“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast premiere of “Berserk!” (1967), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be jumping for joy for a classic Columbia Pictures thriller masterpiece with a silver screen legend.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast premiere of “Berserk!” (1967)

Original 1967 Columbia Pictures theatrical release trailer for “Berserk!” with Joan Crawford. **THEATRICAL TRAILER ADVISORY: Viewer discretion is advised.**

“The motion picture that pits steel weapons against steel nerves!” Original 1967 Columbia Pictures theatrical poster artwork for “Berserk!” with Joan Crawford.

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based thriller film host will present his big broadcast premiere of “Berserk!” (1967), this Sat.; Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The 1967 Columbia thriller production of “Berserk!” was directed by veteran director-producer Jim O’Connolly.  Two years after “Berserk!,” O’Connolly worked with Ray Harryhausen on the Warner Bros. Dynamation stop-motion creature production of “The Valley of Gwangi” (1969, O’Connolly was credited under the name of James O’Connolly).  “Berserk!” was produced by veteran producer Herman Cohen, who also produced “I Was A Teenage Werewolf” (1957); featuring young Michael Landon for Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson’s American-International Pictures.  Cohen also co-wrote the screenplay for “Berserk!” with longtime screenwriting collaborator Aben Kandel.

Who was in Jim O’Connolly’s Columbia production of “Berserk!” (1967)?

The players who appeared in “Berserk!” (1967) were Joan Crawford (as Monica Rivers), Judy Geeson (as Angela Rivers), Ty Hardin (as Frank Hawkins), Diana Dors (as Matilda), Michael Gough (as Albert Dorando), Geoffrey Keen (as Commissioner Dalby), Robert Hardy (as Det. Brooks), Sydney Tafler (as Harrison Liston), George Claydon (as Bruno Fontana), Philip Madoc (as Ambrosine Phillpotts), Thomas Cimarro (as Gaspar), Peter Burton (as Gustavo), Golda Casimir (as the “Bearded Lady”), Ted Lune (as the “Skeleton Man”) and a cameo appearance by Herman Cohen (in an uncredited role as an audience member).

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast premiere of William Castle’s “The Old Dark House” (1963), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will jump for joy for his big broadcast premiere of a Columbia Pictures/Hammer Films classic masterpiece from a macabre cinema legend.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast premiere of “The Old Dark House” (1963)

Original Columbia Pictures/Hammer Films British theatrical release trailer for “The Old Dark House” (filmed in 1962, released in 1963).

“Open the door to a nuthouse of terror!” Original 1963 Columbia Pictures theatrical poster artwork for William Castle‘s Hammer adaptation of “The Old Dark House.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based horror/mystery film host will present his big broadcast premiere of “The Old Dark House” (1963), this Sat., Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.  The 1963 Columbia-Hammer horror/mystery/comedy feature masterpiece was directed by veteran director William Castle.

Some of Castle’s famous classic screen macabre masterpiece thrillers include “House on Haunted Hill” (1959, with Vincent Price),  “The Tingler” (1959, w/Price), “Homicidal” (1961, with Glenn Corbett), “Strait-Jacket” (1964, with Joan Crawford), “The Night Walker” (1964, with Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Taylor) and “I Saw What You Did” (1965, w/Crawford).

Castle’s 1963 Columbia/Hammer classic horror/mystery/comedy masterpiece was adapted for the silver screen from J.B. Priestley’s novel.  Veteran screenwriter Robert Dillon wrote the 1963 screenplay adaptation of Priestley’s story.

31 years before Castle’s 1963 Columbia/Hammer production, veteran director James Whale directed his own adaptation of J. B. Priestley’s “The Old Dark House” (1932) for Universal Studios with Boris Karloff, Lilian Bond, Melvyn Douglas, Charles Laughton, Gloria Stuart and Raymond Massey.  According to the British Film Institute, Priestley’s novel that inspired “The Old Dark House” was originally published under the title of “Benighted.”

Who was in William Castle’s “The Old Dark House” (1963)?

