Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers

Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers Bobby “Boris” Pickett (born Robert George Pickett, February 11, 1938, in Somerville, Massachusetts) was an American singer best known for his 1962 No. 1 novelty hit “Monster Mash.” With his Boris Karloff impression, Pickett—backed by studio musicians as The Crypt-Kickers—created a Halloween party anthem about a monster dance. Written by Pickett and Lenny Capizzi, the track (with sound effects, graveyard theme, and call-and-response) topped the Hot 100 and sold millions, re-charting annually near Halloween. Follow-ups like “Monsters’ Mash” flopped. Pickett continued performing the song at nostalgia events and in media. He died of heart failure on April 25, 2007, at age 69. As of 2026, “Monster Mash” remains a seasonal classic—played widely in October at parties, haunted houses, and commercials—with no active band but enduring cultural presence. Pickett’s playful, horror-themed novelty perfectly captured early 1960s fun and remains the definitive Halloween song.