If asked to name a modern iconic horror actor the name of Robert Englund will probably be one of the first on the list. It is not surprising then that many fans of him and his alter-ego of Freddy Krueger have been jumping on social media to celebrate the star’s 75th birthday today. Englund has recently been back in the spotlight, making a cameo appearance as Victor Creel in the fourth season of Stranger Things on Netflix, and that has been just another reason to commemorate his special day.

Robert Englund is best known for playing child-murdering dream demon Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street and its sequels, a role that has become so iconic that it is still impossible for anyone to accept anyone but Englund in the role. However, his most-loved character is by no means the extent of the star’s work, and in the last five decades has amassed over 100 film and TV credits. In 1976, he was one of the stars who auditioned for the role of Han Solo in Star Wars, and while he did not get that part, he did manage to put in a word for a certain Mark Hamill for the role of Luke Skywalker. However, the disappointment of not getting that role didn’t hinder Englund’s career in any way.

While he was not known for playing the villain, usually being cast as a nerdy character, in 1984 he found himself taking on the role of his lifetime, the personification of evil that is Freddy Krueger. As of now, Englund is one of only four actors to have played a horror character in eight consecutive projects and has since been cemented as one of the best known names of the genre. This has seen him appear in movies like Stephen King’s The Mangler, 2001 Maniacs, Wishmaster and comedy horror Strippers vs. Werewolves, and TV shows such as Masters of Horror, The Nightmare Room and his TV turn as Freddy Krueger in Freddy’s Nightmares.

Related: Freddy Krueger Still Gives Robert Englund Nightmares

Robert Englund Will Make A Final Appearance As Freddy At London Film & Comic Con This July

Nightmare On Elm Street
New Line Cinema

After almost 40 years playing Freddy Krueger, Robert Englund is now said to be making his last ever appearance in full Freddy make-up at the London Film & Comic Con between July 8-10. Having already revealed that he now feels too old to play the character on screen, it looks like he is also about to put the Springwood killer permanently to rest. However, even if this is the last time Englund puts on the make-up, that doesn’t mean anyone is suddenly going to forget him. It could well be that we may even see Englund voicing an animated version of Krueger as he previously teased that he would be on board with that idea if it was done right. He previously said:

"Now, if they did a really expensive animated version, a graphic novel animated version, I would love to go do the voice for it. Yeah, that would be fun to do."

For now though, Englund can just bask in the love being shown to him on his birthday, and whether he plays Freddy Krueger again or not in some way in the future, his fan base is clearly not planning on going anywhere. Here are some more of the best wishes being offered to the actor today, and we add our own best wishes to this.