The players who appeared in William Castle’s 1963 Columbia/Hammer adaptation of “The Old Dark House” were Tom Poston (as Tom Penderel), Janette Scott (as Cecily Femm), Robert Morley (as Roderick Femm), Joyce Grenfell (as Agatha Femm), Mervyn Johns (as Potiphar Femm), Fenella Fielding (as Morgana Femm), Peter Bull (in the dual roles of Caspar Femm and Jasper Femm), Danny Green (as Morgan Femm) and John Harvey (as a club receptionist).

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “Revenge of the Creature” (1955), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be jumping for joy for his upcoming big broadcast of a classic Universal Studios Creature-monster sequel masterpiece.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “Revenge of the Creature” (1955)

Original 1955 Universal Studios theatrical trailer for “Revenge of the Creature.”

“All new thrills! Shock! Suspense!” Original 1955 Universal Studios theatrical poster artwork for “Revenge of the Creature.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based classic monster film host will present his big broadcast of “Revenge of the Creature” (1955), this Sat., Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The 1955 Universal classic “Creature” monster masterpiece was directed by veteran studio director Jack Arnold.  “Revenge of the Creature” (1955) is the sequel to Arnold’s earlier mammoth classic Universal monster masterpiece, “Creature From the Black Lagoon” (1954, with Julie Adams, Ricou Browning, Ben Chapman, Nestor Paiva, Richard Carlson and Richard Denning).

Arnold’s other Universal productions include  “It Came from Outer Space” (1953), “Tarantula” (1955), “The Incredible Shrinking Man” (1957) and “Monster on the Campus” (1958).  The 1955 Universal “Creature” monster sequel was produced by veteran actor-turned-producer and Arnold’s co-collaborator, William Alland.

One year after “Revenge of the Creature,” the third and final installment of Universal’s “Creature” monster trilogy film series was released in 2-D; titled “The Creature Walks Among Us” (1956, directed by John Sherwood; with Leigh Snowden, Ricou Browning, Don Megowan, Jeff Morrow and Rex Reason).

In 1982, an anaglyph 3-D version of “Revenge of the Creature” (1955) was syndicated to local stations by Universal/MCA, according to Broadcasting Magazine.  Sven’s older station in his “Son of Svengoolie” days, WFLD aired (Son of) Sven’s big 3-D broadcast of  “Revenge of the Creature” in anaglyph 3-D in conjunction with 7-Eleven (local Berwyn/Chicago “Son of” Sven viewers purchased 3-D glasses from local 7-Eleven locations prior to the telecast) on Thurs. evening, July 29; 1982; according to Rick Klein’s FuzzyMemories YouTube site (Klein unearthed the1982 “Son of Sven” segments from the 3-D “Revenge of the Creature” broadcast years ago).

Arnold’s 1955 Universal “Creature” monster sequel production was riffed on “Mystery Science Theater 3000” (ep. #801) on the Sci-Fi Channel (pre-SyFy) on Feb. 1, 1997 with Mike Nelson, the vocal stylings of Kevin Murphy (as robot Tom Servo) and the vocal stylings of Bill Corbett (as robot Crow T. Robot); according to MST3K Info/Satellite News.

This will mark Sven’s seventh big broadcast of “Revenge of the Creature” (1955) on Me-TV.  He previously showcased Arnold’s classic Universal “Creature” monster sequel masterpiece back in Jan. 2013, Aug. 2013, July 2014, May 2015,  Oct. 2016 and Sept. 2018*. *Note: Sven’s 2018 big broadcast of “Revenge of the Creature” (1955) was originally scheduled for a late March 2018  big broadcast for Sven’s showcase, but was withdrawn due to a scheduling conflict at the time between Me-TV and Universal Studios/Universal Television.  Sven’s re-broadcast of Alan Landsburg’s made-for-TV thriller “Ants!” (1977, a.k.a. “It Happened at Lakewood Manor”) aired in place of “Revenge of the Creature” on March 24, 2018.

Who was in Jack Arnold’s Universal sequel production of “Revenge of the Creature” (1955)?

