“Svengoolie” presents his big premiere of Dan Curtis’ “Dracula” (1974) with Jack Palance, this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie Super SvenPals everywhere will be dancing and jumping for joy for his upcoming big broadcast premiere of a classic mammoth made-for-TV vampire adaptation masterpiece.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast premiere of Dan Curtis’ “Dracula” (1974) with Jack Palance

British theatrical trailer for Dan Curtis‘ classic mammoth made-for-TV movie masterpiece adaptation, “Dan Curtis’ Dracula” (1974) with Jack Palance; released theatrically in Great Britain by now-former British recording, film & technology giant EMI under the title of “Bram Stoker’s Dracula**.”

British EMI theatrical poster art for “Dan Curtis’ Dracula” (1974) with Jack Palance.

The legendary and iconic Berwyn/Chicago-based classic mammoth monster/horror feature film masterpiece host will present his big broadcast premiere of “Dan Curtis’ Dracula” (1974) this Sat., March 23 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The classic mammoth 1974 made-for-TV movie adaptation masterpiece of Bram Stoker’s gothic vampire novel, “Dracula” was directed by veteran TV and feature film director-producer Dan Curtis. Curtis was best-known for producing and directing his own classic mammoth ABC television network gothic horror masterpiece series production, “Dark Shadows” (1966-71) with Jonathan Frid (in the lead role of vampire Barnabas Collins) and Grayson Hall (in the lead role of Dr. Julia Hoffman, also of 1972’s “Gargoyles” fame).  Curtis also directed two classic mammoth Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) gothic horror feature film masterpiece adaptations of his ABC-TV “Dark Shadows” series; “House of Dark Shadows” (1970) with Frid and “Night of Dark Shadows” (1971, produced and released around the same time that ABC cancelled “Dark Shadows”).  20 years after the final ABC broadcast of “Dark Shadows,” Curtis reunited with MGM to produce a newer, short-lived primetime “Dark Shadows” series for rival network NBC in 1991 with Ben Cross in the role of vampire Barnabas Collins in the latter/brief Curtis/MGM/NBC “Dark Shadows” series revival.

Curtis was also involved with two classic mammoth ABC “Movie of the Week”/”Kolchak” made-for-TV movie supernatural masterpiece pilots, “The Night Stalker” (1972, produced by Curtis, directed by John Llewellyn Moxey) with  Darren McGavin (of the 1958-59 “Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer” TV adaptation series fame and later of 1983’s “A Christmas Story” fame), Carol Lynley (of 1972’s “The Poseidon Adventure” fame), Claude Akins (later of TV’s “Movin’ On” fame and TV’s “B.J. and the Bear“/“The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo” fame), Larry Linville (of  TV’s “M*A*S*H” fame), Simon Oakland (of Alfred Hitchcock‘s “Psycho” fame, Peter Yates’ “Bullitt” fame and TV’s “Black Sheep Squadron”/”Baa Baa Black Sheep” fame), Ralph Meeker, Charles McGraw, Kent Smith, Elisha Cook Jr., Stanley Adams, Jordan Rhodes and Barry Atwater and “The Night Strangler” (1973, produced and directed by Curtis) with McGavin, Oakland, Jo Ann Pflug (of Robert Altman‘s 1970 “M*A*S*H” feature film fame), Wally Cox (of TV’s “Mister Peepers” fame and of interest to fellow Super Tooners/Super SvenPals of Toony & Bill’s “Toon In With Me,” of the vocal stylings of TV’s “Underdog“ fame), Margaret Hamilton (of 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz” fame, 1940’s “The Invisible Woman” fame, 1960’s “13 Ghosts” fame and in the latter part of her acting career- “Cora” for TV commercials for Maxwell House Coffee ), Al “Grampa” Lewis (of TV’s “The Munsters” fame and of 1966’s “Munster, Go Home!“ fame), Richard Anderson (of 1956’s “Forbidden Planet” fame), veteran horror actor John Carradine, Kate Murtagh (of 1977’s “The Car” fame and on the album cover of Supertramp‘s “Breakfast In America“ fame), Nina Wayne, Virginia Peters, Ivor Francis, Diane Shalet, Anne Randall, Francoise Birnheim and Regina Parton/Ethel Parker.  The two classic mammoth ABC “Kolchak” made-for-TV movie masterpieces later inspired the 1974-75 classic mammoth Universal Studios/ABC “Kolchak” supernatural masterpiece TV series, “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” with McGavin and Oakland reprising their roles from the two aforementioned classic mammoth ABC “Kolchak” made-for-TV movie masterpiece productions.

Curtis also produced and directed his classic mammoth ABC made-for-TV thriller-horror anthology movie masterpiece production of “Trilogy of Terror” (1975) with  Karen Black , Robert Burton, John Karlen, George Gaynes, Jim Storm, Kathryn Reynolds, Orin Cannon, Gregory Harrison, Tracy Curtis  and the vocal stylings of Walker Edmiston.  Curtis also directed the classic mammoth critically-acclaimed Emmy award-winning Paramount Pictures/ABC made-for-TV wartime drama masterpiece miniseries adaptation of Herman Wouk‘s “The Winds of War” (1983) with Robert Mitchum, Ali MacGraw, Ralph Bellamy, John Houseman, Topol (of 1971’s “Fiddler on the Roof” fame), Polly Bergen and Peter Graves and a follow-up classic mammoth critically-acclaimed Emmy award-winning made-for-TV wartime drama masterpiece sequel miniseries adaptation that was produced entirely by ABC, Herman Wouk’s “War and Remembrance” (1988-89) with Mitchum, Bellamy, Topol, Bergen, Sami Frey, Robert Hardy, Jane Seymour and William Schallert.

For his made-for-TV adaptation of “Dracula,” Curtis co-produced his classic mammoth telefilm adaptation with veteran associate producer Robert Singer.  Singer previously co-produced Curtis’ classic mammoth ABC “Kolchak” made-for-TV masterpiece sequel, “The Night Strangler” (1973).  Singer later served as executive producer of the classic mammoth Warner Bros./NBC sci-fi masterpiece series, “V” (1984-85) with Jane Badler, June Chadwick, Jennifer Cooke, Robert Englund (of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” fame), Faye Grant, Marc Singer, Jeff Yagher and guest appearances by Howard K. Smith (former news anchor/correspondent of rival networks CBS and ABC) and Duncan Regehr (of “The Monster Squad” fame).

Inspired by Bram Stoker‘s gothic novel, the screenplay for Curtis’ classic mammoth made-for-TV adaptation masterpiece production of “Dracula” (1974) was written by veteran author Richard Matheson. Matheson wrote the original story treatment for Jack Arnold’s classic mammoth Universal Studios sci-fi/fantasy/visual effects masterpiece, “The Incredible Shrinking Man” (1957) with Grant Williams, Randy Stuart, April Kent, Paul Langton, a pre-“Beverly Hillbillies” Raymond Bailey, William Schallert and Lock Martin (of 1951’s “The Day the Earth Stood Still” fame).

