Younger audiences may know Blossom best from the blockbuster kidpic "Home Alone" (1990) as the possibly sinister neighbor of Macaulay Culkin who wields a mean snow shovel. Horror cultists fondly recall him in a rare starring role in "Deranged" (1974), an unsavory shocker about a mother-obsessed Ed Gein-like farmer who kills and stuffs his mom and other folks. Blossom's other credits include a small role as Robert Redford's father in "The Great Gatsby" (1974), Jonathan Demme's "Citizens Band" (1977), Don Siegel's "Escape From Alcatraz" (1979), John Carpenter's "Christine" (1983) and Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ" (1988).

Blossom has also lent his distinctive presence to various TV series in indelible guest spots: he was a menacing hitchhiker in a savvy adaptation of Ray Bradbury's short story, "The Burning Man", (CBS, 1985) on the revival of "The Twilight Zone"; he gave a moving firsthand account of the founding of Cicely (the series' setting) on an outstanding episode of "Northern Exposure" (CBS, 1992); and he shone as a sickly landlocked farmer who dreams of going to sea in the Michael Apted-directed pilot of "Crossroads" (ABC, 1992).