Svengoolie’s twinset of “A&C Meet Frankenstein” (1948) & “Invaders from Mars” (1986), plus “Svengoolie: Uncrypted,” this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Super Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be dancing and jumping for joy for his big classic mammoth double-feature comedy/monster/sci-fi masterpiece showcase and the return of a classic mammoth Sven documentary masterpiece for “Halloween Boo-nanza 2023!”

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast twinset of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) and “Invaders from Mars” (1986), plus the return of “Svengoolie: Uncrypted” (2022)

A moment from Charles Barton’s classic mammoth 1948 Universal Studios comedy-monster masterpiece production featuring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Glenn Strange and Bela Lugosi, “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.”

A brief collage of moments from Tobe Hooper’s cult classic mammoth 1986 Cannon comedy/sci-fi masterpiece adaptation production featuring Hunter Carson, Karen Black, Laraine Newman, Timothy Bottoms and Bud Cort, “Invaders from Mars;” compiled for the now-out-of-print Shout! Factory-Scream Factory (Shout! Studios)/MGM* Blu-Ray edition.

The legendary and iconic Berywn/Chicago-based classic mammoth monster/sci-fi/comedy feature film masterpiece host will present his big coast-to-coast double-feature twinset monster/sci-fi/comedy feature film masterpiece showcase of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) and “Invaders from Mars” (1986). The aforementioned Sven double-feature twinset of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) and “Invaders from Mars” (1986) will begin this Sat., Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV!

Fellow Super SvenPals/Super Tooners Sarah Rhodes/Sarahgoolie, Nanette Keir and Brian Bernardoni will return to the Me-TV airlanes with their cameos in the network’s classic mammoth Sven/Rich Koz documentary masterpiece, “Svengoolie: Uncrypted” (2022)!

After the aforementioned Sven double-feature twinset of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central) and “Invaders from Mars” (1986, at 10:30 p.m. Eastern/9:30 p.m. Central), Me-TV will be airing a latenight/overnight Sat. revival of the network’s classic mammoth documentary masterpiece on Sven/Rich Koz, “Svengoolie: Uncrypted” (2022) featuring fellow Super Svengoolie/Sventoonie SvenPals/Super “Toon In With Me” Tooners Sarah Rhodes/Sarahgoolie, Nanette Keir and Brian Bernardoni at 12:30 a.m Eastern/11:30 p.m. Central!  And top off the second installment of the Sven Saturday “Halloween Boo-nanza 2023” festival, Me-TV will also have a latenight/overnight festival of select episodes of Rod Serling’s classic mammoth 1959-64 CBS television supernatural masterpiece series; “The Twilight Zone” at 1:30 a.m. Eastern/12:30 a.m. Central!

Alongside Sven’s upcoming “Halloween Boo-nanza 2023” big broadcast festival of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), “Invaders from Mars” (1986) and “Svengoolie: Uncrypted” (2022) featuring fellow Super SvenPals/Super Tooners Sarah Rhodes/Sarahgoolie, Nanette Keir and Brian Bernardoni; other Sven features and specials that will be showcased throughout the Oct. 2023 “Sven Saturday Halloween Boo-nanza” festival on Me-TV will include:

Oct. 21, 2023: Svengoolie’s big double-feature twinset broadcast featuring his big broadcast premiere of Dan Curtis‘ classic mammoth ABC “Kolchak” supernatural made-for-TV movie masterpiece with Darren McGavin, Simon Oakland and Larry Linville (of TV’s “M*A*S*H” fame), “The Night Stalker” (1972, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central), followed by Sven’s big broadcast of the U.S. dubbing of Ishiro Honda‘s classic mammoth Toho Studios pioneering kaiju creature masterpiece production of “Gojira” featuring Raymond Burr of TV’s “Perry Mason” fame, “Godzilla: King of the Monsters!” (1954/56, at 10:30 p.m. Eastern/9:30 p.m. Central)!  And wait- there’s more! Me-TV will also have an all-night festival of classic episodes of the classic mammoth 1974-75 Universal Studios/ABC supernatural masterpiece series adaptation that was inspired by the two earlier classic mammoth Dan Curtis/ABC “Kolchak” made-for-TV movie masterpieces, “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” with McGavin and Oakland (at 1:30 a.m. Eastern/12:30 a.m. Central)!

Oct. 28, 2023: Svengoolie’s big double-feature finale twinset broadcast featuring his big broadcast premiere of Dan Curtis’ classic mammoth ABC “Kolchak” supernatural made-for-TV movie sequel masterpiece with Darren McGavin and Simon Oakland, “The Night Strangler” (1973, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central) and Sven’s big broadcast of Curtis’ classic mammoth ABC made-for-TV horror anthology movie masterpiece with Karen Black, “Trilogy of Terror“* (1975, at 10: 30 p.m. Eastern/9:30 p.m. Central)! And wait- there’s more! An all-night festival of additional classic episodes of the classic mammoth Universal Studios/ABC supernatural masterpiece series with McGavin and Oakland, “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” (at 1:30 a.m. Eastern/12:30 a.m. Central)!

1988 MCA Home Video (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment) cover art for Charles Barton’s classic mammoth Universal monster-comedy masterpiece, “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), featuring elements from the original 1948 Universal theatrical poster art.

“Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) was directed by veteran Abbott and Costello feature film director Charles T. Barton.  Barton’s other classic mammoth Abbott and Costello comedy masterpiece feature film productions include directing the duo’s other classic mammoth Universal comedy masterpiece productions of  “The Time of their Lives” (1946), “Buck Privates Come Home” (1947; which was the sequel to Arthur Lubin’s earlier classic mammoth 1941 Universal wartime comedy masterpiece with Abbott and Costello and The Andrews Sisters, “Buck Privates”) and “The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap” (1947, featuring Marjorie Main of Universal’s classic mammoth “Ma and Pa Kettle” feature film comedy masterpiece productions).  Later in his feature film and television directorial career, Barton later directed one episode of the classic mammoth Universal Studios “Munsters” monster comedy masterpiece series with Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis, Pat Priest and Butch Patrick, “The Munsters;” “Love Locked Out;” which aired on CBS television in 1965.   Earlier in his feature film directing career and alongside directing most of his productions at Universal, Barton also directed the Columbia Pictures “Five Little Peppers” feature film adaptation series, from 1939-40 and the classic mammoth Columbia Pictures musical comedy masterpiece with bandleader Ted Lewis, Nan Wynn, Michael Duane, Larry Parks and of interest of fellow Super Tooners/Super SvenPals of Toony & Bill’s “Toon In With Me”- veteran cartoon voice-over artist Billy Bletcher, “Is Everybody Happy?” (1943).