He also wrote the screenplay adaptation of Roger Corman‘s classic mammoth American-International macabre-thriller-comedy masterpiece adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe‘s 1845 gothic poem, “The Raven” (1963) and he also co-wrote the screenplay with  Elsie Lee for Jacques Tourneur‘s classic mammoth American-International horror-comedy masterpiece production of “The Comedy of Terrors” (1963/64) with Vincent Price, Joyce Jameson, Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone, Joe E. Brown, Beverly Powers, Buddy Mason, Alan DeWitt, Douglas Williams, Linda Rogers, Luree Holmes, Charles Soldani, Harvey Parry, Paul Barselou and Orangey/Rhubarb the Cat. Matheson also wrote the screenplay for Steven Spielberg‘s classic mammoth Universal Studios action-adventure-thriller masterpiece production of “Duel” (1971, originally produced as a Universal/ABC made-for-TV movie masterpiece production and one of Spielberg’s earliest productions) with Dennis Weaver, Jacqueline Scott, Lucille Benson, Eddie Firestone,  Lou Frizzell, Shirley O’ Hara, Gene Dynarski and Amy Douglass.  Matheson also wrote the teleplay for John Llewellyn Moxey and Dan Curtis’ classic mammoth ABC “Kolchak” made-for-TV movie masterpiece pilot, “The Night Stalker” (1972).

Curtis’s classic mammoth 1974 made-for-TV masterpiece adaptation of “Dracula” premiered on the CBS television network on Feb. 8, 1974; according to IMDB.

According to the Feb. 8, 1974 edition of the Hanover Evening Sun newspaper of Hanover, Pennsylvania; CBS programmed “Dan Curtis’ Dracula” (1974) after an episode of “Good Times.”  Curtis’ “Dracula” feature adaptation was showcased on CBS opposite episodes of “The Girl with Something Extra” and The Dean Martin Comedy Hour/Dean Martin Celebrity Roast on NBC and episodes of “The Six Million Dollar Man,” “The Odd Couple” and “Toma” on ABC.

For the original Feb. 8, 1974 CBS big broadcast premiere of “Dan Curtis’ Dracula,” Curtis’ classic mammoth made-for-TV vampire/horror movie masterpiece adaptation aired on CBS-owned WBBM-TV Channel 2 in Berwyn/Chicago, Illinois  and on a regional scale for the home region/home office of “Silver Screen Reflections;” the CBS/Dan Curtis adaptation of “Dracula” was showcased on WTOP-TV Channel 9 (which later became WDVM in 1978 and became W*USA 9 in 1986) in the Washington, D.C./Frederick, Maryland/Northern Virginia region and on the “Keystone Network” trio of CBS-affiliated TV stations for the Hanover/Gettysburg/York/Harrisburg, Pennsylvania viewing area at the time- the now-former WLYH-TV 15 (which was affiliated with CBS until 1995), WHP-TV 21 (which became the primary CBS affiliate for the Hanover/Gettysburg/York/Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area after 1995) and WSBA-TV 43 (once linked to Pennsylvania’s Pfaltzgraff pottery business– which lost its CBS network affiliation after the station was sold in 1983 and became WPMT-43).  

“Dan Curtis’ Dracula” (1974) was pre-empted in Baltimore, Maryland by then-CBS affiliate WMAR-TV 2; a syndicated movie airing of “A Man Called Sledge” (1970, part of a Columbia Pictures/Screen Gems syndicated movie package the station bought at the time) aired in its place.  CBS later switched affiliations with Hearst-owned (and future Me-TV affiliate) WBAL-TV 11 in 1981 (WBAL returned to NBC in 1995)– CBS would later move to Westinghouse/Group W-owned WJZ-TV 13 in Jan. 1995– shortly before Westinghouse/Group W (which also bought Chicago’s WXRT-FM 93.1/93XRT that same year) merged with CBS. 

Who was in “Dan Curtis’ Dracula” (1974)?

The players who appeared in Dan Curtis’ classic mammoth CBS/made-for-TV vampire movie masterpiece adaptation production of “Dracula” (1974) were Jack Palance (as Count Dracula), Simon Ward (as Arthur), Nigel Davenport (as Van Helsing), Pamela Brown (as Mrs. Westenra), Fiona Lewis (as Lucy), Penelope Horner (as Mina), Murray Brown (as Jonathan Harker), Virginia Wetherell, Barbara Lindley and Sarah Douglas (as Dracula’s wives, Virginia Wetherell received credit under the name of Virginia Wetherall), George Pravda (as the innkeeper), Hana Maria Pravda (as the wife of the innkeeper), Reg Lye (as the zookeeper), Fred Stone (as the priest), Roy Spencer (as the clerk of the Whitby Inn), John Challis (as the Stockton-on-Tees clerk), Nigel Gregory (as the Midvale Shipping clerk), John Pennington (as the Richmond Shipping clerk), Martyn Read (as a member of the Coast Guard), Gita Denise (as Madam Kristoff), Sandra Caron (in an uncredited role as the maid of the Whitby Inn) and Eddie Powell (in an uncredited role as a patron of the Whitby Inn).

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of “The Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) with Elsa Lanchester & Boris Karloff, this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie Super SvenPals everywhere will be dancing and jumping for joy for his upcoming big broadcast of one of the many classic mammoth Universal Studios monster sequel masterpieces.

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of “The Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) with Elsa Lanchester and Boris Karloff

A snippet from James Whale’s classic mammoth 1935 Universal Studios monster sequel masterpiece production of “The Bride of Frankenstein” with Elsa Lanchester and Boris Karloff.

“She knocked ’em cold!” Original 1935 Universal Studios exhibitors’ advertisement for James Whale’s “The Bride of Frankenstein” with Elsa Lanchester.

The legendary & iconic Berwyn/Chicago-based classic mammoth monster feature film masterpiece host will present his big broadcast of “The Bride of Frankenstein” (1935); this Sat., Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The classic mammoth landmark 1935 Universal monster sequel masterpiece production was directed by veteran studio director James Whale, who also directed the classic mammoth Universal monster masterpiece adaptation production of “Frankenstein” (1931) with Boris Karloff in the role of the monster.  Whale’s other classic mammoth Universal feature film masterpiece productions include his classic mammoth Universal screen thriller adaptation masterpiece of J.B. Priestley’s “The Old Dark House” (1932) with Karloff, and his classic Universal monster masterpiece adaptation of H.G. Wells’ “The Invisible Man” (1933) with Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart and Henry Travers.

Shortly before working on his numerous classic mammoth Universal monster feature masterpiece productions, Whale co-directed with veteran director Edmund Goulding and industrialist Howard Hughes on the classic mammoth aviation-war drama masterpiece production of “Hell’s Angels” (1930) with Jean Harlow, Ben Lyon and James Hall; according to IMDB.   In an ironic twist, Universal Studios/MCA later acquired the rights to “Hell’s Angels” (1930) from Howard Hughes’ estate; according to a 1979 Universal theatrical re-release poster for the 1930 production. -C.H.

Inspired by Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, “Frankenstein: or the Modern Prometheus;” the screenplay for Whale’s 1935 classic Universal monster sequel masterpiece was written by veteran screenwriter William Hurlbut.  Hurlburt also wrote the screen adaptation with veteran screenwriter John L. Balderston.  “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) was produced by veteran producer Carl Laemmle Jr., the son of Universal Studios founder Carl Laemmle.   The senior Laemmle founded Universal as a merger of his pioneering production-distribution company and several other pioneering feature film production-distribution companies in 1912.

This will mark Sven’s tenth big broadcast of Whale’s 1935 classic Universal monster masterpiece sequel on the airlanes of Me-TV.  He previously showcased “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) as a coast-to-coast big broadcast premiere back in June 2011* and as regular big broadcasts back in Sept. 2012*, April 2014, June 2015, April 2016, June 2017, May 2019 (as part of Sven’s “Monstrous May” 2019 festival of Universal Studios’ classic mammoth “Frankenstein” monster feature film adaptation masterpieces), June 2020 and Oct. 2022 (as part of Sven’s Oct. 2022 “Halloween-‘BOO-nanza’ festival on the airlanes of Me-TV).

