“Svengoolie” to showcase “House of Frankenstein” (1944), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be excited about his upcoming big broadcast of a classic Universal Studios monster feature with numerous silver screen legends.

“Svengoolie” presents: “House of Frankenstein” (1944)

Theatrical trailer for Universal Studios’ “House of Frankenstein” (1944), altered for Realart Pictures’ re-release.

1944 Universal Studios poster art for “House of Frankenstein.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based horror/monster film host will present “House of Frankenstein” (1944), this Sat., Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The 1944 Universal monster feature was directed by veteran film director Erle C. Kenton.  Before going into film directing, Kenton was part of  Mack Sennett’s original silent “Keystone Kops” comedy troupe, according to IMDB.  Kenton also directed the Paramount Pictures screen adaptation of H.G. Wells’ “Island of Lost Souls” (1932).  His other Universal monster features include “Ghost of Frankenstein” (1942) and “House of Dracula” (1945).

Kenton also worked on two Universal comedies with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, “Who Done It?” (1942) and “Pardon My Sarong” (1942).

This will mark Sven’s fifth big broadcast of “House of Frankenstein” (1944) on Me-TV.  He previously showcased Kenton’s 1944 Universal monster entry back in Nov. 2013, April 2014, Dec. 2015 and Jan. 2017.

Who was in “House of Frankenstein” (1944)?

The players who appeared in Kenton’s Universal monster entry were Boris Karloff (as Dr. Gustav Niemann), Lon Chaney Jr. (as Larry Talbot/the “Wolf Man”), Glenn Strange (as Frankenstein’s monster), John Carradine (as Dracula, a.k.a. Baron Latos), J. Carrol Naish (as Daniel), Lionel Atwill (as Inspector Arnz), George Zucco (as Prof. Bruno Lampini),  Anne Gwynne (as Rita Hussman), Peter Coe (as Carl Hussman), Sig Ruman (as Hussman), Elena Verdugo (as Ilonka), Philip Van Zandt (as Inspector Muller) and Frank Reicher (as Ullman).

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“Svengoolie” presents “The Wolf Man” (1941), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals and fellow Universal Studios monster aficionados will be jumping for joy for Sven’s upcoming showcase of a classic werewolf thriller.

“Svengoolie” presents his upcoming showcase of “The Wolf Man” (1941)

Realart Pictures re-issue trailer for Universal Studios‘ “The Wolf Man” (1941).

1941 Universal Studios exhibitors’ ad for “The Wolf Man.”

The iconic Berwyn/Chicago-based horror film host will be showcasing the Universal Studios werewolf monster thriller classic, “The Wolf Man” (1941); this Sat., Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

“The Wolf Man” (1941) was directed by veteran film director George Waggner.  Waggner later worked in the field of television in his directorial career, notably directing several episodes of the live-action “Batman” TV series with Adam West and Burt Ward from 1966-67.

The inspiration for “The Wolf Man” came from Universal’s earlier werewolf thriller entry, “Werewolf of London” (1935, directed by Stuart Walker; with Henry Hull, Warner Oland, Spring Byington, Valerie Hobson and Lawrence Grant).

This will mark Sven’s sixth big broadcast of Waggner’s Universal werewolf monster feature on Me-TV.  He had previously showcased “The Wolf Man” (1941) back in Feb. 2013, July 2013, Oct. 2014,  Feb. 2016 and Sept. 2017.

Who was in “The Wolf Man” (1941)?

The players who appeared in Waggner’s Universal werewolf monster thriller were Lon Chaney Jr. (in the dual role of Lawrence “Larry” Talbot/the “Wolf Man,” the junior Chaney was credited as “Lon Chaney” in Waggner’s feature), Claude Rains (as Sir John Talbot), Bela Lugosi (as Bela), Evelyn Ankers (as Gwen Conliffe), Ralph Bellamy (as Colonel Montford),  Warren William (as Dr. Lloyd), Maria Ouspenskaya (as Maleva),  Patric Knowles (as Frank Andrews), Fay Helm (as Jenny), J.M. Kerrigan (as Charles Conliffe) and Forrester Harvey (as Twiddle).

“Svengoolie” to showcase “Son of Frankenstein” (1939), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals will be excited about his upcoming showcase of a classic Universal Studios monster entry with several silver screen legends.

“Svengoolie” presents: “Son of Frankenstein” (1939)

Original Universal Studios theatrical trailer for “Son of Frankenstein” (1939).

