The full, previously unreleased voice-over poem written by Rod Temperton, recorded by Quincy Jones and featuring Vincent Price alongside Michael Jackson, was first released as a bonus track on Thriller: 2001 Special Edition, as well on the deluxe disc of Thriller 25.

Vincent Price was an accomplished actor with a distinct voice, starring in films such as Brigham Young, House of Wax, House of Usher, The Fly, and Catchfire, Edward Scissorshands, and narrating The Vagabond King, Pictura: An Adventure in Art, Spirits of the Dead, PBS' Mystery, and A Christmas Carol. He provided his voice to Roger Glover’s live rock-opera/film “The Butterfly Ball and the The Grasshopper’s Feast”, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, Tilex commercials, and Tiny Toon Adventures. Tim Burton and Disney also produced a stop-motion animated short film dedicated to him, Vincent, in 1980, which he also narrated in. He also frequently appeared on The Hollywood Squares and had his own cooking show.

Temperton wanted to add a “talking section” into the song, provided by “somebody, a famous voice, in the horror genre,” and upon the advice of Quincy Jones' wife, called Price to do it. However, he didn’t actually have the rap written and penned it in a taxi to the studio. When it was time to record it, Price was startled because he was using headphones for the first time, so he had to practice with Temperton and Jones to perform the vocals over the song. After the rehearsals, though, Michael and Vincent only needed these two takes to do it.

Michael’s contribution, their introductions, and the second verse of the poem did not make it to the song. The phrase ‘Can You Dig It?’, before his infamous laugh, also was cut. Vincent’s introduction and the ‘Dig It’ phrase were released as a bonus excerpt that was a standard track on Thriller 25.

In the video-film Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the movie that Michael and his girlfriend (Ola Ray) are watching is Vincent Price’s THRILLER, a film-within-a-film. It was also rumored that the giant at the end of the video (seen below) is Vincent himself – He was 6'4".

https://youtu.be/sOnqjkJTMaA?t=13m16s