Wait, Was Bill Maher Really The Star Of This 39-Year-Old Slasher Sequel?!

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A bloodied Dr Gordon (Craig Wasson) in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3

Published Feb 4, 2026, 3:55 PM EST

Padraig is a Senior Features Writer and has been part of Screen Rant since 2017. Padraig is a writer, editor and retired Game of Thrones extra who has been writing about movies and TV online for over a decade. He has also written for The Irish Times, Den Of Geek, Little White Lies and many more. It's pronounced Paw-rick, BTW.

That can't possibly be Bill Maher in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors... can it? The Nightmare on Elm Street movies brought a fresh energy to the slasher genre during the 1980s. Whereas most of them relied on silent killers like Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees, the Nightmare series had the comedic stylings of Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund).

The kills and setpieces were more inventive too, thanks to the franchise's dream logic. The Nightmare on Elm Street saga was also a good incubator for up-and-coming stars, with the movies giving early roles to actors like Laurence Fishburne, Johnny Depp and Patricia Arquette.

No, Bill Maher Is Not The Star Of A Nightmare On Elm Street 3

Craig Wasson and Priscilla Pointer looking through a door window in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 is often considered the best sequel - or even the best entry, period. It has iconic nightmare setpieces, the most creative kills and some of Freddy's greatest one-liners. The sequel also gave actor Craig Wasson a major role as Dr Neil Gordon, a psychiatrist trying to save his teen patients from Freddy.

While he's a fine actor, Craig Wasson is also known for his downright uncanny resemblance to comedian Bill Maher. The similarities are so great that the two could be brothers, and modern reviews of A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 can't help but comment on the Wasson/Maher likeness.

Maher himself was acting steadily during this period, and he and Wasson are only a year apart in terms of age. The largely retired Wasson is definitely the more accomplished in terms of credits, having played the lead in movies like Brian De Palma's Body Double or the 1981 horror Ghost Story.

So no, Bill Maher is not in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3. It's a good thing too, because had he actually played Dr Gordon, the character would have likely lacked the warmth and compassion Wasson brought. He would have been waaaaay more cocky and flippant too.

Bill Maher Starred In His Own Cult Horror Sequel In 1987

Possibly adding to the confusion over Maher appearing in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 is that he did appear in another horror sequel that same year. In House II: The Second Story, Maher played a supporting role as Statmen, the slimy boss of the lead character.

It feels like Maher largely improvised his way through the part, and he manages to turn in House II's most memorable turn. Still, the character is essentially Maher playing a version of himself, so it's not the biggest stretch.

Maher appeared in a few more films (with none of them being A Nightmare on Elm Street sequel) with 1991's Pizza Man being the last time he played a character, and not himself, in a movie. His career eventually took off in a very different direction in 1993, thanks to his late-night show Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher.