcoming THE GRAVES and TV’s MASTERS OF HORROR: VALERIE ON THE STAIRS and STAR TREK

• Herschell Gordon Lewis: Godfather of Gore and director of BLOOD FEAST, TWO THOUSAND MANIACS!, WIZARD OF GORE and many others; Lewis will conduct a special low-budget filmmaking and marketing seminar (separate admission required)

• Tom Savini: makeup FX legend from DAWN OF THE DEAD, MARTIN, CREEPSHOW, FRIDAY THE 13TH, MANIAC, DAY OF THE DEAD, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER and many more; also a director (1990’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD) and actor (KNIGHTRIDERS, FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, GRINDHOUSE)

• Larry Fessenden: director of HABIT, WENDIGO and THE LAST WINTER, previewing new Glass Eye Pix productions STAKE LAND, HYPOTHERMIA, SATAN HATES YOU, I SELL THE DEAD and THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL

• Lloyd Kaufman: Troma president and director of POULTRYGEIST: NIGHT OF THE CHICKEN DEAD, TERROR FIRMER, TROMEO & JULIET and the TOXIC AVENGER films; Kaufman will conduct a special DIRECT YOUR OWN DAMN MOVIE seminar (separate admission required)

• William Lustig: director of MANIAC, UNCLE SAM, VIGILANTE, HIT LIST, RELENTLESS and the MANIAC COP trilogy

• Dennis Paoli: screenwriter of RE-ANIMATOR, FROM BEYOND, BODY SNATCHERS, MASTERS OF HORROR, DAGON, THE DENTIST, CASTLE FREAK, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM and many more, conducting a screenwriting seminar (separate admission required)

• OFFSPRING panel: with author/screenwriter Jack Ketchum (OFF SEASON, RED, THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, THE LOST) and producer/director Andrew van den Houten (HEADSPACE, HOME MOVIE, GIRL NEXT DOOR)

• Debbie Rochon: FANGORIA RADIO co-host and actress from THE BOG CREATURES, TROMEO & JULIET, TERROR FIRMER, NOWHERE MAN and the new SATAN HATES YOU, WALKING DISTANCE, COLOUR FROM THE DARK, HANGER and PSYCHOSOMATIKA

• Marilyn Burns: actress from TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, EATEN ALIVE, FUTURE-KILL and TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT GENERATION

• Caroline Williams: actress from TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, STEPFATHER II and LEPRECHAUN 3

• Robin Sherwood: actress from TOURIST TRAP, THE LOVE BUTCHER, DEATH WISH II and BLOW OUT

• Shannon Lark: our reigning FANGORIA’s Weekend of Horrors Spooksmodel, a director, dancer and actress (WALKING DISTANCE) best known for her work with the Living Dead Girlz troupe

• Brian Spears: FX artist from PLAGUE TOWN, I SELL THE DEAD and SHADOW: DEAD RIOT

• Raine Brown: cult actress from BARRICADE, AUNT ROSE, DARKNESS SURROUNDS ROBERTA, new 100 TEARS, BEAST and ANGEL’S BLADE: ASCENSION (signing in dealers’ room)

• Joe Zaso: tough-guy actor from BARRICADE, ANGEL’S BLADE, 5 DEAD ON THE CRIMSON CANVAS, RED MIDNIGHT, DARKNESS SURROUNDS ROBERTA and BEAST (signing in dealers’ room)

The convention will also host a Saturday night cocktail/dessert party (free for Gold and Silver customers), costume contest, a jam-packed indie horror movie festival and advance previews of such films as THE WOLFMAN, FINAL DESTINATION 4, THE BOX, ORPHAN, ROB ZOMBIE’s H2 and HAUNTED WORLD OF EL SUPERBEASTO, Wes Craven’s latest (formerly 25/8), PIRANHA 3D, THE DESCENT 2, LAID TO REST, CIRQUE DU FREAK and many others!

Other guests and attractions will be announced shortly. For additional information and tickets to our national 2009 Weekend of Horrors tour, produced by Creation and FANGORIA Entertainment, go here. Watch this space for regular updates.