The players who appeared in “Revenge of the Creature” (1955) were Lori Nelson (as Helen Dobson), Ricou Browning (in uncredited dual roles as the Creature for underwater/Marineland tank-based scenes and a laboratory technician), Tom Hennesy (in uncredited dual roles as the Creature for land-based scenes and a Marineland diver), John Agar (as Prof. Clete Ferguson),  Nestor Paiva (as Lucas), young Clint Eastwood (in an uncredited role as Jennings), Grandon Rhodes (as Jackson Foster), John Bromfield (as Joe Hayes), Dave Willock (as Lou Gibson), Robert B. Williams (as George Johnson) and  Charles Cane (as a police captain).

Happy New Year’s/Happy 2020 to all from the writer/author of “Silver Screen Reflections!”

 

A “flashback” glimpse of Sven moments from 2019! (Starting from the top-left): 1. Celebrating the Birthday of Svengoolie with my official Sven long-sleeved “Official Chicken Thrower” shirt (ca. March 2019, ‘so much sleeve”)! 2. My Sven-autographed edition of “Svengoolie Meets the DC Universe” via Sven and fellow super SvenPal David Fuentes with protective comic book frame/display via fellow super SvenPal Captain Comic/Lyliah (ca. Oct. 2019)! 3. My Halloween 2019 Sven/Sven-O-Lantern “indoor” pumpkin creation with LED lighting (due to heavy rain that occurred in my neck of the woods during Halloween of 2019, ca. Oct. 2019)! 4. My cameo pre-recorded vocal/shout-out appearance on fellow super SvenPal Jamie Lee’s Sat. morning WNUR-FM/Northwestern University Radio show, “Jammin’ with Jamie” in commemoration of Jamie’s 200th big broadcast jam session celebration (ca. Nov. 2, 2019)!  Captured from the YouTube edition of Jamie’s 200th “Jammin’ with Jamie” WNUR big broadcast jam session celebration with “flashback” Sven T-shirt photos from my 2016-17 Hood College online radio show (orig. photographed during the May 2017 Hood College radio finale), hear how Jamie’s big broadcast radio jam session(s) inspired my “Yours Truly, Chris Hamby” 2016-17 program! 5. The second volume of the Svengoolie button set (presented in the style of Christmas tree ornaments) from Sventa Claus, my Aunt and my Uncle on Christmas Day of 2019 (Dec. 25, 2019)! 6. The cameo appearance of the Christmas/Holiday “Merry Kris-Moose” greeting card for Sven, Kerwyn & all my fellow SvenPals from the Christmas/Holiday edition of “Kerwyn’s Corner” (Dec. 2019)!

Happy New Year’s and Happy 2020 to the entire crowd of fellow super Svengoolie SvenPals, fellow super MSTies of “Mystery Science Theater 3000”/”MST3K” and all fellow super classic/cult film enthusiasts everywhere!  May this New Year be a peaceful and bright one!  And Sept. 27, 2020 will mark the Fifth Anniversary of “Silver Screen Reflections” and my Fifth anniversary on the Twitter airlanes with the entire crowd of fellow super SvenPals, fellow super MSTies and fellow super classic/cult film aficionados!  Here’s to many more fun and fantastic Sven, MST3K and classic film adventures iwith all my fellow super SvenPals, fellow super MSTies and fellow super classic film aficionados in 2020 and beyond!  Three cheers, two thumbs up, peace, kudos, “Hi-Keeba” and Happy New Year to the entire crowd of fellow super SvenPals, fellow super MSTies and fellow super classic/cult film aficionados everywhere! -C.H. 

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of “It Came From Outer Space” (1953), this Sat. on Me-TV (Sven’s first 2020 big broadcast)

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be jumping for joy with his big 2020 broadcast of a classic Universal Studios sci-fi masterpiece.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “It Came From Outer Space” (1953)

Original 1953 Universal Studios introductory theatrical trailer for “It Came From Outer Space,” featuring an introduction by Richard Carlson discussing the 3-D process for the feature.

