The greatest horror sidekicks

Dwight Frye’s maniac take on Dracula's right-hand man is one of the most inspired performances in horror movie history. Frye easily takes on the challenge of playing both sides of the meek lawyer who becomes Dracula’s bug-eating, crazed compadre opposite the iconic Bela Lugosi. His insane, high-pitched laugh and vein-bulging maniac behavior set the bar very high for every actor who attempted to take on the role.

The great Marty Feldman was born to play Igor, the hunchbacked assistant to the scheming Dr. Frankenstein in this satiric Mel Brooks classic. His bug-eyed look makes him look a bit monstrous, but his pinpoint comedic timing and smiling face has made him endearing to generations of audiences.

Father Merrin’s young apprentice, played by Jason Miller, is a man suffering from a shrinking sense of faith. The test of his faith comes in the form of a young girl possessed by a malicious demon that requires him to put up his very life as collateral, and well, let’s just say he passes the test with flying colors.

Ellen Ripley has a lot of help in fighting the alien menace on the Nostromo, but Parker (Yaphet Kotto) is the handiest to have in her corner. He’s the first to spot the deadly Xenomorph, volunteers himself to fight the monster for the good of the crew more than once, and even comes to Ripley’s aid when the Ash turns out to be a synthetic who’s programmed to carry out a secret order from the Weyland Corp even if that means killing the crew.

This vampire cult gem from the '80s is full of great characters and wonderful surprises, and one of the best is the vamp-fighting Frog Brothers, played by Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander. They have a deep knowledge of vampire behavior and rules thanks to their encyclopedic comic book knowledge, and they seem to relish the chance to exterminate a new den of vampires.

It’s hard to know which crew member of the Orca that fights the massive, murderous freak of aquatic nature is more helpful, so we put them both on the list. Hooper, played by Richard Dreyfuss, has a deep fascination and vast array of knowledge for shark activity, and Quint (Robert Shaw) is on a lifelong mission to ride the world of these man-eating beasts ever since a school of them ate half of his crew during World War II.

If you’re looking to commit a string of movie-inspired murders, then you need someone like Stu on your speed dial. Matthew Lillard’s horror movie-loving side-slasher has a maniac behavior that’s so disarming you don’t even suspect him until the end of the movie.

Dogs aren’t allowed to get Oscar nominations, but they should, thanks to performances like the dog in this post-apocalyptic vampire thriller. The constant companion of Robert Neville, played by Will Smith, is fiercely loyal to his human partner, which makes him willing to sacrifice a few of his dog years so his friend can live. Robert and Sam’s final scene together is one of the most heart-wrenching moments in any horror movie.  

Ash Williams was played by the always-awesome Bruce Campbell and went through a lot of sidekicks. It comes with the job. However, Pablo, played by Pablo Simon Bolivar and Kelly, played by Dana DeLorenzo, outlasted all the others in Ash’s bloody lifetime because they seem to have a second sight when it comes to wasting deadites. They’ve even died and been taken over by demons during the show’s three-season run, and they still come back to fight by Ash’s side.

Sometimes you need a friend to just be straight with you, and Jack (Griffin Dunne) is as brutally honest as a friend can get. His walking corpse constantly comes back into David’s life to tell him straight up that he needs to off himself before more people die at his clawed hands. You gotta love a friend willing to help you even while his body decays into the Earth.

Speaking of best friends, Ed (played brilliantly by Nick Frost) isn’t the ideal friend to have, but he’s loyal and loving when it really counts. The best friend of Shaun, played by Frost’s real-life best friend Simon Pegg, is a hapless, shiftless schlub, but he understands the meaning of being a friend better than anyone in Shaun’s life. That’s why he doesn’t mind being eaten so his best friend can live.  

Scott Reiniger played Roger in director George A. Romero’s brilliant satire of American consumerism. He's a good friend to have when the world is taken over by the dead. He’s got great aim and knows how to handle himself in a tough situation. He’s also willing to sacrifice himself for people he didn’t even know until the world starts to an end.

The sister of Park Gang-du, played by Song Kang-ho, in this iconic Korean monster movie may look like an innocent little girl, but she’s got the spirit of a Viking warrior coursing through her veins. This archery champion is a scrappy fighter who’s not afraid to step up to the front line and take on the man-eating fish monster. She delivers one of the most epic killer endings in monster movie history.

Lil Rel Howery’s hilarious performance in director Jordan Peele’s first big horror movie hit didn’t just bring some levity to a very heavy storyline. He takes on a pivotal role to protect his friend Chris, played by Daniel Kaluuya, after the evil Armitage family takes him in as part of their evil, racist plan to use his body as a host for rich benefactors looking to cheat death.

Vampires may be powerful beings who can defy the laws of nature for their greedy, bloody means, but even they need someone on the mortal side who can help them out in the daytime hours. Guillermo is naturally interested in vampiredom and is eager to please his undead bosses even if they don’t deliver on their promises. He’s also among the few likable characters in this TV den of bloodsuckers.

This Sawyer family member played by Bill Moseley may be crazy, but you have to be if you’re going to be a member of a cannibalistic family with a penchant for power tools. This Vietnam veteran has an infectious personality, and he’s willing to fight for his family name even after most of them have been wasted by chainsaw wounds and stray hand grenades.

Part of the fun of having a sidekick in a horror movie is how they can turn from hero to villain by the time the credits roll. Juno, played by Natalie Mendoza, joins Sarah, played by Shauna Macdonald, and the rest of her crew on an underground spelunking tour that turns into a hellish nightmare when they cross paths with a murderous group of humanoid creatures. She’s pretty handy with a pick-axe until she accidentally kills one of Sarah’s friends while fending off the creatures offering a satisfying turn in a movie that’s even more unpredictable.

Jada Pinkett Smith played Jerlyne. She is the most satisfying kind of hero in any movie genre. She’s the one who steps up to become a hero when the leader has fallen. She takes on the task of demon-fighting after a long night of dealing with the damned when Brayker, played by William Sadler, lays down his life to protect the motel's residents and finishes off the evil Collector, played by a menacing Billy Zane.