1939 Universal Studios lobby card for “Son of Frankenstein.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based horror film host will present the third installment of Universal’s “Frankenstein” monster franchise series, “Son of Frankenstein” (1939); this Sat., Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The 1939 Universal “Frankenstein” entry was directed by Rowland V. Lee, who also directed “The Toast of New York” (1935) for RKO Radio Pictures (featuring Cary Grant, Edward Arnold, Frances Farmer and Jack Oakie).

This will mark Sven’s fourth showcase of “Son of Frankenstein” (1939) on Me-TV.  He previously showcased Lee’s Universal “Frankenstein” feature back in March 2013, April 2014 and Sept. 2015.

 

 

Who was in “Son of Frankenstein” (1939)?

1939 Film Bulletin “Exploitation Picture” photo collage for Universal‘s “Son of Frankenstein.”

The players who appeared in “Son of Frankenstein” (1939) were Boris Karloff (as Frankenstein’s monster), Basil Rathbone (as Baron Wolf von Frankenstein), Bela Lugosi (as Ygor), Josephine Hutchinson (as Elsa von Frankenstein), Donnie Dunagan (as Peter von Frankenstein), Emma Dunn (as Amelia), Edgar Norton (as Thomas Benson), Perry Ivins (as Fritz), Lawrence Grant (as the Burgomaster) and Caroline Frances Cooke (as Frau Neumüller).

“Svengoolie” presents “Munster, Go Home!” (1966), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be jumping for joy about the big broadcast return of a Sven classic featuring Universal Studios’ iconic TV monster family.

Svengoolie presents: “Munster, Go Home!” (1966)

Original Universal Studios TV teaser trailer for the theatrical release of “Munster, Go Home!” (1966).

1966 Universal Studios lobby card still for “Munster, Go Home!” (with Butch Patrick, Al Lewis and Fred Gwynne).

The legendary Chicago/Berwyn-based horror film host will present his big broadcast showcase of “Munster, Go Home!” (1966); this Sat., July 28 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on Me-TV.

The Munsters’ full-length Technicolor Universal feature was directed by Earl Bellamy, who directed several episodes of “The Munsters” TV series.  The film was produced by veteran television producers Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher (who also produced “The Munsters” from 1964-66 and the duo’s earlier television series for MCA, “Leave It to Beaver” from 1957-63).

Universal Studios released “Munster, Go Home” to theaters on June 15, 1966; one month after “The Munsters” TV series concluded on the CBS television network (according to details from IMDB).

This will mark Sven’s fifth showcase of “Munster, Go Home!” (1966) on Me-TV.  He previously showcased the legendary Universal TV monster family’s full-length feature comedy back in July 2013, May 2014, Nov. 2015 and April 2017.

Who was in “Munster, Go Home!” (1966)

The players who appeared in “Munster, Go Home!” (1966) were Fred Gwynne (as Herman Munster), Yvonne De Carlo (as Lily Munster), Al Lewis (as Grandpa Munster), Butch Patrick (as Eddie Munster), Debbie Watson (as the third Marilyn Munster after Beverley Owen and Pat Priest in the TV series; Watson previously played Tammy Tarleton in Universal’s short-lived TV adaptation of the studio’s “Tammy” comedies), John Carradine (as Cruikshank), distinguished stage performer Hermione Gingold (as Lady Effigie Munster), Richard Dawson (as Joey), comedian Terry-Thomas (as Freddie Munster), Bernard Fox (as Squire Lester Moresby) and Robert Pine (as Roger Moresby).

“Svengoolie” presents “Barracuda” (1978), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be interested in the return of a cult seaside thriller that was independently produced and released in the late 1970s.

“Svengoolie” presents: “Barracuda” (1978) 

Original 1978 trailer for “Barracuda.”

1978 poster art for “Barracuda.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based horror/thriller film host will present the return of “Barracuda” (1978), this Sat., July 21 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The 1978 thriller was directed by Harry Kerwin*, who also worked as an actor throughout his brief cinematic career (“Barracuda” was Kerwin’s final production, he died on June 2, 1979).   The Atlas International film was released theatrically in the United States by Republic Industries under the “Republic Pictures” moniker.  The aforementioned incarnation of Republic Pictures had no connection to the original Republic Pictures corporation and the original Republic film catalog, which was acquired by National Telefilm Associates/NTA in 1967 (NTA purchased the Republic trademarks in 1984 and renamed themselves after the former studio).