In Svengoolie/Rich Koz’s home area of Berwyn/Chicago, Ilinois; he previously showcased Whale’s classic mammoth 1935 Universal “Frankenstein” monster sequel masterpiece production of “The Bride of Frankenstein” during his days as the Son of Svengoolie on WFLD back in 1983 according to a classic SOS/Sven segment that was unearthed years ago by veteran Berwyn/Chicago television archivist Rick Klein’s official YouTube channel for “FuzzyMemoriesTV: The Museum of Classic Chicago Television.”

Who was in “The Bride of Frankenstein” (1935)?

The players who appeared in Whale’s classic mammoth Universal monster masterpiece production of “The Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) were Elsa Lanchester (who played the dual roles of Mary Shelley and the “Monster’s Mate”), Boris Karloff (as Frankenstein’s Monster), Colin Clive (as Henry Frankenstein), Valerie Hobson (as Elizabeth Frankenstein), Una O’Connor (as Minnie), Ernest Thesiger (as Dr. Pretorius), O.P. Heggie (as a Hermit), Dwight Frye (as Karl Glutz), Douglas Walton (as Percy Shelley), young Billy Barty (in an uncredited role as a baby), young John Carradine (in an uncredited role as a hunter at the Hermit’s cabin),  E.E. Clive (as the Burgomaster), young Walter Brennan (in an uncredited role as a neighbor), Marilyn Harris (in an uncredited role as a student) and Gavin Gordon (as Lord Byron).

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of “The Evil of Frankenstein” (1964) with Peter Cushing, this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie Super SvenPals everywhere will be dancing and jumping for joy for his upcoming big broadcast of a classic mammoth Universal Studios/Hammer Films horror masterpiece.

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of “The Evil of Frankenstein” (1964) with Peter Cushing

Original 1964 Universal Studios theatrical release trailer for Freddie Francis‘ classic mammoth Hammer Films–Universal horror masterpiece production of “The Evil of Frankenstein” with Peter Cushing.

“Lightning raises the Dead!” Original 1964 Universal Studios U.S. theatrical poster art for Hammer Films’ “The Evil of Frankenstein” with Peter Cushing.

The legendary and iconic Berwyn/Chicago-based classic mammoth horror/monster feature film masterpiece host will present his big expanded broadcast of “The Evil of Frankenstein” (1964), this Sat., Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The classic mammoth 1964 Hammer-Universal horror masterpiece production of “The Evil of Frankenstein” was directed by veteran cinematographer-turned-director Freddie Francis.  Francis previously served as the cinematographer for Karel Reisz‘s Woodfall/British Lion romantic drama production of “Saturday Night and Sunday Morning” (1961, released theatrically in the United States through the Walter Reade Organization’s Continental Film Distributors) with young Albert Finney (later of 1963’s “Tom Jones” fame and 1982’s “Annie” fame), Rachel Roberts, Shirley Anne Field and young Peter Sallis (also of 1961’s “Curse of the Werewolf” fame, later of BBC-TV’s “Last of the Summer Wine” fame and of interest to fellow Super Tooners/SvenPals of Toony & Bill’s “Toon In With Me”- the vocal stylings of Wallace in Nick Park & Aardman’s “Wallace and Gromit” stop-motion productions).  He later servred as a cinematographer for David Lynch‘s classic mammoth Universal Studios/Dino DeLaurentiis sci-fi masterpiece adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune” (1984) with Kyle McLachlin, Virginia Madsen, José Ferrer, Francesca Annis, Alicia Witt, Dean Stockwell (also of the original 1989-93 “Quantum Leap” series fame), legendary rock musician-singer Sting and Patrick Stewart (later of TV’s “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” the Paramount “Star Trek: TNG” feature film adaptations and of Paramount+’s “Star Trek: Picard” fame).  Francis later worked on the latter classic mammoth Warner Bros.-Seven Arts/Hammer “Dracula” vampire horror masterpiece screen entry with Hammer horror film legend Christopher Lee, “Dracula Has Risen from the Grave” (1968, released theatrically in the United States by Warners in 1969) and on the classic mammoth Warners creature-thriller masterpiece, “Trog” (1970) with Joan Crawford (Francis’ 1970 production marked Crawford’s final feature film appearance in her screen acting career), Michael Gough, Kim Braden, Bernard Kay and David Griffin (later of BBC-TV‘s “Keeping Up Appearances” fame).

The screenplay for “The Evil of Frankenstein” was written by veteran Hammer producer/screenwriter Anthony Hinds, who received screen credit under the pseudonym of John Elder; according to IMDB.  Hinds also served as the producer of Francis’ classic mammoth 1964 Hammer/Universal masterpiece feature production. Three years earlier. Hinds co-produced with veteran Hammer producers  Michael Carreras and Anthony Nelson Keys the classic mammoth Terence Fisher/Hammer/Universal werewolf horror masterpiece production of “The Curse of the Werewolf” (1961) with Oliver Reed, Yvonne Romain, Peter Sallis, Catherine Feller, Anthony Dawson, Hira Talfrey and Michael Ripper.  Hinds also served as co-producer of numerous classic mammoth Hammer horror feature film masterpieces that featured Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, including “The Curse of Frankenstein” (1957, co-produced with Warner Bros.) “Dracula”/”Horror of Dracula” (1958, originally released through Universal/Rank in Great Britian and through Universal in the United States).

This will mark Sven’s fifth coast-to-coast big broadcast of “The Evil of Frankenstein” (1964) on Me-TV.  He previously showcased Francis’ classic mammoth Universal horror masterpiece production as a coast-to-coast big broadcast premiere back in  Nov. 2013 and as regular Me-TV big broadcasts back in June 2014, March 2015 and Aug. 2019.

In Sven/Rich Koz’s home area of Berwyn/Chicago, he previously showcased “The Evil of Frankenstein” (1964) as a Berwyn/Chicago big broadcast premiere during his WFLD/Berywn/Chicago days as the “Son of Svengoolie” back in Aug. 1982; according to IMDB.

Francis’ classic mammoth 1964 Hammer/Universal horror masterpiece was showcased again in Berwyn/Chicago during Sven/Son of Sven/Rich Koz’s WFLD Berwyn/Chicago days, only with Sven/Son of Sven’s bandleader; maestro Doug Graves/Doug Scharf back in 1985 (during Metromedia’s then-ownership of the station), according to a TV commercial for the 1985 WFLD Son of Sven/Doug Graves “Evil of Frankenstein” big broadcast that was unearthed by Berwyn/Chicago television archivist Rick Klein’s FuzzyMemoriesTV: The Museum of Classic Chicago Television.    “The Evil of Frankenstein” (1963) later returned to the Sven/Berwyn/Chicago TV airlanes in 2006 on Sven’s hometown TV station, WCIU-TV 26; according to additional details from IMDB.

Who was in Freddie Francis’ classic mammoth Hammer/Universal horror masterpiece production of “The Evil of Frankenstein” (1964)?

The players who were in Francis’ 1964 Universal-Hammer “Frankenstein” feature were Peter Cushing (as Baron Frankenstein), Ernest “Kiwi” Kingston (as Frankenstein’s monster), Peter Woodthorpe (as Zoltan), Katy Wild (as the beggar girl), Sandor Elès (as Hans), Duncan Lamont (as the chief of police), Anthony Blackshaw and David Conville (as policemen),  David Hutcheson (as the Burgomaster), Caron Gardner (as the wife of the Burgomaster), James Maxwell (as the priest), Howard Goorney (as the drunk), Patrick Horgan (in an uncredited role as David Carrell), Tony Arpino (as a body snatcher), Jim Brady (in an uncredited role as a villager) and Timothy Bateson (in an uncredited role as a hypnotized man).

