Following his performance in the original A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), he became closely associated with the horror film genre, and is widely regarded as one of its iconic actors.

Englund began studying acting at the age of twelve, accompanying a friend to a children's theater program at California State University, Northridge.

He then attended UCLA for three years, before dropping out and transferring to Michigan's Oakland University, where he trained at the Meadow Brook Theater,[1] at the time a branch of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

[5] Englund had five successful years performing in regional theater[6] including plays by Shakespeare and Bernard Shaw.

Englund went against type when he accepted the role of Freddy Krueger, the psychopathic burn victim and child murderer in Wes Craven's hugely successful A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984.

[10] His association with the genre led him to top-billed roles in The Phantom of the Opera (1989), The Mangler (1995) – another film directed by Tobe Hooper, and 2001 Maniacs (2005).

His guest roles include the science fiction series Babylon 5, one episode of the show MacGyver as Tim Wexler, Masters of Horror, MadTV, Sliders, and Knight Rider, where he appeared as a phantom haunting a film studio, and Walking Tall: The Series as well as a guest star spot on the hit TV show Walker, Texas Ranger.

His work in voice-over animation includes magician Felix Faust in Justice League, The Riddler on The Batman, The Vulture on The Spectacular Spider-Man, and as Dormammu on The Super Hero Squad Show.

[4] Englund made his directorial debut with the 1988 horror film 976-EVIL, co-written by future Oscar winner Brian Helgeland and starring Stephen Geoffreys.

During July 2013, he was in pre-production to direct The Vij, about a young priest who is led by an evil genie to commit murder, and who falls in love with an old witch who is not what she seems.

His memoir, Hollywood Monster: A Walk Down Elm Street with the Man of Your Dreams, which Alan Goldsher transcribed from his dictations, was published by Pocket Books on October 13, 2009.

[13][failed verification] Englund noted he would welcome a guest appearance in the ABC revival of V in an interview with Todd Sokolove from Forces of Geek.

[26][27] In 2022, Englund appeared in the fourth season of the Netflix series Stranger Things as Pennhurst Mental Hospital patient Victor Creel.