This will mark Sven’s second broadcast of “Barracuda” (1978) on Me-TV.  He had previously showcased the Harry Kerwin feature back in Nov. 2017.

 

 

Who was in “Barracuda” (1978)?

The players who appeared in Kerwin’s feature were Wayne David Crawford (as Mike Canfield; Crawford also served as director for the underwater sequences and co-wrote the screenplay), Roberta Leighton (as Liza Williams, Leighton later appeared in Ivan Reitman‘s 1981 comedy, “Stripes” w/ Bill Murray, Harold Ramis and John Candy), Jason Evers (as Dr. Elliot Snow), Barbara Keegan (as Maggie Snow, Keegan received screen credit as as Bobbie Ellyne Kosstrin in the film), Cliff Emmich (as Deputy Lester, Emmich later appeared in Rick Rosenthal‘s “Halloween II” w/ Jamie Lee Curtis in 1981), William Kerwin (as Sheriff Ben Williams; William was Harry Kerwin’s older brother and appeared in Herschell Gordon Lewis‘ thriller features), Bert Freed (as Papa Jack), Denise Taylor (as a student), a cameo appearance by Harry Kerwin (as a government agent) and Rick Rhodes (as a government agent).

“Svengoolie” presents “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” (1966), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow ​Svengoolie​ SvenPals from coast-to-coast will be excited about his upcoming big broadcast of a classic 1966 ​Universal Studios​ spook comedy.

“Svengoolie” presents: “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” (1966)

Original Universal Studios TV teaser trailer for the theatrical release of “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” (1966).

1966 Universal Studios trade ad for “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago horror film host will present his showcase of “​The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” (1966), this Sat., July 14 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on ​Me-TV​.

The 1966 Universal comedy feature was directed by veteran television director ​Alan Rafkin​. Veteran television writers ​Jim Fritzell​ and ​Everett Greenbaum​ wrote the screenplay for “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.”

The source orchestral music for Rafkin’s film was composed by veteran music composer ​Vic Mizzy​, who also composed the source score for ​William Castle​’s Universal thriller, “​The Night Walker​” (1964, with ​Barbara Stanwyck​ and ​Robert Taylor​). Mizzy was also famous for his original source music score of the hit TV series adaptation of “​The Addams Family​” (1964-66).

This will mark Sven’s sixth broadcast of “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” (1966) on Me-TV. He had previously featured Rafkin’s spook comedy on his coast-to-coast showcase back in ​Nov. 2011​, ​July 2012​, ​Nov. 2014​, ​April 2015​ and ​Oct. 2017​.

Who was in “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” (1966)?

Original Universal Studios theatrical trailer for “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” (1966).

The players who appeared in “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” (1966) were ​Don Knotts​ (as Luther Heggs, this would be Knotts’ first feature after leaving “​The Andy Griffith Show​” in 1965; Knotts played Deputy Barney Fife on Griffith’s series from 1960-65), ​Joan Staley​ (as Alma Parker), ​Dick Sargent​ (as George Beckett, Sargent would later play the second “Darrin Stephens” on “​Bewitched​” from 1969 until the conclusion of the series in 1972), Reta Shaw​ (as Mrs. Halcyon Maxwell), ​Hal Smith​ (in an uncredited role as Calver Weems; Smith played the role of Mayberry town drunk Otis Campbell on “​The Andy Griffith Show​” from 1960-66), ​Dick Wilson​ (in an uncredited role as a bandleader/bandmaster, Wilson was also known for his role of ​“Mr. Whipple” in TV commercials for Procter & Gamble’s “Charmin” toilet paper line from 1964-1985​), ​Skip Homeier​ (as Ollie Weaver), ​Liam Redmond​ (as Kelsey) and ​Philip Ober​ (as Nicholas Simmons).

Happy Fourth of July/Independence Day from “Silver Screen Reflections”

Original Warner Bros. publicity/trade ad for “Yankee Doodle Dandy” (1942).

A happy/safe Fourth of July and happy Independence Day to all from the management of “Silver Screen Reflections!”

Turner Classic Movies will be airing “Yankee Doodle Dandy” (1942) this evening at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central!  The film is also available from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Blu-Ray (as part of the studio’s “Warner Archive” series), DVD and through participating digital streaming providers!