“Junior.. Junior!” Original 1948 Universal Studios tinted lobby card/publicity photo for “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” with Glenn Strange, Lou Costello and Lenore Aubert.

The classic mammoth 1948 Universal monster-comedy masterpiece was produced by veteran Universal producer Robert Arthur. Alongside “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948); Arthur’s other classic mammoth Universal productions that he produced include Barton’s other classic mammoth Universal spook comedy-mystery masterpiece production with Bud Abbott, Lou Costello and horror film legend Boris Karloff, “Abbott and Costello Meet The Killer, Boris Karloff” (1949); Arthur Lubin‘s classic mammoth Universal comedy masterpiece and first feature film in the studio’s “Francis The Talking Mule” classic mammoth comedy masterpiece franchise series, “Francis” (1950) with Donald O’Connor, Patricia Medina, a pre-“Perry Mason” Ray Collins, Zasu Pitts, young Tony Curtis, the vocal stylings of Chill Wills and Molly the Mule; Blake Edwards‘ classic mammoth Universal comedy masterpiece with Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Joan O’Brien, Dina Merrill, young Gavin MacLeod (later of TV’s “The Mary Tyler Moore” show fame and TV’s “The Love Boat” fame), young Marion Ross (later of TV’s “Happy Days” fame), “Operation Petticoat” (1959), Delbert Mann‘s classic mammoth Universal comedy masterpiece with Doris Day, Rock Hudson, a pre-“Odd Couple” Tony Randall, Edie Adams, a pre-“Brady Bunch” Ann B. Davis, Joe Flynn (of “McHale’s Navy” fame) and Jack Oakie; “Lover, Come Back” (1961) and Harry Keller‘s classic mammoth Universal comedy-fantasy masterpiece adaptation of Thomas Anstey Guthrie‘s novel with a pre-“I Dream of Jeannie” Barbara Eden, Tony Randall, Burl Ives and Philip Ober; “The Brass Bottle” (1964).  The screenplay for “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) was written by veteran Abbott and Costello gag writer John Grant, along with Robert Lees and Frederic I. Rinaldo.

“There’s no place on Earth to hide.” Original 1986 Cannon Group theatrical poster art for Tobe Hooper’s cult classic mammoth sci-fi masterpiece adaptation of “Invaders from Mars.”

The adaptation of “Invaders from Mars” (1986) was directed by veteran feature film director Tobe Hooper.  Some of Hooper’s best known classic mammoth /modern classic mammoth feature film masterpieces throughout his directorial career include his classic mammoth Bryanston horror-thriller masterpiece production with Gunnar Hansen, Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain, William Vail and the vocal stylings of young John Larroquette, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974); his classic mammoth supernatural thriller masterpiece for Steven Spielberg and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) with Heather O’Rourke, JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Richard Lawson, Dominique Dunne and Dirk Blocker (son of the late Dan Blocker of TV’s “Bonanza” fame), “Poltergeist” (1982), his classic mammoth 1985 Cannon Group sci-fi/horror masterpiece with Steve Railsback, Mathilda May, Sir Patrick Stewart (of the 1984 adaptation of “Dune” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation” fame) and Peter Firth, “Lifeforce” and the second “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” installment for the Cannon Group, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2” (1986) with Dennis Hopper, Caroline Williams and Bill Moseley.

Hooper’s cult classic mammoth Cannon sci-fi masterpiece adaptation of “Invaders From Mars” (1986) was adapted from William Cameron Menzies’ earlier cult classic mammoth sci-fi masterpiece production of the same name, “Invaders From Mars” (1953); which was also produced by Edward L. Alperson Jr.

The original 1953 Menzies-Alperson version was originally released by Twentieth Century Fox (Twentieth Century Studios), according to IMDB.  Recently, a complete 4K restoration of the 1953 version of “Invaders From Mars’ was implemented by classic film distribution firm Ignite Films of the Netherlands , the UCLA Film and Television Archive, the George Eastman Museum and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia for a 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray release; the complete restoration was finally showcased at the 2022 Turner Classic Movies Film Festival in Hollywood; California; according to the official Ignite Films site and Steve Pond’s April 2022 article for The Wrap.

Before directing numerous classic mammoth thriller/horror/sci-fi feature film productions and TV episodes in his directorial career, Hooper previously directed a classic mammoth TV documentary film masterpiece on the legendary folk music trio; Peter, Paul and Mary (Peter Yarrow, Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers); titled “Peter, Paul and Mary: The Song is Love” (1971).  Of interest to fellow Super Tooners/Super SvenPals of Toony & Bill Leff/Bill the Cartoon Curator’s “Toon In With Me” on Me-TV, Hooper’s classic mammoth 1971 made-for-TV documentary masterpiece on Peter, Paul and Mary was produced three years after the legendary folk trio was involved with a classic mammoth Warner Bros.-Seven Arts cartoon masterpiece that was adapted from one of their classic mammoth song recording masterpieces for Warner Bros. Records and was co-written by Noel Paul Stookey and directed by Alex Lovy, “Norman Normal” (1968, the legendary & iconic folk music trio’s recording of “Norman Normal” was previously issued two years earlier on Peter Paul and Mary’s classic mammoth 1966 Warner Bros. Records album masterpiece, “Album;” according to Discogs).

Media Home Entertainment publicity photo for the VHS release of Tobe Hooper’s Cannon adaptation of “Invaders from Mars” (1986).