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of Boris Karloff in “The Old, Dark House” (1932); this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie Super SvenPals everywhere will be dancing and jumping for joy for his big broadcast of a classic mammoth Universal Studios* thriller masterpiece.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of Boris Karloff in “The Old, Dark House” (1932)

Official Cohen Media Group/Cohen Film Collection theatrical re-issue trailer for the 2017 restoration of James Whale’s classic mammoth Universal Studios* thriller masterpiece adaptation of “The Old, Dark House” (1932) with Boris Karloff, Charles Laughton, Gloria Stuart, Raymond Massey and Melvyn Douglas.

“The man who played the Monster in ‘Frankenstein’ now transforms himself into the ‘mad butler’!” Original 1932 Universal Studios twinfold exhibitors’ leaflet for “The Old, Dark House” with Boris Karloff.

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago classic horror feature film masterpiece host will present his big broadcast of “The Old, Dark House” (1932) this Sat., Jan. 13 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The classic mammoth Universal* thriller masterpiece adaptation of “The Old Dark House” (1932) was directed by veteran studio director James Whale.  Whale’s other well-known classic mammoth Universal monster/horror/thriller masterpiece productions include “Frankenstein” (1931) with Boris Karloff in the role of Frankenstein’s monster with Colin Clive in the role of Dr. Frankenstein, the classic mammoth Universal monster/sci-fi masterpiece adaptation of H.G. Wells‘ “The Invisible Man” (1933) with Claude Rains in the title role and his classic mammoth Universal monster sequel masterpiece production of “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) with Elsa Lanchester in the title role of the “monster’s mate, Karloff and Clive. Boris Karloff and Colin Clive.

Shortly before working on his numerous classic mammoth Universal horror/monster feature masterpiece productions, Whale co-directed with veteran director Edmund Goulding and industrialist Howard Hughes on the classic mammoth aviation-war drama masterpiece production of “Hell’s Angels” (1930, originally released via United Artists) with Jean Harlow, Ben Lyon and James Hall; according to IMDB.  Hughes himself would later acquire rival studio RKO Radio Pictures in 1948 and after the industrialist’s tinkering of the studio- Hughes sold off RKO to General Tire in 1955.  In an ironic twist, Universal Studios/MCA later acquired the rights to “Hell’s Angels” (1930) from Howard Hughes’ estate; according to a 1979 Universal theatrical re-release poster for the 1930 production.  Around that same time, Universal/MCA acquired the rights to another Howard Hughes feature production from the Hughes estate- the original edition of “Scarface” (1932, directed by Howard Hawks) with Paul Muni; which later served as the basis for Brian De Palma‘s Universal modern re-make of “Scarface” (1983) with Al Pacino. -C.H.

The screenplay for “The Old Dark House” (1932) was adapted for the screen from author J.B. Priestley‘s classic 1927 horror novel, “Benighted;” according to the American Film Institute (AFI). The screenplay adaptation of Whale’s classic mammoth 1932 Universal horror masterpiece production was written by veteran playwright/future British parliament member Benn W. Levy with additional screen dialogue written by veteran screenwriter R.C. Sherriff. Sherriff later co-wrote the screenplay adaptation for James Whale’s classic mammoth Universal sci-fi/monster masterpiece production of H.G. Wells’ “The Invisible Man” (1933) with veteran screenwriters  Philip Wylie and young Preston Sturges, years before Sturges went onto greater fame for writing many feature film comedy masterpieces for rival studio Paramount Pictures.  Sherriff later worked as a contributing screenwriter for  Lambert Hillyer’s classic mammoth Universal “Dracula” monster sequel masterpiece installment of “Dracula’s Daughter” (1936) with Gloria Holden in the title role.  Benn W. Levy previously wrote the screenplay for one of young Alfred Hitchcock‘s earliest classic mammoth British sound feature film suspense masterpiece productions, “Blackmail” (1929) with Anny Ondra, Cyril Ritchard, Sara Allgood and Charles Paton.

Whale’s classic mammoth Universal horror-thriller masterpiece adaptation of “The Old Dark House” (1932) was produced by veteran producer Carl Laemmle Jr., the son of Universal Studios founder Carl Laemmle.   The junior Laemmle was responsible for building Universal’s trademark monster/horror feature film masterpiece productions as the official trademark “house style” feature film genre for his father’s studio.

31 years after the original Universal theatrical release of James Whale’s “The Old Dark House,” legendary veteran macabre feature film director William Castle re-made “The Old Dark House” (1963) for rival studio Columbia Pictures as a classic mammoth spook comedy masterpiece adaptation production that was co-produced by Britain’s Hammer Films with a pre-“Newhart” Tom Poston, Janette Scott, Robert Morley, Joyce Grenfell, Mervyn Johns, Fenella Fielding and Peter Bull.

*After the original 1932 Universal theatrical release of James Whale’s classic horror masterpiece adaptation of “The Old Dark House,” the rights reverted back to J.B. Priestley; according to additional details from IMDB’s trivia section.   Film curator/collector Raymond Rohauer, who was known for acquiring the rights to many of Buster Keaton’s classic mammoth silent comedy feature film masterpieces later obtained the distribution rights to Whale’s adaptation of “The Old Dark House” (1932) after the film curator acquired the story rights to “Benighted,” according to NitrateVille, veteran film preservationist Robert A. Harris’ Home Theater Forum column and Andrew L. Yarrow’s Nov. 1987 New York Times obituary on Rohauer.  It was also reported that the 1932 version was withdrawn from circulation when Castle’s 1963 Columbia-Hammer adaptation was released.  Whale’s Universal feature production of “The Old Dark House” (1932) was even considered a “lost” film at one time, until film director Curtis Harrington searched for the original 35mm nitrate elements in 1968, according to Paul Tatara’s June 2005 Turner Classic Movies online article.

It was also reported that 16mm reduction re-release prints of “The Old Dark House” (1932) in the 1970s were altered with Raymond Rohauer’s name, who plastered his own name in place of Carl Laemmle’s name in the credits on 16mm non-theatrical release prints, according to film preservationist/film collector Ray Faiola’s eyewitness recollections on NitrateVille.  Throughout his film acquisition career, it was known that Rohauer foolishly affixed his own name and intertitles to films that he acquired when he didn’t have any involvement in any overall productions that he acquired.  After Rohauer’s death in 1987, the rights to the Rohauer classic film holdings were acquired by the Douris Corporation around 1995-96; according to Susan King’s 2013 Los Angeles Times article and the Online Archive of California. 

In 2011, investor and film producer Charles S. Cohen’s Cohen Media Group acquired the Rohauer-Douris film holdings and was re-christened as the Cohen Film Collection, according to Dave McNary’s Sept. 2011 Variety article. In 2016, Cohen’s firm restored “The Old, Dark House” (1932) with modern film restoration techniques, sourced from a 4K scan from the original 35mm nitrate elements held at the Library of Congress‘ Motion Picture Conservation Center.  The restoration was performed as a collaboration between Cohen Media Group and Universal Studios, according to John Hopewell’s Oct. 2016 Variety article, NitrateVille and the reverse cover art scan for the 2017 Cohen/eOne Blu-Ray release of “The Old Dark House” (1932) via Amazon.

This will mark Sven’s second big broadcast of “The Old, Dark House” (1932) on the airlanes of Me-TV. He previously showcased Whale’s classic mammoth 1932 Universal thriller adaptation masterpiece as a coast-to-coast big broadcast premiere back in April 2023.

Who was in James Whale’s classic mammoth Universal horror-thriller masterpiece adaptation of “The Old Dark House” (1932)?

