Greetings from the grave, scaries! This week we’re kicking off our Halloween Heroes series, where we’re highlighting heroes who keep the Halloween spirit alive through innovation and creativity. We’re starting with a bang by first profiling themed entertainment professional Garner Holt.

From Anaheim to Hong Kong, Garner Holt’s work is as widespread as it is diverse and influential. Theme parks and attractions from all over the globe employ his production company‘s involvement in creating world-class entertainment. In fact, a large amount of his work can be found locally in and around the Los Angeles area. For example, about a half hour from Downtown LA itself is the Disneyland Resort. Holt’s work for the Disneyland Resort includes the refurbished “Fantasmic” dragon, Ariel and friends in “Ariel’s Undersea Adventure” ride, as well as the colorful automobile characters that bring “Radiator Springs” to life. Some of his more easily accessible work can be found in Chuck E. Cheese locations nationwide. Garner Holt Productions is responsible for bringing “Chuck” and his animation friends to life via interactive onstage shows.

No matter how much of a big shot he may be nowadays, the creative force-to-be-reckoned-with hasn’t lost sight of his humble Halloween beginnings. Holt started off doing Halloween haunt attractions, and he was happy to open up about his beginnings and more in a short Q & A with ScareLA.

Q: What’s your fondest Halloween memory?  

A: When I was 14 years old, A newspaper did an article on the haunted house I created in my backyard. My fondest memory was when I saw the look on my parents’ faces that morning when they opened the newspaper. We had 400 people show up to visit my shack in the backyard. I also fondly remember building and operating haunted houses in malls throughout Southern California.

Q: What frightens you the most and why?  

A: Babies. (They smell funny, they’re unpredictable, they projectile vomit, among other horrible scary things.)

Q: What’s your biggest source of inspiration for your work? 

A: From day one it has always been the Disney Parks, but mainly The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland.

Q: Favorite part of ScareLA 2013?

A: I liked the vendor tradeshow. I found a guy last year that did amazing CG videos and I’ve already hired him for two theme park projects.

Q: What are you most looking forward to in the 2014 Halloween season? 

A: A couple of my employees have two great haunted houses (The Labyrinth of the Lost Relics and Chambers of the Mausoleum) in Norco that I like to visit each year. They always do a fantastic job with it.

Garner is continuing his award-winning work, which just garnered him the Buzz Price THEA Award for a lifetime of distinguished achievements. After a successful panel and presentation at ScareLA last year, everyone’s dying to know if he’ll be back for ScareLA 2014. Stay tuned to find out Scaries…