The Crypt-Keeper's duties were not limited to hosting. He would occasionally appear as a character as well, and these appearances give the reader a glimpse of his biography. "The Lower Berth" ("Tales from the Crypt" #33) gives an account of the circumstances surrounding his birth. "While the Cat's Away" ("The Vault of Horror" #34) conducts a tour of his house above and below ground. "Horror beneath the Streets" ("The Haunt of Fear" #17) tells how he and his fellow GhouLunatics got their EC publishing contracts.