Friday the 13th’s Larry Zerner Talks Playing Shelly, the Hockey Mask & the Lawsuit

Not since the likes of Steve Urkel has such an awkward (yet lovable) geek meant so much to a pop-culture franchise like good ole Shelly from Friday the 13th Part 3.

Larry Zerner, who played Shelly in Friday the 13th Part 3, sat down with Sci-Fi 3D's Editor-in-Chief Jason Messer back in 2019 for an interview regarding a variety of topics. Among them being the long, drawn out lawsuit that's holding up the entire F13 franchise, as well as how he landed his pivotal role that eventually led Jason to receive his iconic look that would persist for decades to come. It's not every day you get to be a part of horror history, but Larry Zerner takes us back there for a fun, nostalgic chat. Larry Zerner is a successful attorney in the entertainment industry, be sure to follow him on Twitter @LarryZerner, as well as @Zernerlaw and find his official website at Zerner Law. Also, subscribe to Sci-Fi 3D's YouTube channel right here.

Oh, they said they were going skinny-dipping. I'm not skinny enough. - Shelly, Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)

Larry's bio and filmography (via Wikipedia): Lawrence J. Zerner (born September 8, 1963) is an American lawyer and actor who is perhaps best known for his role in the 1982 horror film Friday the 13th Part III as Shelly Finkelstein. His character in the film was most notable as the original owner of the infamous hockey mask which became Jason Voorhees's trademark. He later reprised the role in the 2017 video game Friday the 13th: The Game. Other film roles include the 1984 movie Hadley's Rebellion. He made a guest appearance on the television series Fame. Zerner was born in Los Angeles, California. He was discovered on a street corner in Westwood, Los Angeles, California handing out passes to a screening of The Road Warrior. After quitting acting in 1987 Zerner became an entertainment lawyer in Hollywood. In 2005, Larry represented Jeff Bergquist in a copyright infringement lawsuit against Daniel Knauf and HBO over the television series Carnivàle. Also in 2005, Zerner represented George Lutz in a lawsuit against the makers of the remake of The Amityville Horror.