▁performing ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁hit ▁novel ty ▁song ▁" Mon ster ▁M ash ." ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Pick ett ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Som er ville , ▁Massachusetts ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 3 8 . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁the ater ▁manager ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁nine - year - old , ▁he ▁watched ▁many ▁horror ▁films . ▁He ▁would ▁later ▁incorpor ate ▁impress ions ▁of ▁them ▁in ▁his ▁Hollywood ▁night club ▁act ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁An ▁asp iring ▁actor , ▁Pick ett ▁began ▁his ▁musical ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁vocal ist ▁for ▁a ▁local ▁swing ▁band ▁' D ar ren ▁B ail es ▁and ▁The ▁Wolf ▁E aters '. ▁Pick ett ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁from ▁March ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁to ▁March ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁and ▁was ▁station ed ▁in ▁Korea ▁for ▁an ▁unknown ▁period ▁of ▁time . ▁ ▁Career ▁Pick ett ▁co - w rote ▁" Mon ster ▁M ash " ▁with ▁Leonard ▁Cap iz zi ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 2 . ▁The ▁song ▁was ▁a ▁spo of ▁on ▁the ▁dance ▁c raz es ▁popular ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁including ▁the ▁Tw ist ▁and ▁the ▁M ashed ▁Pot ato , ▁which ▁inspired ▁the ▁title . ▁The ▁song ▁featured ▁Pick ett ' s ▁imp erson ations ▁of ▁veter an ▁horror ▁stars ▁Bor is ▁Kar lo ff ▁and ▁B ela ▁L ug osi ▁( the ▁latter ▁with ▁the ▁line