The players who appeared in Whale’s classic mammoth Universal horror-thriller masterpiece adaptation of “The Old Dark House” (1932) was Boris Karloff (as Morgan), Gloria Stuart (as Margaret Waverton), Charles Laughton (as Sir William Porterhouse), Raymond Massey (as Philip Waverton), Melvyn Douglas (as Penderel), Ernest Thesiger (as Horace Femm), Lilian Bond (as Gladys), Eva Moore (as Rebecca Femm), Brember Wills (as Saul Femm) and Elspeth Dudgeon (as Sir Roderick Femm, Dudgeon’s character was known as John Femm in the production).

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “The Invisible Ray” (1935, Sven’s first 2024 film showcase), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie Super SvenPals will be dancing and jumping for joy for his first 2024 big broadcast with a classic mammoth Universal Studios sci-fi/thriller feature film masterpiece.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “The Invisible Ray” (1936, Sven’s first 2024 film showcase)

A snippet from Lambert Hillyer‘s classic mammoth Universal Studios sci-fi/thriller masterpiece production of “The Invisible Ray” (1935) with horror legends Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi; prepared for the 2022 Eureka! Entertainment/Universal Boris Karloff Blu-Ray trilogy box set in Great Britain, “Karloff in Maniacal Mayhem;” sourced from Universal’s High-Definition restorations from original 35mm nitrate film elements.

“Destruction to all he touched or looked upon!” Latter Realart theatrical re-issue poster art for Lambert Hillyer’s classic mammoth 1936 Universal sci-fi/thriller masterpiece with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, “The Invisible Ray.”

The legendary and iconic Berwyn/Chicago-based classic mammoth sci-fi/thriller feature film masterpiece host will present his first 2024 coast-to-coast big broadcast of “The Invisible Ray” (1935), this Sat., Jan. 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The classic mammoth 1935 Universal sci-fi/thriller feature film masterpiece production was directed by veteran feature film director Lambert Hillyer.  Three years before he directed “The Invisible Ray” (1935), Hillyer previously directed the classic mammoth Columbia Pictures western masterpiece; “Forbidden Trail” (1932) with Buck Jones, Barbara Weeks and George Cooper.  One year after the filming of his classic mammoth Universal sci-fi/thriller masterpiece production of “The Invisible Ray,” Hillyer directed the official follow-up film in Universal’s classic mammoth “Dracula” vampire-monster masterpiece franchise with his classic mammoth Universal “Dracula” vampire-monster sequel masterpiece production of  “Dracula’s Daughter” (1936) with Gloria Holden, Otto Kruger, Marguerite Churchill, Edward Van Sloan, Hedda Hopper (the noted Hollywood gossip columnist and real-life mother of William Hopper of TV’s “Perry Mason” fame), Irving Pichel, E.E. Clive, Edgar Norton and Halliwell Hobbes.

Hillyer later returned to Columbia Pictures, where he directed the very first live-action motion picture adaptation of Bill Finger and Bob Kane’s DC Comics superhero creation, the Columbia “Batman” (1943) theatrical serial series adaptation with Lewis Wilson (in the title role of Batman/Bruce Wayne) and Douglas Croft (as Robin/Dick Grayson).   In the latter part of his directorial career, Hillyer later worked on numerous western feature films and for pioneering radio-TV producer/syndicator Frederic W. Ziv.  One of Lambert Hillyer’s final productions was that he directed seven episodes of the syndicated classic mammoth Ziv crime drama masterpiece series with Broderick Crawford as Dan Matthews, “Highway Patrol” (1955-56).

“The Invisible Ray” (1935) was produced by veteran producer Edmund Grainger and veteran executive producer Fred S. Meyer.   One year after co-producing the classic mammoth 1935 Lambert Hillyer/Universal sci-fi/thriller masterpiece, Grainger served in an uncredited role as the producer of Walter Lang‘s classic mammoth Universal romantic comedy masterpiece production of “Love Before Breakfast” (1936) with Carole Lombard, Preston Foster, young Cesar Romero, Joyce Compton, Betty Lawford and Universal horror veteran E.E. Clive.

Grainger later produced several classic mammoth action-adventure/wartime drama masterpieces for Herbert J. Yates‘ Republic Pictures with John Wayne, including “Flying Tigers” (1942) with Wayne, David Miller, Anna Lee, Chester Gan, Paul Kelly and Mae Clarke and Allan Dwan‘s “Sands of Iwo Jima” (1949) with Wayne, John Agar, Adele Mara, Forrest Tucker, Arthur Franz, Julie Bishop and young Martin Milner (later of William Castle‘s “13 Ghosts,” TV’s “Route 66” and TV’s “Adam-12” fame). Fred S. Meyer had a brief career in the motion picture industry.  The same that he co-produced “The Invisible Ray” (1935), he also co-produced John M. Stahl‘s Universal romantic drama production of “Magnificent Obsession” (1935) with Irene Dunne, Robert Taylor, Ralph Morgan and Arthur Treacher.  The film was later re-made by Universal 19 years later under the direction of Douglas Sirk and also under the title of “Magnificent Obsession” (1954) with Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, Barbara Rush and Agnes Moorehead (of 1941’s “Citizen Kane” fame and later of TV’s “Bewitched” fame).

The original story treatment for Hillyer’s classic mammoth Universal sci-fi thriller masterpiece feature production of “The Invisible Ray” (1935) was written by Howard Higgin and Douglas Hodges.  Higgin and Hodges’ original story concept was adapted into a screenplay by veteran screenwriter John Colton.  Shortly after “The Invisible Ray,” Higgins served in an uncredited position for co-writing the screenplay for Victor Halperin‘s production of “Revolt of the Zombies” (1936); which featured Dorothy Stone, young Dean Jagger (later of 1949’s “Twelve O’clock High” fame and 1954’s “White Christmas” fame) and Roy D’Arcy.  Higgin died in 1937.   “The Invisible Ray” marked the only screenwriting/story concept credit for Douglas Hodges.    The same year that he adapted Higgin and Hodges’ screenplay, John Colton served as the principal screenwriter of  Stuart Walker‘s classic mammoth Universal werewolf monster masterpiece production of “Werewolf of London” (1935) with Henry Hull, Valerie Hobson,  Warner Oland, Spring Byington, Lester Matthews, J.M. Kerrigan, Charlotte Granville, Zeffie Tilbury and Clark Williams.

This will mark Sven’s fifth big broadcast of “The Invisible Ray” (1935) on the airlanes of Me-TV. He previously showcased Hillyer’s classic mammoth 1935 Universal sci-fi/thriller masterpiece production back in June 2013 as a big coast-to-coast Me-TV broadcast premiere and as regular Me-TV big broadcasts back in Jan. 2014, May 2015 and Aug. 2017.

In Son of Sven/Sven/Rich Koz’s home area of Berwyn/Chicago, Illinois and during his WFLD/Marina City/Berwyn/Chicago days as the “Son of Svengoolie-” he previously showcased Lambert Hillyer’s classic mammoth Universal sci-fi/thriller masterpiece production of “The Invisible Ray” (1935) as a Berwyn/Chicago big broadcast premiere back in June 1980; according to IMDB.

Who was in Lambert Hillyer’s classic mammoth Universal sci-fi/thriller masterpiece production of “The Invisible Ray” (1935)?

The players who appeared in Lambert Hillyer’s classic mammoth Universal sci-fi/thriller masterpiece production of “The Invisible Ray” (1935) were Boris Karloff (as Dr. Janos Rukh), Bela Lugosi (as Dr. Felix Benet), Frances Drake (as Diana Rukh), Frank Lawton (as Ronald Drake), Violet Kemble Cooper (as Mother Rukh), Walter Kingsford (as Sir Francis Stevens), Beulah Bondi (as Lady Arabella Stevens), Frank Reicher (as Prof. Meiklejohn/Mendelssohn), Paul Weigel (as Monsieur Noyer) and Georges Renavent (as the Chief of the Surete).

