10 Things You Didn't Know About Freddy Krueger
4. His Most Iconic Line Was Improvised
Speaking of Dream Warriors, let’s turn our attentions to what is arguably the best of the worst puns ever spoken by Krueger. Jennifer, the aspiring actress in the gang of hospitalized teen misfits, is having trouble not-sleeping and decides to watch a little late night television by herself in the TV room.
Despite putting cigarettes out on her arm in order to stay awake, she eventually falls asleep. While watching The Dick Cavett Show on TV she notices Freddy appear on the screen briefly. She approaches the television, unaware that she’s dreaming, and as she advances, the TV sprouts arms and Freddy’s head appears. The arms lifts her off the ground as Freddy leaves her with the immortal words: “Welcome to primetime bitch!”. He then slams her head into the TV screen, fatally electrocuting her.
As great as it was, the actual scripted line was simply, “This is it Jennifer, your big break on TV!” Rogert Englund delivered it as scripted in the first couple of takes, but then improvised, “Welcome to primetime bitch!” Director Chuck Russell decided to use both the scripted and improvised lines, editing the two together.