MADRID – Actor Paul Naschy, famed for his acting in horror movies of the 1960s and 1970s like “La Marca del Hombre Lobo” (Hell’s Creatures) and “La Noche de Walpurgis” (Walpurgis Night), died in Madrid, his son told Efe. He was 75.

The actor died Monday night from cancer and will be buried Wednesday in the northern Spanish city of Burgos, his wife’s hometown, Naschy’s son, Sergio Molina, said.

Jacinto Molina Alvarez, known by his stage name of Paul Naschy and nicknamed the “Boris Karloff of Spain,” was an actor, scriptwriter and director of horror movies who made some 100 films throughout his career.

He was a graduate in architecture and a seven-time champion of Spain in weightlifting, but was always attracted to film, horror movies above all, and in 1967 debuted as the star of the werewolf movie “La Marca del Hombre Lobo” by Enrique Lopez Eguiluz.

He continued that role in “La Noche de Walpurgis” by Leon Klimovsky, “El Retorno del Hombre Lobo” (Night of the Werewolf) which he directed himself in 1980, and “Licantropo: El Asesino de la Luna Llena” (Lycanthrope: The Moonlight Murders) directed by Francisco Rodriguez Gordillo in 1996.

Paul Naschy (Madrid, 1934), who was President of the Scriptwriters Circle and winner of the Fine Arts Gold Medal of Merit, also made comedies along with detective, action and adventure films, such as “La Batalla del Porro” (The Battle of the Undercover Soldier) in 1982 by Joan Minguell, and “El Ultimo Kamikaze” (The Last Kamikaze) that he directed himself in 1984.

Next January his last appearance on the big screen will premiere, “La Herencia Valdemar” (The Valdemar Inheritance) by Spanish director Jose Luis Aleman. EFE