Safe/Healthy and Happy New Year’s/2024 from the writer/author of “Silver Screen Reflections!”

Safe, Peaceful, Healthy & Happy New Year’s/Happy 2024 to all my fellow wonderful Super Svengoolie & Sventoonie SvenPals/Super “Toon In With Me” Tooners/Super “Mystery Science Theater 3000” MSTies/Super classic film & TV masterpiece aficionados/Super readers of “Silver Screen Reflections” from the writer/author of “Silver Screen Reflections!“

I am thankful for my parents, my relatives/ all my fellow wonderful friends/Super SvenPals/Super Tooners/Super MSTies/Super classic film & TV masterpiece aficionados/Super “Silver Screen Reflections” readers across the universe!  Again, I’m very glad you all enjoy my weekly classic Sven feature film masterpiece blog/”Silver Screen Reflections” blog posts, along with my weekly “#ChrisHambyPhotoGallery” masterpiece series!

I’m looking forward to many more Sven, “Toon In” & classic mammoth film masterpiece adventures throughout the New Year of 2024 and beyond with all my fellow wonderful Super SvenPals/Super Tooners from coast-to-coast, along with my weekly “Chris Hamby Photo Gallery” series of uplifting nature photos from around home! 

There’s some aspects of 2024 that I’m deeply concerned about.  But I’m hoping that the New Year of 2024 will be peaceful healthy and safe for all of us.

I’ve had some obligations and setbacks recently- not too serious, but I’m being very cautious/careful.  I mentioned earlier that I would create a secondary blog site in connection to my weekly Photo Gallery series- which will actually begin later in 2024.   And there’s a lot I would like to accomplish/achieve in the New Year as well.   

And again- as I’ve mentioned before- and forgive me for sounding like a “broken record” and/or “audiotape loop,” I’m hoping one of these days in the future to see all of my fellow wonderful friends/Super SvenPals/Super Tooners for a future Sven event and/or Berwyn/Chicago visit in the future.  

And we all know that that corrupt/controversial wackadoodle billionaire schnook known as “Baron Von Muskrat” and his minions have wrecked the Twitter airlanes. 

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m hoping that we can all continue to Live-Tweet Svengoolie, “Toon In With Me” big broadcasts, classic film, music, broadcasting, animation, etc.- along with sharing fun facts about classic film, TV, cartoons, etc. and/or anything unique in connection to Sven/”Toon In.”

And again- as I’ve stated before, I’m NOT paying for a social media site/social media platform. 

For those who do not know- though I haven’t used the “Threads” platform frequently, I have a backup account on the “Threads” social media platform.  

To all my fellow wonderful Super Svengoolie SvenPals/Super “Toon In With Me” Tooners/Super readers/subscribers of “Silver Screen Reflections” everywhere:  Seriously, Please, please be good, kind, courteous, safe and respectful to each other.   Let’s all look to uplifting/positive enlightenment, encouragement and wisdom from Svengoolie, all fellow wonderful Super Svengoolie SvenPals/Super “Toon In With Me”/”Saturday Morning Cartoons” Tooners/Super Mystery Science Theater 3000/MST3K MSTies/Super classic film/television aficionados/Super readers of “Silver Screen Reflections” everywhere.  Again, to all fellow wonderful Super Svengoolie SvenPals/Super “Toon In With Me”/”Saturday Morning Cartoons” Tooners/Super MST3K MSTies/Super classic film & TV aficionados/Super “Silver ScreenReflections” readers everywhere- To those who have not made a plan to get their vaccines yet, be sure to schedule your vaccines, booster vaccines against the newest COVID-19 variant & your flu shot by contacting your doctor/physician/healthcare professional soon, follow all precautions safely and seriously, wear a protective face mask/appropriate protective face covering, wash your hands for approximately 20 sec., avoid touching your face, practice proper social distancing/physical distancing protocols, use a tissue/sleeve when coughing/sneezing, stay home, keep healthy and stay well.   Again, let’s all take preventative measures/steps by being safe, keeping healthy and staying well- and again, we fellow Super SvenPals everywhere highly recommend watching Kerwyn’s informative coronavirus/COVID-19 prevention safety public service announcement!   Escape from anxiety, chaos and stress by relaxing and having fun with Sven and his Sat. evening big broadcasts of classic mammoth creature/sci-fi/monster/horror/fantasy feature film masterpieces on Me-TV’s big broadcast airlanes! Be sure to join in on the fun with all fellow wonderful Super SvenPals/Super Tooners everywhere by live-tweeting on the airlanes during Sven’s Sat. evening big broadcasts and/or Toony & Bill’s “Toon In With Me!”  Again, be good, safety first, keep healthy and stay well; Three Cheers & Two Thumbs Up to Sven/Rich Koz, the entire Sven/Sventoonie/”Toon In”/Me-TV production team & the entire crowd of fellow wonderful Super SvenPals/Super Tooners/Super MSTies/Super classic film/TV masterpiece aficionados/Super “Silver Screen Reflections” readers everywhere!   To quote Svengoolie’s executive producer, Jim Roche: “#KeepCalmAndWatchSven!”  –C.H.

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of Roger Corman’s “The Undead” (1957), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie Super SvenPals everywhere will be dancing and jumping for joy for his big broadcast of a classic mammoth supernatural/horror/fantasy masterpiece a legendary feature film director.

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of Roger Corman’s “The Undead” (1957)

Original 1957 American-International Pictures** theatrical release trailer for Roger Corman’s “The Undead.”

“A thousand years of naked terror!” Original 1957 American-International Pictures theatrical poster art for Roger Corman’s “The Undead.”

The legendary and iconic Berwyn/Chicago-based horror film host will present his big broadcast of “The Undead” (1957), this Sat.; Dec. 30 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The classic mammoth horror/supernatural masterpiece production of “The Undead” (1957) was directed and produced by legendary veteran feature film director-producer Roger Corman.  Corman got into the motion picture business as a messenger for Twentieth Century Fox (Twentieth Century Studios) in 1948 after graduating from Stanford University with an Engineering degree and was promoted to the story department; according to a March 1957 profile on Corman in Motion Picture Exhibitor. After studying at Oxford University in 1950, Corman returned to Hollywood and sold his first original screenplay to Allied Artists; which was made into a film by veteran director Nathan Hertz Juran, titled “Highway Dragnet” (1954).  Corman would later produce one of his classic creature and sci-fi fantasy feature film masterpieces for release thru Allied Artists, “Attack of the Crab Monsters” (1957) with a pre-“Gilligan’s Island” Russell Johnson, Pamela Duncan and Richard Garland.

For the majority of his career, Corman collaborated with Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson’s American-International Pictures and was responsible for most of the feature film successes for Arkoff and Nicholson’s motion picture releasing/distribution firm.  Some of Corman’s best-known early classic mammoth AIP feature film masterpiece productions that he worked on include “The Fast and the Furious” (1954/55 which was one of the very first feature films released by Arkoff and Nicholson’s company) with John Ireland and Dorothy Malone, “It Conquered the World” (1956) with Peter Graves, Beverly Garland and young Lee Van Cleef and  “A Bucket of Blood” (1959). 