“Amazing! Exciting! Spectacular!” Original 1953 Universal Studios concept theatrical poster artwork for “It Came From Outer Space.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based sci-fi/creature film host will present his big broadcast of “It Came From Outer Space” (1953), this Sat.; Jan. 4 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The 1953 classic Universal sci-fi masterpiece was directed by veteran studio director Jack Arnold.  Arnold’s other legendaryl classic Universal monster and sci-fi masterpieces include “Creature From the Black Lagoon” (1954), “Revenge of the Creature” (1955), “Tarantula” (1955), “The Incredible Shrinking Man” (1957) and “Monster on the Campus” (1958).  Veteran actor-turned-producer William Alland produced Arnold’s 1953 Universal sci-fi classic masterpiece.  This marked one of the first feature film production collaborations between Alland and Arnold, according to Jeff Stafford’s article on “It Came From Outer Space” (1953) for Turner Classic Movies’ website.  The story was written by veteran sci-fi writer/author Ray Bradbury. Bradbury also wrote the Saturday Evening Post short story “The Fog Horn,” which inspired Ray Harryhausen and Eugene Lourie’s Warner Bros. Dynamation creature classic masterpiece; “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953).  Bradbury’s story treatment for “It Came From Outer Space” was adapted for the silver screen by veteran screenwriter Harry Essex.

This will mark Sven’s fourth big broadcast of Jack Arnold’s 1953 Universal classic sci-fi masterpiece on Me-TV.  Sven previously showcased “It Came From Outer Space” back in May 2014, Oct. 2015 and Sept. 2017.

Who was in Jack Arnold’s Universal production of “It Came from Outer Space” (1953)?

The players who appeared “It Came From Outer Space” (1953) were Richard Carlson (as Jack Putnam; Carlson also appeared in Arnold’s 1954 classic Universal monster masterpiece, “Creature From the Black Lagoon” with Julie Adams, Ricou Browning, Ben Chapman and Richard Denning), Barbara Rush (as Ellen Fields, Rush previously appeared in the 1951 George Pal–Rudolph Maté–Paramount classic sci-fi/thriller masterpiece; “When Worlds Collide”), Russell Johnson (as George, Johnson later appeared in Joseph M. Newman’s 1955 Universal sci-fi classic masterpiece; “This Island Earth” with Jeff Morrow, Faith Domergue and Rex Reason; Johnson went onto greater fame in Sherwood Schwartz’s hit 1964-67 United Artists/CBS TV sitcom with Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Dawn Wells, Tina Louise, Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer; “Gilligan’s Island”), Charles Drake (as Sheriff Matt Warren), Kathleen Hughes (as June),  Joseph Sawyer (as Frank Daylon) and Alan Dexter (in an uncredited role as Dave Loring).

Season’s Greetings/Belated Season’s Greetings to all from the writer/author of “Silver Screen Reflections!”

“Sventa Claus has come to town!” A Christmas present from Sventa Claus, Kerwyn, Zalman T. Tombstone, my aunt and my uncle! Thank you all for the wonderful Sven button set series #2! Highly appreciated! Belated Season’s Greetings to the entire crowd of fellow super Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere!

Season’s Greetings to the entire crowd of fellow super Svengoolie SvenPals, super MSTies of MST3K, fellow super classic cinema aficionados and all fellow super readers of “Silver Screen Reflections” from the writer/author of “Silver Screen Reflections!”

In order of the Dec. calendar of Holiday observances: Happy (belated) Winter Solstice, Happy Hanukkah, Happy (belated) Festivus, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy early New Year & Happy Holidays to the entire crowd of fellow super SvenPals, fellow super MSTies & fellow super readers of “Silver Screen Reflections” from coast-to-coast, around the world and throughout the galaxy!   Hope everyone enjoyed their Holiday festivities/celebrations! -C.H.

And a seasonal surprise for all fellow super Svengoolie SvenPals to see in the Christmas-Holiday edition of “Kerwyn’s Corner” video segment!  At the 1:42 mark, my Christmas/Holiday “Merry Kris-Moose” Santa & Moose greeting card for Sven, Kerwyn and the entire crowd of fellow super Svengoolie SvenPals from coast-to-coast was featured in Kerwyn’s official online video segment on the official Sven/Me-TV website! Again, thank you to Sventa/Sven, Kerwyn & the entire Sven/Me-TV production team for featuring my card in Kerwyn’s Christmas/Holiday segment!  Glad you all enjoyed the “Kris-Moose” card!  And thank you to the entire crowd of fellow super Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere for the wonderful Christmas/Holiday greetings!  Highly appreciated! -C.H.