The screenplay for Hooper’s adaptation of “Invaders from Mars” (1986) was written by veteran screenwriters Don Jakoby and Dan O’Bannon along with David Lipman and David Womark; based off the original 1953 screenplay by Richard Blake.  Don Jakoby previously wrote the screenplay for Hooper’s production of “Lifeforce” (1985) and O’Bannon previously co-wrote the screenplay with Ronald Shusett for Ridley Scott’s classic mammoth Twentieth Century Fox (Twentieth Century Studios) sci-fi masterpiece production with Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Yaphet Kotto, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, Ian Holm, Bolaji Badejo and Eddie Powell; “Alien” (1979).

Hooper’s classic mammoth sci-fi thriller masterpiece adaptation of “Invaders of Mars” (1986) was produced and released by The Cannon Group, Inc. (a.k.a. Cannon Films), an independent releasing organization that was established by producers Dennis Friedland and Christopher C. Dewey.  Friedland and Dewey later sold Cannon to veteran feature film producers-film financiers Menahem Golan and his cousin, Yoram Globus in 1979; according to IMDB. During Golan and Globus’ ownership of the Cannon Group; the company specialized in producing, financing and releasing numerous cult action feature film productions.  Golan and Globus’ Cannon also owned various movie theaters throughout Europe and the United States (Golan and Globus acquired the Kansas City, Missouri based Commonwealth Theatres group in 1986), according to Geraldine Fabrikant’s 1986 New York Times article on the rise of Golan and Globus’ Cannon firm at the time.  The ownership of their own theaters would eventually cause numerous financial problems for Golan and Globus’ Cannon.

Cannon was later acquired by notorious financier Giancarlo Parretti around 1987-88. Parretti renamed the Cannon Group as Pathé Communications in 1989 after his brief involvement with France’s pioneering film studio, Pathé.  The majority of the Cannon Films/Cannon Group library holdings later became part of the modern incarnation of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) after Parretti’s brief ownership of MGM; according to IMDB, Al Degulach’s 1988 Los Angeles Times article and Peter Bart’s 2013 Variety article on Parretti’s financial shenanigans and brief ownership of MGM.  Sidebar: Though MGM owns the theatrical re-issue licensing and home entertainment licensing rights to the majority of the Cannon Group library, Paramount Global/Paramount Pictures (Viacom/the former ViacomCBS) currently owns the North American television syndication and premium pay-television/cable distribution-syndication rights to the majority of the Cannon Group feature film library, including “Invaders from Mars” (1986); which was part of a long-term TV syndication-distribution pact between Golan, Globus/Cannon and Viacom back in 1986, according to additional details from Fabrikant’s New York Times article and a 1986 Broadcasting (Broadcasting & Cable) article. -C.H.

Golan and Globus co-produced Hooper’s cult classic mammoth Cannon sci-fi masterpiece adaptation of “Invaders From Mars” (1986) with veteran producer-distributor  Edward L. Alperson Jr., veteran sci-fi/horror film collector-producer-distributor Wade Williams and veteran creative producer David Rodgers.

For “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), this will mark Sven’s 12th big broadcast of the classic mammoth 1948 Abbott and Costello Universal mammoth monster-comedy masterpiece production of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” on Me-TV. He had previously showcased “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) on Me-TV from coast-to-coast back in Oct. 2011* as a big coast-to-coast Me-TV premiere and as regular Me-TV broadcasts back in Nov. 2013, Oct. 2014, April 2015, Oct. 2016, Nov. 2017, Oct. 2018, May 2019 (showcased during Sven’s “Monstrous May” 2019 festival of classic Universal “Frankenstein” mammoth monster masterpiece features) Nov. 2020, Sept. 2021 (part of Sven’s “Franken-Fest” festival of classic mammoth Universal “Frankenstein” monster feature film masterpieces) and Nov. 2022.

For “Invaders from Mars” (1986), this will mark Sven’s second big broadcast of Hooper’s cult classic mammoth 1986 Cannon sci-fi/comedy farce masterpiece adaptation of “Invaders from Mars” on the airlanes of Me-TV.  He previously showcased “Invaders from Mars” (1986) as a big broadcast premiere back in April 2022.

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of “Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948); plus “Sventoonie;” this Sat. on Me-TV!

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be jumping for joy for his big broadcast of a classic mammoth Universal Studios monster-comedy masterpiece with the studio’s comedic duo.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) plus “Sventoonie;” this Sat. on Me-TV

Latter Realart theatrical re-release trailer of the classic Universal Studios mammoth monster-comedy classic masterpiece, “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948).

“The Laughs are ‘Monsterous’!” Original 1948 Universal Studios concept poster art for “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.”

The legendary and iconic Berwyn/Chicago-based classic mammoth monster-comedy feature film masterpiece host will present his big broadcast of the classic mammoth Universal monster-comedy masterpiece production of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948); this Sat., Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

“Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) was directed by veteran Abbott and Costello feature film director Charles T. Barton.  Barton’s other classic mammoth Abbott and Costello comedy masterpiece feature film productions include directing the duo’s other classic mammoth Universal comedy masterpiece productions of  “The Time of their Lives” (1946), “Buck Privates Come Home” (1947; which was the sequel to Arthur Lubin’s earlier classic mammoth 1941 Universal wartime comedy masterpiece with Abbott and Costello and The Andrews Sisters, “Buck Privates”) and “The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap” (1947, featuring Marjorie Main of Universal’s classic mammoth “Ma and Pa Kettle” feature film comedy masterpiece productions).  Later in his feature film and television directorial career, Barton later directed one episode of the classic mammoth Universal Studios “Munster” monster comedy masterpiece series with Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis, Pat Priest and Butch Patrick, “The Munsters;” “Love Locked Out;” which aired on the CBS television network in 1965.   Earlier in his feature film directing career and alongside directing most of his productions at Universal, Barton also directed the Columbia Pictures “Five Little Peppers” feature film adaptation series, from 1939-40 and the classic mammoth Columbia Pictures musical comedy masterpiece with bandleader Ted Lewis, Nan Wynn, Michael Duane, Larry Parks and Billy Bletcher, “Is Everybody Happy?” (1943).

