10 MORE Actors You Totally Forgot Starred In Horror Movies

Thanks to her exceptionally long life (living to 99 years old) and staying power, we all know who Betty White is, even if we’ve never watched her shows. Famed for her game shows and comedy work, White’s career spanned 75 years and saw her take on just about every role and genre imaginable. But, until 1999, horror wasn’t on her CV.

Steve Miner’s comedy horror Lake Placid is not exactly Shakespeare, but it is a lot of fun, and good, easy popcorn viewing - and so it kind of makes sense that this is where White would show up. The plot centres on a gigantic crocodile, built in the image of Jaws, who terrorises the fictional Black Lake in Maine, while police and scientists attempt to thwart it for good. White turns up mid-film as kooky local resident Delores Bickerman, who has quietly been feeding the crocs for years.

The part fits her comic sensibilities and personality to a tee, and rather than just popping up as a cameo for its own sake, she has an important role to play. At the end of Lake Placid, in a last-minute stinger, we discover Mrs. Bickerman feeding bread to a float of baby crocodiles, helping the next generation of terrors grow big and strong. Nonetheless, the part is comparatively small given the size of the film and other characters, and White’s only real dalliance with horror often gets overlooked.