Both Arkoff and Nicholson established American-International as the American Releasing Corporation in 1954, according to the Samuel Z. Arkoff papers collection housed at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California.   Arkoff later sold American-International to television and feature film production-syndication company Filmways in 1979, which was later acquired by Orion Pictures in 1982.  Orion, along with the majority of the American-International/Filmways holdings** was then sold to the present incarnation of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1997.  Inspired by MGM’s re-introduction of the “Orion Pictures” moniker for feature films and television productions (minus modern TV syndication of feature films, where the American-International/Filmways/Orion holdings are still syndicated under the MGM Television moniker), the modern incarnation of MGM recently revived the “American-International Pictures” (AIP) moniker for certain theatrical releases/feature film productions for theatrical release and premium streaming/video-on-demand service providers.

 **”The Undead” (1957) was one of several early features from Arkoff and Nicholson’s American-International that were not sold to Filmways in 1979. Samuel Z. Arkoff acquired the rights to several early classic mammoth American-International feature film masterpiece productions.  Under the moniker of Selma Enterprises, the Samuel Z. Arkoff estate owns the rights to “The Undead” (1957), the home entertainment, television syndication and streaming rights are currently licensed to Shout! Factory, LLC/Shout! Studios (by arrangement with Selma Enterprises/the Samuel Z. Arkoff estate).  –C.H.

Roger Corman was also known for his classic mammoth American-International masterpiece screen thriller adaptations of Edgar Allen Poe’s literary thriller works, including “House of Usher” (1960, a.k.a. “The Fall of the House of Usher”) with Vincent Price, the American-International adaptation of Poe’s “Pit and the Pendulum” (1961, with Vincent Price and Barbara Steele), the American-International adaptation of Poe’s short stories, “Tales of Terror” (1962, with Price, Maggie Pierce, Peter Lorre and Basil Rathbone), the AIP adaptation of Poe’s “The Raven” (1963, with Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, Hazel Court and young Jack Nicholson).  Corman’s latter American-International productions include “The Wild Angels” (1966) with Peter Fonda, Nancy Sinatra and young Bruce Dern, Corman also produced Daniel Haller’s “The Dunwich Horror” (1970) with Sandra Dee, Dean Stockwell, the senior Ed Begley and Sam Jaffe.

Roger Corman and Charles B. Griffith, ca. 1957.

While he was producing features for Arkoff and Nicholson’s American-International, Corman founded his own brief independent production-releasing firm, Filmgroup.  His company was known for the production of “The Little Shop of Horrors” (1960) with Jonathan Haze,  Jackie Joseph and young Jack Nicholson (Corman’s 1960 production inspired Howard Ashman’s latter 1982 Broadway musical-comedy, “Little Shop of Horrors” and Frank Oz’s modern classic mammoth 1986 Warner Bros. feature musical-comedy film adaptation of “Little Shop of Horrors”).  Corman shut down his Filmgroup firm one year later, according to a June 1961 issue of Boxoffice.

Later in his career, Corman set up his own independent production-distribution firm, New World Pictures.  Some of Corman’s classic mammoth New World masterpiece productions/releases include “Death Race 2000” (1975) with David Carradine,  Simone Griffeth, young Sylvester Stallone and legendary Los Angeles radio disc jockey “The Real” Don Steele, Ron Howard (of “The Andy Griffith Show,” 1962’s “The Music Man” and “Happy Days” fame), “Grand Theft Auto” (1977, directed by Ron Howard, he also appeared in the aforementioned production with, Nancy Morgan, Marion Ross (also of “Happy Days” fame), Clint Howard (the real-life brother of Ron Howard) and “The Real” Don Steele (Corman was responsible for giving Ron Howard his first big break in directing motion pictures) and Allan Arkush and Joe Dante’s classic mammoth rock comedy masterpiece production “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” (1979) with legendary rock group The Ramones; along with P.J. Soles, Vincent Van Patten and “The Real” Don Steele.

Produced for Arkoff and Nicholson’s American-International under the moniker of “Balboa Productions,” the screenplay for Corman’s “The Undead” (1957) was written by veteran screenwriters Charles B. Griffith and Mark Hanna.  Griffith collaborated with Corman for many feature film productions, including “It Conquered the World” (1956), “Attack of the Crab Monsters” (1957), “The Little Shop of Horrors” (1960), “The Wild Angels” (1966) and “Death Race 2000” (1975).  Mark Hanna also wrote the screenplay for Bert I. Gordon’s classic mammoth American-International Pictures sci-fi masterpiece, “The Amazing Colossal Man” (1957).  The original working title for the 1957 Corman/American-International Pictures production of “The Undead” was “The Trance of Diana Love.”

According to veteran director Joe Dante’s “Trailers From Hell” video on Roger Corman’s classic mammoth American-International supernatural/horror masterpiece production of “The Undead” (1957) and IMDB; it was reported that Corman was partially inspired by hypnotist/businessman/author Morey Bernstein’s book, titled “The Search for Bridey Murphy.”

According to historian Chris Root’s 2019 Denver Public Library article on Bernstein and Bridey Murphy, it was reported that Bernstein hypnotized Ruth Mills Simmons of Pueblo, Colorado; a.k.a. Virginia Tighe into a past life.  Bernstein claimed that under hypnosis, Simmons/Tighe recounted a “past life” under the name of “Bridey Murphy” of Ireland, claimed to be born in 1798.  For the “past” life of  “Murphy,” Simmons/Tighe recounted past stories of her past life as “Murphy” in several hypnotism sessions. When Bernstein published his book about the hypnotic findings of Simmons/Tighe/”Murphy,” it was mentioned that there were many inaccurate findings from Bernstein and Simmons/Tighe’s “Murphy” trance.

Roger Corman’s classic mammoth American-International supernatural/horror/fantasy masterpiece production of “The Undead” (1957) was not the only film that was partially inspired by Bernstein’s story.  According to additional details from Chris Root’s 2019 Denver Public Library article and IMDB, veteran film director Richard Bartlett directed the classic Universal Studios supernatural-fantasy drama production of “I’ve Lived Before” (1956) with Jock Mahoney, Leigh Snowden and a pre-“Beverly Hillbillies” Raymond Bailey.  Veteran screenwriter Norman Jolley and veteran actor/writer William Talman (who played Hamilton Burger opposite Raymond Burr in TV’s “Perry Mason”) co-wrote the screenplay adaptation.

For the exterior sequences in Roger Corman’s classic mammoth production of “The Undead” (1957), elements were filmed on location at the “Witch’s Cottage”/”Witch’s House” Spadena House in Beverly Hills, California; according to film historian Tom Weaver’s retrospective book on classic mammoth sci-fi and horror film masterpieces “A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde” and Allison Martino’s Los Angeles Magazine article on the “Witch’s House.”  Alongside Corman’s production of “The Undead” (1957); the “Witch’s House” was previously used as an office for film producer Irvin Willat for his studio lot in Culver City, California and was featured in several of Willat’s feature film productions The house was later moved to Beverly Hills, California and in recent years, the “Witch’s House” is one of the top non-celebrity houses within the Beverly Hills area in terms of visitor and tourist requests, especially around Halloween season.

This will mark Sven’s third big coast-to-coast broadcast of “The Undead” (1957) on Me-TV.  He previously showcased Corman’s classic mammoth 1957 American-International supernatural horror feature film masterpiece as a big coast-to-coast Me-TV broadcast premiere back in April 2021 and as a regular Me-TV big broadcast back in Dec. 2021. From Sven’s earlier 2021 Me-TV big broadcasts of “The Undead” (1957), an older “Teleworld, Inc.”-syndicated print was supplied to Me-TV by Shout! Factory/Shout! Studios.  According to additional details from the syndicated print via Shout! TV (which includes the 1980s-era Teleworld logo at the conclusion) and according to 1997 edition of the International Television & Video Almanac, syndicator Teleworld, Inc. handled the TV syndication rights to “The Undead” (1957) under the moniker of “17 AIP Science Fiction Classics,” by arrangement with Arkoff’s Selma Enterprises at the time.