The classic mammoth 1948 Universal monster-comedy masterpiece was produced by veteran Universal producer Robert Arthur. Alongside “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948); Arthur’s other classic mammoth Universal productions that he produced include Barton’s other classic mammoth Universal spook comedy-mystery masterpiece production with Bud Abbott, Lou Costello and horror film legend Boris Karloff, “Abbott and Costello Meet The Killer, Boris Karloff” (1949); Arthur Lubin‘s classic mammoth Universal comedy masterpiece and first feature film in the studio’s “Francis The Talking Mule” classic mammoth comedy masterpiece franchise series, “Francis” (1950) with Donald O’Connor, Patricia Medina, a pre-“Perry Mason” Ray Collins, Zasu Pitts, young Tony Curtis, the vocal stylings of Chill Wills and Molly the Mule; Blake Edwards‘ classic mammoth Universal comedy masterpiece with Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Joan O’Brien, Dina Merrill, young Gavin MacLeod, young Marion Ross and young Marion Ross, “Operation Petticoat” (1959), Delbert Mann‘s classic mammoth Universal comedy masterpiece with Doris Day, Rock Hudson, a pre-“Odd Couple” Tony Randall, Edie Adams, a pre-“Brady Bunch” Ann B. Davis, Joe Flynn (of “McHale’s Navy” fame) and Jack Oakie; “Lover, Come Back” (1961) and Harry Keller‘s classic mammoth Universal comedy-fantasy masterpiece adaptation of Thomas Anstey Guthrie‘s novel with a pre-“I Dream of Jeannie” Barbara Eden, Tony Randall, Burl Ives and Philip Ober; “The Brass Bottle” (1964).  The screenplay for “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) was written by veteran Abbott and Costello gag writer John Grant, along with Robert Lees and Frederic I. Rinaldo.

“Guess who?  Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh!” Veteran Universal Studios “Car-Tune” cartoon animator Walter Lantz with an official “Woody Woodpecker” plush.

Of interest to fellow Super SvenPals/Super Tooners of Toony & Bill’s weekday morning “Toon In With Me” classic mammoth cartoon masterpiece showcase on Me-TV, legendary veteran Universal “Car-Tune” cartoon masterpiece animator Walter Lantz supervised the opening animated sequence for “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948); according to IMDB.

This will mark Sven’s eleventh big broadcast of the classic mammoth 1948 Abbott and Costello Universal mammoth monster-comedy masterpiece production of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” on the airlanes of Me-TV. He had previously showcased “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) on Me-TV from coast-to-coast back in Oct. 2011* as a big coast-to-coast Me-TV premiere and as regular Me-TV broadcasts back in  Nov. 2013, Oct. 2014, April 2015, Oct. 2016, Nov. 2017, Oct. 2018, May 2019 (showcased during Sven’s “Monstrous May” 2019 festival of classic Universal “Frankenstein” mammoth monster masterpiece features) Nov. 2020 and Sept. 2021 (part of Sven’s “Franken-Fest” salute to classic mammoth Universal “Frankenstein” monster feature film masterpieces).

To quote Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula: “Wilbur.. Come!” Who was in Barton’s classic mammoth 1948 Universal monster/comedy masterpiece feature production of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein?”

“Spook Show!” Original motor-driven display to promote the original Universal theatrical release of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) at the Coleman Theatre in Miami, Oklahoma.

The players who appeared in Charles Barton’s classic mammoth Universal monster-comedy masterpiece production of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) were Bud Abbott (as Chick Young), Lou Costello (as Wilbur Grey), Glenn Strange (as Frankenstein’s monster), Bela Lugosi (as Count Dracula), Lon Chaney Jr. (as Lawrence/Larry “Wolf Man” Talbot), Lenore Aubert (as Dr. Sandra Mornay), Jane Randolph (as Joan Raymond), Vincent Price (in an uncredited cameo role as a “surprise” Universal monster character, again- to those who have not seen “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein;” the writer/author of “Silver Screen Reflections” will not reveal Price’s character),  Charles Bradstreet (as Dr. Stevens), Frank Ferguson (as Mr. McDougal), Bobby Barber (in an uncredited role as a waiter) and Harry Brown (in an uncredited role as a photographer).

“Svengoolie” presents his big 2022/New Year’s big broadcast of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be jumping for joy/celebrating the New Year with his big broadcast of a classic mammoth Warner Bros. sci-fi/creature/fantasy masterpiece.

“Svengoolie” presents his first 2022 big broadcast of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953)

“They couldn’t believe their eyes!” LatterWarner Bros. VHS cover art for the 1953  Ray Harryhausen–Eugène “Gene” Lourié production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based sci-fi/creature feature film  host will present his big New Year’s broadcast/first big broadcast of 2022 of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953), this Sat.; New Year’s Day, Jan. 1 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The classic mammoth 1953 sci-fi creature/fantasy masterpiece production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” for Warner Bros. was directed by veteran production designer/director Eugène “Gene” Lourié.

In his motion picture career alongside “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms,” Lourié also worked on the cult classic mammoth Allied Artists (the former Monogram Pictures) sci-fi creature/fantasy-thriller masterpiece production of “The Giant Behemoth” (1959).  Veteran stop-motion effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen worked on the stop-motion visual effects for his “Rhedosaurus” beast creature featured in “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”

Veteran entertainment promoter-turned-film producer Jack Dietz produced the 1953 Harryhausen-Lourié-Warners production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”  Four years after “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms,” Dietz produced the classic Edward Ludwig–Wah Chang–Willis H. O’Brien-Warner Bros. sci-fi creature masterpiece production with Richard Denning and  Mara Corday, “The Black Scorpion” (1957). “The Black Scorpion” was which was later riffed on “Mystery Science Theater 3000” in 1990.  Veteran producers Bernard W. Burton and Hal E. Chester served as co-producers with Dietz for the classic mammoth Harryhausen- Lourié sci-fi creature/fantasy masterpiece production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”  Burton later worked as an editorial supervisor for the classic Four Star Productions/ABC television western masterpiece series with Barbara Stanwyck, Linda Evans, Richard Long, Lee Majors and Peter Breck, “The Big Valley” (Burton worked as an editorial supervisor on 77 episodes of the series from 1965-68). Hal E. Chester also worked as a producer for several Monogram/Allied Artists “Joe Palooka” feature film adaptation series, ranging from “Joe Palooka, Champ” (1946) to “Joe Palooka in Triple Cross” (1951).