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will jump for joy for his upcoming big broadcast of a classic Warner Bros. stop-motion creature feature masterpiece.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953)

“A thrill story beyond all imagining!” Original 1953 Warner Bros. theatrical lobby card/tinted publicity still for “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms;” featuring Ray Harryhausen‘s “Rhedosaurus” Dynamation creature.

“See the stunts!” Original 1953 Warner Bros. exhibitors’ ad for “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based creature film host will present his big broadcast of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953), this Sat.; Dec. 28 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

“The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” was directed by Eugène “Gene” Lourié, a veteran production designer-turned-director.  Lourié also worked on another sci-fi creature production for Allied Artists (the former Monogram Pictures), “The Giant Behemoth” (1959).  Veteran stop-motion effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen worked on the Dynamation “Rhedosaurus” creature effects for the Lourié-Warners production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”  According to the American Film Institute, this marked one of Harryhausen’s earliest feature film credits for a major studio sci-fi creature feature production.   Veteran producer Jack Dietz produced the 1953 Harryhausen- Lourié-Warners “Dynamation” creature feature classic masterpiece.

The screenplay for the 1953 Harryhausen- Lourié-Warners production was written by Fred Freiberger and Lou Morheim.  Freiberger and Morheim’s screenplay was inspired by veteran sci-fi author Ray Bradbury and his story for the Saturday Evening Post titled “The Monster From Beneath the Sea;” according to John M. Miller’s article on “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” for Turner Classic Movies’ website.

This will mark Sven’s second big coast-to-coast broadcast of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953) on Me-TV.  He previously showcased the 1953 Harryhausen- Lourié-Warners Dynamation creature classic masterpiece back in June 2019.

Who was in the 1953 Harryhausen- Lourié-Warners Dynamation creature production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms?”

“312 openings as big as the biggest!” Original 1953 Warner Bros. monochrome exhibitors’ ad for the early success of Ray Harryhausen’s “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”

The players who appeared in “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” were Paula Raymond (as Lee Hunter; Raymond appeared in various film and TV productions throughout her screen career, including several episodes of Warners’ “Hawaiian Eye” TV detective series from 1959–62), Paul Christian (as Prof. Tom Nesbitt, Christian’s name was used as a pseudonym for his real name of Paul Hubschmid; Christian/Hubschmid later appeared in the title role of composer Franz Liszt in the 1954 André Haguet–Peter Berneis French-German co-production of “Hungarian Rhapsody”), young Merv Griffin (in an uncredited role as a radio announcer; the singer-actor-bandleader and 1962-86 talk show host was also known for his two popular TV game show creations; “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” counting both network and syndicated runs of Griffin’s two aforementioned game shows), young Lee Van Cleef (as Cpl. Stone; Van Cleef’s earliest film appearance was in Fred Zinnemann’s 1952 classic western masterpiece, “High Noon” opposite Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly in the role of Jack Colby; Van Cleef was known for his latter roles in Sergio Leone’s Italian-produced “spaghetti westerns” with Clint Eastwood; 1966’s “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” as Sentenza/”Angel Eyes” and 1967’s “For A Few Dollars More” as Col. Douglas Mortimer), Cecil Kellaway (as Prof. Thurgood Elson), William Woodson (in uncredited dual roles as the opening narrator and additional radio announcer), Kenneth Tobey (as Col. Jack Evans), Steve Brodie (as Sgt. Loomis), Donald Woods (as Capt. Phil Jackson), Michael Fox (as an emergency doctor), Alvin Greenman (as the first radar man; Greenman previously appeared in the role of Alfred in George Seaton’s 1947 Twentieth Century Fox Christmastime/Holiday classic masterpiece, “Miracle on 34^th Street” with Maureen O’Hara, Edmund Gwenn, Natalie Wood and John Payne), Frank Ferguson (as Dr. Morton), Paula “Mary” Hill (as Miss Ryan), Ray Hyke (as Sgt. Willistead), Jack Pennick (as Jacob Bowman) Ross Elliott (as George Ritchie) and King Donovan (as Dr. Ingersoll).