Creeper

Hal Moffat was an American serial killer of the 20th century. His prolific spate of killings led to his earning the sobriquet "the Creeper". Moffat had been a star football player while attending Hampton University, but required assistance from his friend Clifford Scott to pass his chemistry course. Both competed for the affections of fellow student Virginia Rogers, leading Scott to deliberately give Moffat false answers on an important exam. Moffat's abysmal failure lead to him being given lab work as a punishment. Seeing Scott and Rogers together while he was trapped inside, Moffat flew into a rage and smashed surrounding lab equipment, causing a chemical explosion. His exposure to the chemicals left him permanently disfigured; he subsequently disappeared without completing his university studies. 
Years later, Moffat sought to take revenge on those he blamed for his disfigurement, when he encountered the blind piano teacher Helen Paige. Grateful for her kindness in unwittingly keeping him safe from the police, Moffat sought to repay her kindness by gathering the necessary funds to restore her sight. Now committing robbery alongside his revenge murders, Moffat was identified as the Creeper and taken into police custody with Paige's assistance. Subsequently, the Creeper escaped capture after the New York City Police Department attempted to kill him, leading to him falling into the Hudson River. Despite never finding his body, the Creeper was dismissed as dead by the police, allowing him to take up with vengeful artist Marcel DeLange. Grateful for the protection, the Creeper agreed to kill DeLange's critics after bad reviews. Moffat was again captured by the police.House of Horrors - George Bricker & Dwight V. Babcock - Universal Pictures - Release date 22 February 1946 - Retrieved 9 January 2024 
== Victims ==
=== Killed ===
* Three unidentified victimsA radio broadcast the character Jimmy listens to mentions that "the woman" was killed in the same manner as four previous victims. Given that Professor Cushman was previously mentioned in a newspaper, that means that the Creeper had to have killed at least three others prior to the professor and Bemis.The Brute Man - George Bricker & M. Coates Webster & Dwight V. Babcock - Universal Pictures - Release date 1 October 1946 - Retrieved 9 January 2024 (offscreen; mentioned)
* Professor Cushman (offscreen; mentioned)
* Joan Bemis
* Jimmy
* Pawnbroker
* Clifford Scott
* "The Dawson Girl"Mentioned in dialogue to have been a murder victim prior to his assumed death and escape via a river that was later dragged. Given those events conflict with "The Brute Man", and that she doesn't match up with any of the victims from said film, it's likely that there was yet another series of murders in yet another city that occurred offscreen, but the "Dawson Girl" is the only one mentioned. (offscreen; mentioned)
* Unnamed woman
* F. Holmes Harmon (on the orders of Marcel DeLange)
* Hal Ormiston (on the orders of Marcel DeLange)
* Stella McNally (on the orders of Marcel DeLange; mistaken for Joan Medford)
* Marcel DeLange
Minimum: 14
==Notes==
===Behind the Scenes===
*The Creeper was played by American actor Rondo Hatton.Joan Medford Is Missing - IMDB - Retrieved 15 August 2024The Brute Man - IMDB - Retrieved 15 August 2024Rondo Hatton - IMDB - Retrieved 15 August 2024 Hatton got the job after playing the Hoxton Creeper. The character was meant to appear in more films, but these were never filmed following Hatton's death.Remember Hollywood's 'Creeper'? He was Hagerstown native Rondo Hatton - Shannon Baker - 10 July 2022 - The Herald-Mail - Retrieved 15 August 2024
==Appearances==
*House of Horrors (first appearance)
*The Brute Man (final appearance; first chronologically)
==References==
Category:Humans
Category:Villains
Category:Criminals
Category:Murderers
Category:Serial Killers
Category:Athletes
Category:American characters
Category:Film characters
Category:Characters played by Rondo Hatton
Category:Horror characters
Category:Horror villains
Category:1907 births
Category:20th century births
Category:Greatest Generation
Category:Kill count (over 10)
Category:1946 debut