The screenplay for the 1953 Harryhausen- Lourié-Warners production was written by Fred Freiberger and Lou Morheim.  Freiberger later created the short-lived Neanderthal adventure TV series for Hanna-Barbera Productions (one of the few live-action productions that William Hanna and Joseph Barbera produced) with Burgess Meredith’s narration, “Korg: 70,000 B.C.” (1974-75). Morheim later produced 12 episodes of the Freiberger and Morheim’s screenplay was inspired by veteran sci-fi author and longtime friend of Harryhausen, Ray Bradbury’s  sci-fi fantasy story for the Saturday Evening Post, titled “The Monster From Beneath the Sea.”

Original Warner Bros. lobby card featuring the concept art for the 1953  Ray Harryhausen–Eugène “Gene” Lourié production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.” 

According to Ray Bradbury’s recollections with Harryhausen that he mentioned in Richard Schickel’s documentary on Ray Harryhausen’s classic mammoth stop-motion creature/visual effects feature film masterpieces, “The Harryhausen Chronicles” (1998); Bradbury had a meeting with Harryhausen and producer Jack Dietz.  The veteran producer asked the author if he could re-write the screenplay that was written by Freiberger and Morheim for the Harryhausen-Dietz production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”  During their meeting, Bradbury finally realized that Freiberger and Morheim’s screenplay was similar to his Saturday Evening Post creature story. Dietz was stunned at Bradbury and later bought the screen rights to Ray Bradbury’s aforementioned Saturday Evening Post story in order to film the production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”

This will mark Sven’s fourth big coast-to-coast broadcast of the 1953 Harryhausen- Lourié-Warners stop-motion fantasy sci-fi creature masterpiece production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” on the airlanes of  Me-TV.  He previously showcased “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953) as a coast-to-coast big broadcast premiere back in June 2019, a coast-to-coast big broadcast in Dec. 2019 and a coast-to-coast big broadcast in Nov. 2020.

According to IMDB in Sven’s home area of Berwyn/Chicago, Illinois; Sven in his WFLD/Chicago days as the “Son of Svengoolie” previously showcased the classic mammoth Ray Harryhausen-Eugène “Gene” Lourié-Warner Bros. stop-motion creature-fantasy/sci-fi masterpiece production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953) as a Chicago/Berwyn big broadcast premiere back in July 1981.  A snippet from the 1953 Harryhausen- Lourié-Warners sci-fi stop-motion creature/fantasy masterpiece was featured in the 1981 WFLD/Chicago “PM Magazine” interview on Rich Koz and Koz’s portrayal of “Son of Svengoolie”/Sven at the 0:46 mark; according to Berwyn/Chicago television archivist Rick Klein’s official FuzzyMemoriesTV YouTube channel.

Sven in his WFLD/Chicago  “Son of Svengoolie” days also showcased “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953) as a Berwyn/Chicago big broadcast in 1985, according to the official YouTube site for Obsolete Video Services and Rick Klein’s official FuzzyMemoriesTV YouTube channel.

Who was in “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953)?

The players who appeared in the Ray Harryhausen-Eugène “Gene” Lourié-Warner Bros. production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953) were Paula Raymond (as Lee Hunter), Paul Christian (as Prof. Tom Nesbitt, Christian’s name was used as a pseudonym for his real name of Paul Hubschmid), young Lee Van Cleef (as Cpl. Stone), young Merv Griffin (in an uncredited role as a radio announcer), Cecil Kellaway (as Prof. Thurgood Elson),  William Woodson (in uncredited dual roles as the opening narrator and additional radio announcer),  Alvin Greenman (as the first radar man), Kenneth Tobey (as Col. Jack Evans),Steve Brodie (as Sgt. Loomis), Paula “Mary” Hill (as Miss Ryan), Michael Fox (as an emergency doctor), Frank Ferguson (as Dr. Morton),  Ray Hyke (as Sgt. Willistead), King Donovan (as Dr. Ingersoll),  Jack Pennick (as Jacob Bowman), Ross Elliott (as George Ritchie) and Donald Woods (as Capt. Phil Jackson). Paula Raymond appeared in numerous productions throughout her acting career, including episodes of Warner Bros.’ “Hawaiian Eye” detective TV series from 1959–62.

“Svengoolie” presents his big “Franken-Fest” broadcast of “Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), this Sat. on Me-TV

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

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), for Sven & Me-TV’s Oct. “Franken-Fest” salute!

A snippet from Charles Barton’s classic mammoth Universal Studios monster-comedy masterpiece with Lou Costello, Bela Lugosi and Glenn Strange.; “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948).

“Jeepers! The ‘creepers’ are after Bud & Lou!” Latter Realart theatrical re-release poster artwork for Charles Barton’s classic mammoth Universal Studios monster-comedy masterpiece, “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948).

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based monster film host will present his big broadcast of the classic mammoth Universal Studios monster-comedy masterpiece, “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948); this Sat., Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

Svengoolie will present the classic mammoth 1948 Universal/Abbott & Costello monster-comedy masterpiece as part of the legendary Berwyn/Chicago monster feature film host & Me-TV’s salute to classic mammoth Frankenstein feature film adaptation masterpieces for Sven’s Sat. evening big broadcasts throughout the month of Oct. titled “Franken-Fest!”

“Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) on Sat., Oct. 2 will mark the first feature in Sven’s month-long “Franken-Fest” salute on Me-TV. Other classic mammoth “Frankenstein” feature film adaptation masterpieces that will be shown in Sven’s “Franken-Fest” showcase will include:

Sat., Oct. 9: James Whale’s classic mammoth Universal monster masterpiece adaptation production of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” (1931) with Boris Karloff (as Frankenstein’s monster), Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, Edward Van Sloan and Dwight Frye.

Sat., Oct. 16: Rowland V. Lee’s classic mammoth Universal “Frankenstein” monster masterpiece production installment of “Son of Frankenstein” (1939) with Karloff (in his third and final Universal “Frankenstein” monster appearance) Basil Rathbone and Bela Lugosi.