Who was in Roger Corman’s classic horror-fantasy masterpiece production of “The Undead” (1957)?

The players who appeared in Roger Corman’s classic American-International horror-fantasy production of “The Undead” were Allison Hayes (as Livia the witch), Pamela Duncan (in the dual roles of Diana Love/Helene), Richard Garland (as Pendragon), Dorothy Neumann (as Meg Maud the witch), Billy Barty (as an imp), Val Dufour (as Quintus Ratcliff), Mel Welles (as Smolkin, the gravedigger), Bruno VeSota (as Scroop, the innkeeper), Dick Miller (as a leper, Miller received screen credit in Corman’s production of “The Undead” under his full name of Richard Miller), Maurice Manson (as Prof. Ulbrecht Olinger), Richard Devon (as Satan), and Aaron Saxon (as Gobbo, the jailer) and Don Garrett (as a knight).

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “The Black Cat” (1941), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie Super SvenPals everywhere will be dancing and jumping for joy for his upcoming big broadcast of a classic mammoth Universal Studios mystery-comedy masterpiece adaptation for the holidays.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “The Black Cat” (1941)

Latter Realart theatrical re-issue trailer for Albert S. Rogell’s classic mammoth Universal mystery-comedy masterpiece adaptation of “The Black Cat” (1941) with Basil Rathbone & Bela Lugosi.

Original 1941 Universal Studios theatrical release poster art for “The Black Cat.”

The legendary and iconic Berwyn/Chicago-based classic mammoth mystery-comedy feature film masterpiece host will present his big expanded holiday broadcast of “The Black Cat” (1941), this Sat., Dec. 23 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The classic mammoth Universal mystery-comedy adaptation masterpiece production of “The Black Cat” (1941) was directed by veteran feature film & TV director Albert S. Rogell.  Throughout his directorial career, Rogell directed numerous productions- including his classic mammoth RKO Radio Pictures drama masterpiece production of “Suicide Fleet” (1931, produced under the RKO-Pathe moniker) with William Boyd (later of “Hopalong Cassidy” fame), Ginger Rogers (before going onto greater fame for her numerous RKO feature dancing musical appearances with Fred Astaire), Robert Armstrong (later of 1933’s “King Kong,” 1933’s “Son of Kong” and 1948’s “Mighty Joe Young” fame), James Gleason, Harry Bannister and Frank Reicher and young Ben Alexander (of 1930’s “All Quiet on the Western Front” and later of the 1952-59 TV rendition of Jack Webb’s “Dragnet” fame); his classic mammoth Columbia Pictures drama masterpiece production of “Air Hostess” (1933) with Evelyn Knapp, Thelma Todd (who was known for her numerous appearances in Hal Roach’s comedic short subjects), James Murray, Arthur Pierson, Jane Darwell and archival footage of then-Columbia contract player Jack Holt; his classic mammoth Columbia mystery masterpiece adaptation in the studio’s “Lone Wolf” series, “The Lone Wolf in Paris” (1938) with Francis Lederer in the title role; along with Frances Drake, Bess Flowers, Albert Dekker (of 1940’s “Dr. Cyclops” fame), Olaf Hytten, Walter Kingsford and Vernon Dent (who appeared in numerous supporting roles in Columbia’s numerous “Three Stooges” classic mammoth comedic short subjects); the classic mammoth Universal comedy masterpiece production of “Butch Minds the Baby” (1942) with Virginia Bruce, Dick Foran, Shemp Howard (of “The Three Stooges” fame), Grant Withers and Tom Kennedy (of Warners’ “Torchy Blane” fame) and six episodes of the classic mammoth Twentieth Century Fox (Twentieth Century Studios) TV western adaptation of “Broken Arrow” (Rogell directed from 1957 until the conclusion of the series in 1958) with John Lupton and Michael Ansara (the real-life husband of Barbara Eden).

Rogell’s classic mammoth 1941 Universal mystery-comedy masterpiece adaptation of “The Black Cat” was produced by veteran Hollywood associate producer Burt Kelly.  Kelly also produced A. Edward Sutherland’s  classic mammoth Universal “Invisible” fantasy-comedy masterpiece, “The Invisible Woman” (1940) with Virginia Bruce, John Barrymore, Margaret Hamilton of the classic 1939 mammoth MGM masterpiece adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz,” Oscar Homolka, Shemp Howard of “The Three Stooges” fame from 1946-55 and produced Arthur Lubin’s classic mammoth Universal Studios thriller masterpiece production of “Black Friday” (1940), He also produced the latter classic Columbia Pictures live-action comedy masterpiece adaptations of Chic Young’s King Features Syndicate/Hearst “Blondie” newspaper comic strip series with Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake  from 1945–48. with Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Anne Nagel, Stanley Ridges, Anne Gwynne, Virginia Brissac, Edmund MacDonald, Paul Fix and Raymond Bailey (later of TV’s “The Beverly Hillbillies” fame).

Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe‘s 1843 short story of the same name, the screenplay adaptation was written by veteran screenwriter Robert Lees, Robert Neville, Frederic I. Rinaldo and Eric Taylor.  The same year that they co-wrote the 1941 screenplay adaptation of “The Black Cat,” both Lees and Rinaldo wrote the screenplay for Arthur Lubin’s classic mammoth Universal spook comedy masterpiece production with Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Joan Davis, Richard Carlson, Evelyn Ankers and Shemp Howard; “Hold that Ghost” (1941).  Lees and Rinaldo also co-wrote with veteran Universal screenwriter John Grant the screenplay for Charles T. Barton’s classic mammoth Universal monster-comedy masterpiece, “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) with Abbott, Costello, Glenn Strange, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., Lenore Aubert, Jane Randolph,  Vincent Price and Charles Bradstreet.

This will mark Sven’s fourth big coast-to-coast broadcast of Rogell’s classic mammoth Universal mystery-comedy masterpiece adaptation of “The Black Cat” (1941) on the airlanes of Me-TV.  He previously showcased Rogell’s classic mammoth 1941 Universal mystery-comedy masterpiece adaptation as a coast-to-coast big broadcast premiere back in Sept. 2014 and as regular Me-TV big broadcasts back in Nov. 2016 and Feb. 2019.

During Sven/Rich Koz’s WFLD Berwyn/Chicago days as the “Son of Svengoolie,” he previously showcased “The Black Cat” (1941) as a Berwyn/Chicago big broadcast premiere back in March 1982, according to IMDB.

Who was in Albert S. Rogell’s Universal adaptation of “The Black Cat” (1941)?

The players who appeared in Albert S. Rogell’s classic mammoth Universal mystery-comedy masterpeiec adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” (1941) were Basil Rathbone (as Montague Hartley), Bela Lugosi (as Eduardo Vigos), Gale Sondergaard (as Abigail Doone), Alan Ladd (as Richard Hartley), Anne Gwynne (as Elaine Winslow), Hugh Herbert (as Mr. Penny), Broderick Crawford (as Hubert Smith), Gladys Cooper (as Myrna Hartley), Cecilia Loftus (as Henrietta Winslow), Claire Dodd (as Margaret Gordon), John Eldredge (as Stanley Borden), Erville Alderson (in an uncredited role as Dr. Williams), Harry C. Bradley (in an uncredited role as a coroner), Edgar Sherrod (in an uncredited role as a minister) and Jack Cheatham (in an uncredited role as a moving man).