Oscar-winning horror/thriller film The Silence of the Lambs contains a cameo from legendary horror director and zombie master George A. Romero. Of course, while Romero certainly deserves credit for creating the zombie as we know it with Night of the Living Dead, the writer/director/producer's legacy by no means rests only on his undead outings. Romero also directed Creepshow, arguably the best horror anthology movie ever, the underrated Monkey Shines, and pandemic flick The Crazies, as well as created Tales from the Darkside.
Were it not for a copyright snafu that let Night of the Living Dead accidentally become public domain, Romero also probably would've been an extremely wealthy man, as the zombie classic is one of the most successful indie horror movies to date. While Romero may not have ended up reaping the rewards he deserved, his body of work remains impressive, and it's telling that since his 2017 passing, Romero has in no way faded from the minds of horror fans.
Even the most dedicated Romero fans may not be aware he made a cameo in The Silence of the Lambs though, as it's a brief, uncredited role. Still, the fact that Romero even briefly shared a set with Hannibal Lecter is enough to make any horror devotee smile.
Silence Of The Lambs: George Romero's Cameo Role Explained
In one of many classic scenes to be found in The Silence of the Lambs, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) finds herself engaging in a forced quid pro quo with cannibal serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). Clarice wants information as to Buffalo Bill's real identity so that she can try to save his latest victim, but Hannibal won't talk unless she reveals her own past trauma, leading to her famous monologue about the screaming lambs. Shortly after, Dr. Chilton, two cops, and a tall man in a suit carrying a walkie-talkie come in to escort Clarice away from the caged killer, as they've been ordered to do.
The man with the walkie-talkie is George Romero, and while he might not be readily noticed, once fans know who to look for, they won't be able to miss him. It's unclear exactly why Romero, who was fresh off producing a remake of Night of the Living Dead at that point, was cast in this small part in The Silence of the Lambs. However, considering Roger Corman and David Lynch also cameo in the film, it's quite possible that director Jonathan Demme just wanted to include fellow filmmakers he liked and respected. Also helping was that The Silence of the Lambs filmed in Pittsburgh, Romero's long-time home base, so coming in for a brief appearance was likely a breeze.