Sat., Oct. 23: Erle C. Kenton’s classic mammoth Universal monster masterpiece production of “House of Frankenstein” (1944) with Glenn Strange (as Frankenstein’s monster), Lon Chaney Jr. (as Lawrence/Larry “Wolf Man” Talbot), John Carradine (as Count Dracula) and J. Carrol Naish.

Sat., Oct. 30/Halloween eve: Sven’s upcoming big Me-TV broadcast premiere of Robert Gaffney’s cult classic Allied Artists sci-fi/horror masterpiece production of “Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster” (1965) with Robert Reilly, Bruce Glover, Marilyn Hanold, James Karen and Lou Cutell.

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) was directed by veteran film director Charles T. Barton.  Barton directed numerous classic Abbott and Costello feature film  comedy masterpieces throughout his feature film career, including “The Time of their Lives” (1946), “Buck Privates Come Home” (1947, the sequel to Arthur Lubin’s earlier classic mammoth 1941 Universal wartime comedy masterpiece with Abbott and Costello, “Buck Privates”) and “The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap” (1947, featuring Marjorie Main of Universal’s classic mammoth “Ma and Pa Kettle” mammoth feature comedy masterpieces).

The classic mammoth 1948 Universal mammoth monster-comedy masterpiece was produced by veteran Universal producer Robert Arthur.  Nine years after the production of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948),  Arthur produced Joseph Pevney’s classic mammoth Universal biopic masterpiece on the life of legendary horror film actor  Lon Chaney Sr. with James Cagney’s portrayal of the senior Chaney, Dorothy Malone,    Jane Greer , Marjorie Rambeau , Jim Backus, actor-turned future film producer/executive Robert Evans, Jeanne Cagney, Jack Albertson and Roger Smith, “Man of a Thousand Faces” (1957).

The screenplay for Barton’s classic mammoth 1948 Universal monster-comedy masterpiece with Abbott and Costello was written by veteran Abbott and Costello comedy gag writer John Grant, along with veteran screenwriters Robert Lees and Frederic I. Rinaldo.  Alongside Sven’s first installment in his Oct. 2021 “Franken-Fest” salute to classic mammoth “Frankenstein” monster feature film adaptations, this will mark Sven’s tenth big broadcast of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) on the airlanes of Me-TV from coast-to-coast. He had previously showcased “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) on Me-TV from coast-to-coast back in Oct. 2011* as a big coast-to-coast broadcast premiere, regular big broadcasts in Nov. 2013, Oct. 2014, April 2015, Oct. 2016, Nov. 2017, Oct. 2018, May 2019 (showcased during Sven’s previous “Monstrous May” 2019 salute to the classic Universal “Frankenstein” mammoth monster masterpiece features) and in Nov. 2020.

“A good cast is worth repeating, ‘Wilbur’!” Who was in Charles Barton’s classic mammoth Universal monster-comedy masterpiece production of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948)?

“The monsters of menace vs. the masters of mirth!” Original 1948 Universal Studios newspaper advertising proof element for “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.”

The players who appeared in Charles Barton’s classic mammoth Universal monster-comedy masterpiece production of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) were Bud Abbott (as Chick Young), Lou Costello (as Wilbur Grey), Glenn Strange (as Frankenstein’s monster; “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” marked Glenn Strange’s third Universal feature monster appearance as Frankenstein’s monster; he previously appeared in the role of Frankenstein’s monster in Erle C. Kenton‘s “House of Frankenstein” in 1944 and Kenton’s “House of Dracula” in 1945), Bela Lugosi (as Count Dracula, the classic mammoth 1948 Universal-Abbott and Costello monster-comedy masterpiece feature  marked Bela Lugosi’s second and final Universal feature monster screen appearance as Count Dracula; he previously played the role of Count Dracula in Tod Browning’s landmark classic 1931 mammoth Universal vampire monster screen adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”), Lon Chaney Jr. (as Lawrence/Larry “Wolf Man” Talbot; “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” marked the fifth screen appearance of the junior Chaney’s role of Larry/Lawrence “Wolf Man” Talbot, the junior Chaney previously played the role in George Waggner‘s classic mammoth 1941 Universal werewolf monster masterpiece, “The Wolf Manl”  which also featured Bela Lugosi along with Evelyn Ankers, Claude Rains, Ralph Bellamy and Warren William and reprised the role in Roy William Neil‘s “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man” in 1943, Erle Kenton’s “House of Frankenstein” in 1944 and “House of Dracula” in 1945), Vincent Price (in an uncredited cameo role as a “surprise” Universal monster character, for our fellow super SvenPals who have not seen “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein;” the author/writer of “Silver Screen Reflections” will not reveal Price’s character in the film- you will have to see for yourself in Sven’s big broadcast; the same year that he appeared in “A&C Meet Frankenstein;” Price portrayed William “Boss” Tweed in William A. Seiter’s classic mammoth 1948 Universal comedy musical masterpiece production of “Up in Central Park” with Deanna Durbin and Dick Haymes), Lenore Aubert (as Dr. Sandra Mornay, Lenore Aubert later appeared with Bud Abbott, Lou Costello and Boris Karloff in Charles Barton’s classic mammoth 1949 Universal thriller-comedy masterpiece, “Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff”), Jane Randolph (as Joan Raymond),  Charles Bradstreet (as Dr. Stevens), Frank Ferguson (as Mr. McDougal), Bobby Barber (in an uncredited role as a waiter) and Harry Brown (in a non-credited role as a photographer).

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be jumping for joy for his big broadcast of a classic Universal Studios monster-comedy masterpiece with the studio’s comedic duo.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948)

A snippet from the Universal production of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), featuring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Bela Lugosi and Glenn Strange.

Original 1948 Universal Studios theatrical poster artwork element for “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based monster film host will present his big broadcast of the classic Universal monster-comedy farce masterpiece, “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948); this Sat., Nov. 21 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

“Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) was directed by veteran Abbott and Costello feature film director Charles T. Barton.  Barton’s other classic Abbott and Costello comedy masterpiece features include “The Time of their Lives” (1946), “Buck Privates Come Home” (1947, the sequel to Arthur Lubin’s classic 1941 Universal wartime comedy masterpiece with Abbott and Costello, “Buck Privates”) and “The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap” (1947, featuring Marjorie Main of Universal’s “Ma and Pa Kettle” feature comedy masterpieces).  The 1948 classic Universal monster-comedy masterpiece was produced by veteran Universal producer Robert Arthur. The screenplay for “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) was written by veteran Abbott and Costello gag writer John Grant, along with Robert Lees and Frederic I. Rinaldo.

This will mark Sven’s ninth big broadcast of the classic 1948 Abbott and Costello Universal mammoth monster-comedy masterpiece on the airlanes of Me-TV. He had previously showcased “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) on Me-TV from coast-to-coast back in Oct. 2011*, Nov. 2013, Oct. 2014, April 2015, Oct. 2016, Nov. 2017, Oct. 2018 and May 2019 (showcased during Sven’s “Monstrous May” 2019 festival of classic Universal “Frankenstein” mammoth monster masterpiece features).

“Who’s on first?”  Who was in the classic 1948 Abbott and Costello-Universal monster/comedy masterpiece?

The players who appeared in Charles Barton’s classic mammoth Universal monster-comedy masterpiece production of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) were Bud Abbott (as Chick Young), Lou Costello (as Wilbur Grey), Glenn Strange (as Frankenstein’s monster), Bela Lugosi (as Count Dracula), Lon Chaney Jr. (as Lawrence/Larry “Wolf Man” Talbot), Lenore Aubert (as Dr. Sandra Mornay), Jane Randolph (as Joan Raymond), Vincent Price (in an uncredited cameo role as a “surprise” Universal monster character, for those who have not seen “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein;” the writer of “Silver Screen Reflections” will not reveal Price’s character),  Charles Bradstreet (as Dr. Stevens), Frank Ferguson (as Mr. McDougal), Bobby Barber (in an uncredited role as a waiter) and Harry Brown (in a non-credited role as a photographer).

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

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals from coast-to-coast will be jumping for joy for his big broadcast of a classic Warner Bros. stop-motion creature fantasy masterpiece.

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

Original 1953 Warner Bros. theatrical release trailer for “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (w/ brief cameo trailer commentary appearances of young Merv Griffin, Vera Miles and Paul Picerni (according to IMDB).

“King of prehistoric sea giants!” “It’s alive!” Original 1953 Warner Bros. theatrical poster artwork for the Ray Harryhausen–Eugène “Gene” Lourié production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based sci-fi/creature feature film film host will present his big broadcast of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953), this Sat.; Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

“The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” was directed by veteran production designer-turned-director Eugène “Gene” Lourié, who also worked on the Allied Artists (formerly known as Monogram Pictures) sci-fi thriller production of “The Giant Behemoth” (1959).  Veteran stop-motion effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen worked on the stop-motion visual effects for his “Rhedosaurus” beast creature featured in “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”  According to the American Film Institute, the 1953 classic Warner Bros.sci-fi creature/fantasy masterpiece was one of Harryhausen’s earliest feature film credits for a sci-fi creature film produced by a major studio.   Veteran entertainment promoter-turned-film producer Jack Dietz produced the 1953 Harryhausen-Lourié-Warners production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”  Four years after “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms,” Dietz produced the classic Edward Ludwig–Wah Chang–Willis H. O’Brien-Warner Bros. sci-fi creature masterpiece with Richard Denning and  Mara Corday, “The Black Scorpion” (1957, which was later riffed on “Mystery Science Theater 3000” in 1990).  Veteran producers Bernard W. Burton and Hal E. Chester served as co-producers for “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”

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 and longtime friend of Harryhausen, Ray Bradbury’s  sci-fi fantasy story for the Saturday Evening Post, titled “The Monster From Beneath the Sea.”

This will mark Sven’s third big coast-to-coast broadcast of the 1954 Harryhausen- Lourié-Warners stop-motion fantasy sci-fi creature masterpiece on Me-TV.  He previously showcased “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953) as a coast-to-coast big broadcast premiere back in June 2019 and as a coast-to-coast big broadcast in Dec. 2019.

Who was in the Ray Harryhausen-Eugène “Gene” Lourié-Warner Bros. production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953)?

The players who appeared in the Ray Harryhausen-Eugène “Gene” Lourié-Warner Bros. production of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953) were Paula Raymond (as Lee Hunter), Paul Christian (as Prof. Tom Nesbitt, Christian’s name was used as a pseudonym for his birth name of Paul Hubschmid), young Merv Griffin (in an uncredited role as a radio announcer), young Lee Van Cleef (as Cpl. Stone), 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), Alvin Greenman (as the first radar man), Steve Brodie (as Sgt. Loomis), Paula “Mary” Hill (as Miss Ryan), Michael Fox (as an emergency doctor),  Donald Woods (as Capt. Phil Jackson), Frank Ferguson (as Dr. Morton),  Ray Hyke (as Sgt. Willistead), Jack Pennick (as Jacob Bowman), King Donovan (as Dr. Ingersoll) and Ross Elliott (as George Ritchie).

“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).

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

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere are jumping for joy for his upcoming big broadcast premiere of a classic Warner Bros. sci-fi creature feature masterpiece.

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

Original 1953 Warner Bros. theatrical trailer for “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (w/ brief cameo trailer commentary appearances of Vera Miles, Paul Picerni and singer/future talk show host/game show creator Merv Griffin; according to IMDB).

Original 1953 Warner Bros. poster artwork for “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based sci-fi creature film host will present his big broadcast premiere of “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953); this Sat., June 22 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The 1953 Warner Bros. sci-fi creature classic was directed by production designer-turned-director Eugène “Gene” Lourié. Lourié also worked on Allied Artists’ sci-fi creature feature, “The Giant Behemoth” (1959).  The stop-motion creature effects were created by “Dynamation” visual effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen.  This was one of the first major studio stop-motion sci-fi creature productions where Harryhausen received screen credit, according to the American Film Institute. The feature was produced by veteran producer Jack Dietz.

The screenplay for “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” was written by Fred Freiberger and Lou Morheim.  Freiberger and Morheim’s screenplay was inspired by a story written science fiction writer Ray Bradbury for the Saturday Evening Post; according to John M. Miller’s article on “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” for Turner Classic Movies.

Who was in “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” (1953)?

The players who appeared in “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” were Paula Raymond (as Lee Hunter), Paul Christian (as Prof. Tom Nesbitt, Christian’s name was used as a pseudonym for Paul Hubschmid), young Lee Van Cleef (as Cpl. Stone), William Woodson (in uncredited dual roles as the opening narrator and radio announcer), Cecil Kellaway (as Prof. Thurgood Elson), Kenneth Tobey (as Col. Jack Evans), Donald Woods (as Capt. Phil Jackson), Steve Brodie (as Sgt. Loomis), Michael Fox (as an emergency doctor), Alvin Greenman (as the first radar man), Frank Ferguson (as Dr. Morton), King Donovan (as Dr. Ingersoll), Paula “Mary” Hill (as Miss Ryan), Ray Hyke (as Sgt. Willistead), Jack Pennick (as Jacob Bowman) and Ross Elliott (as George Ritchie).

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals will be jumping for joy for his big broadcast of the legendary Universal Studios monster-comedy classic with the studio’s comedic duo!

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), this Sat. on Me-TV

Realart theatrical re-issue trailer of the 1948 Universal Studios monster-comedy classic, “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.”

“It’s a grand new idea for fun!” Original 1948 Universal Studios poster artwork for “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based monster film host will present his big broadcast showcase of the classic Universal monster farce, “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948); this Sat., May 18 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV (part of Sven’s “Monstrous May” festival showcase of classic Universal “Frankenstein” monster films).

The final feature in Sven’s Sat. “Monstrous May” tribute to classic Universal “Frankenstein” monster films on Me-TV will be “The Ghost of Frankenstein” (1942, on May 25).

The 1948 classic Universal Monster-Abbott & Costello farce was directed by veteran Abbott & Costello feature film director Charles T. Barton.  Barton’s other films with Bud and Lou were “The Time of their Lives” (1946), “Buck Privates Come Home” (1947), “The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap” (1947, w/ Marjorie Main of “Ma and Pa Kettle” fame) and “The Noose Hangs High” (1948, one of the duo’s few non-Universal comedies).

This will mark Sven’s eighth big broadcast showcase presentation of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) on Me-TV’s airlanes.  He had previously shown the celebrated Universal monster/Abbott & Costello classic comedy from coast-to-coast back in Oct. 2011*, Nov. 2013, Oct. 2014, April 2015, Oct. 2016, Nov. 2017 and Oct. 2018.

 

“Who’s on first?” Who was in “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948)?

The actors who appeared in “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) were Bud Abbott (as Chick Young), Lou Costello (as Wilbur Grey), Glenn Strange (in his third Universal screen feature appearance as Frankenstein’s monster; he previously played the role of Frankenstein’s monster in Erle C. Kenton‘s “House of Frankenstein” in 1944 and Kenton’s “House of Dracula” in 1945), Bela Lugosi (in his second and final Universal feature screen appearance as Count Dracula in a Universal feature; he previously played Count Dracula in Tod Browning’s landmark Universal screen monster adaptation of “Dracula” in 1931), Lon Chaney Jr. (in his  fifth Universal screen monster feature appearance as Lawrence/Larry “Wolf Man” Talbot; he previously played the role in George Waggner‘s “The Wolf Man” in 1941, Roy William Neil‘s “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man” in 1943, 1944’s “House of Frankenstein” and 1945’s “House of Dracula”), Lenore Aubert (as Dr. Sandra Mornay), a non-credited vocal cameo by a young Vincent Price (as a “surprise” Universal monster) Jane Randolph (as Joan Raymond), Bobby Barber (in an uncredited role as a waiter), Charles Bradstreet (as Dr. Stevens), Frank Ferguson (as Mr. McDougal) and Harry Brown (in an non-credited role as a photographer).

“Svengoolie” presents “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals will be excited for his upcoming big broadcast of a classic Universal Studios monster farce with the studio’s comedic duo.

“Svengoolie” presents: “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948)

A brief moment from “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), with Lou Costello, Glenn Strange and Bela Lugosi.

Original Universal Studios exhibitors’ supplement for “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948).

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based horror film host will present his big broadcast showcase of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948), this Sat., Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The landmark Abbott and Costello-Universal monster cross-over feature was directed by veteran studio director Charles T. Barton (this was Barton’s fifth screen production with the legendary comedy duo).  That same year, Barton worked on Abbott and Costello’s non-Universal feature comedy entry for competing studio Eagle-Lion Films, “The Noose Hangs High” (1948, w/ Leon Errol, Cathy Downs, Fritz Feld, Joseph Calleia and Mike Mazurki).

This will mark Sven’s seventh big broadcast of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948) from coast-to-coast on Me-TV.  He had previously shown the celebrated Universal monster comedy classic from coast-to-coast back in Oct. 2011*, Nov. 2013, Oct. 2014, April 2015, Oct. 2016 and Nov. 2017.

Who was in “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948)?

The players who appeared in Barton’s Universal monster/Abbott & Costello comedy were Bud Abbott (as Chick Young), Lou Costello (as Wilbur Grey), Glenn Strange (as Frankenstein’s monster, this marked Strange’s third Universal feature film appearance as Frankenstein’s monster; he previously played the role in 1944’s “House of Frankenstein” and 1945’s “House of Dracula”), Bela Lugosi (as Count Dracula; this marked Bela’s second and final screen appearance as Count Dracula in a Universal production, ), Lon Chaney, Jr. (as Lawrence “Larry” Talbot/the “Wolf Man;” this marked the junior Chaney’s fifth Universal feature appearance as Lawrence “Wolf Man” Talbot; he previously played the role in 1941’s “The Wolf Man,” 1943’s “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man,” 1944’s “House of Frankenstein” and 1945’s “House of Dracula”), Jane Randolph (as Joan Raymond), Lenore Aubert (as Dr. Sandra Moray), Charles Bradstreet (as Dr. Stevens), Frank Ferguson (as Mr. McDougal), Harry Brown (in an uncredited role as a photographer), Bobby Barber (in an uncredited role as a waiter) and an uncredited voice-over cameo by a young Vincent Price (as a uncredited Universal “monster” who made a surprise appearance in the film).