“Svengoolie” presents his big coast-to-coast premiere of “The Comedy of Terrors” (1963/64), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie Super SvenPals everywhere will be dancing and jumping for joy for his upcoming big coast-to-coast premiere of a classic mammoth American-International horror-comedy masterpiece with several film legends.

“Svengoolie” presents his big coast-to-coast broadcast premiere of “The Comedy of Terrors” (1963/64)

Original 1963/64 American-International Pictures theatrical release trailer for Jacques Tourneur‘s “The Comedy of Terrors” with Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Joyce Jameson, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone and Joe E. Brown.  Fun Fact: At the 0:05 mark, note Les Baxter’s source orchestral cue– that was the same source music cue that American-International later used for their television syndication unit, American-International Television when Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson’s distribution firm entered TV syndication in the mid-1960s. -C.H.

Sidebar: Originally re-presented in Sept. 2014 for the now-out-of-print MGM*/Shout! Factory (Shout! Studios)/Scream! Factory “Vincent Price Collection II” Blu-Ray feature film anthology set, Kino Lorber is currently handling the Blu-Ray edition of Tourneur’s classic mammoth 1963/64 American-International horror/comedy masterpiece (by arrangement with the current incarnation of MGM*, owners of the American-International/Filmways/Orion holdings). -C.H.

“Your favorite ‘creeps’ together again!” Original 1963/64 American-International theatrical poster art for “The Comedy of Terrors” with Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Joyce Jameson, Joe E. Brown and Basil Rathbone.

The legendary and iconic Berwyn/Chicago-based classic mammoth horror/comedy feature film masterpiece host will present his big coast-to-coast broadcast premiere of “The Comedy of Terrors” (produced in 1963, released in 1964) this Sat., March 16 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The classic mammoth 1963/64 American-International feature horror/comedy masterpiece production was directed by veteran feature film & TV director Jacques Tourneur.

Tourneur was best-known for his classic mammoth RKO Radio Pictures thriller feature film masterpiece with veteran RKO producer Val Lewton, “Cat People” (1942) with Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Tom Conway, Jane Randolph, Jack Holt and Alan Napier (later of 1944’s “The Uninvited,” 1956’s “The Mole People” and TV’s “Batman” fame).  After the box-office success of “Cat People,” both Tourneur and Lewton would follow with two more classic mammoth RKO thriller masterpiece productions, “I Walked with a Zombie” (1943) with Frances Dee, Tom Conway, Sir Lancelot, James Ellison, Christine Gordon, Theresa Harris and James Bell and “The Leopard Man” (1943) with Dennis O’Keefe, Margo, Jean Brooks, Isabel Jewell, Tuulikki Paananen/Tula Parma, James Bell, Ben Bard and Jacqueline deWit.

Tourneur also directed his classic mammoth RKO film noir-thriller masterpiece production of “Experiment Perilous” (1944) with Hedy Lamarr, George Brent, Paul Lukas, Albert Dekker (of 1940’s “Dr. Cyclops” fame), Carl Esmond, Olive Blakeney and William Post Jr.

Alongside his earlier RKO feature film collaborations with Val Lewton and alongside “Comedy of Terrors” (1963/64), one of Tourneur’s other noteworthy films was his classic mammoth RKO film noir masterpiece production of “Out of the Past” (1947) with Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, young Kirk Douglas, Rhonda Fleming, Richard Webb, Steve Brodie, Dickie Moore, Virginia Huston, Brooks Benedict and Paul Valentine.

Ten years after “Out of the Past,” Tourneur directed his classic mammoth Columbia Pictures sci-fi creature/horror/thriller masterpiece production of “Curse of the Demon” (1957, a.k.a. “Night of the Demon”) with Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis, Liam Redmond, Brian Wilde (later of BBC‘s “Last of the Summer Wine” fame), Maurice Denham, Ballard Berkeley (later of “Fawlty Towers” fame), Athene Seyler, Reginald Beckwith, Ewan Roberts, Peter Elliott and Rosamund Greenwood.

The screenplay for Tourneur’s classic mammoth 1963/64 American-International masterpiece production of “The Comedy of Terrors” was co-written by veteran sci-fi/horror author-screenwriter Richard Matheson and veteran author/screenwriter Elsie Lee. 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).  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, one of two ABC “Kolchak” made-for-TV movie masterpiece pilots that served as the inspiration for the classic mammoth 1974-75 Universal Studios/ABC “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” TV masterpiece series) with Darren McGavin, Carol Lynley, Claude Akins, Larry Linville (later of TV’s “M*A*S*H” fame), Simon Oakland, Ralph Meeker, Charles McGraw, Kent Smith, Elisha Cook Jr., Stanley Adams, Jordan Rhodes and Barry Atwater.  Matheson also served as an associate producer on the 1963/64 American-International feature production.

“The Comedy of Terrors” marked one of two productions that Elsie Lee was involved with during her brief screenwriting career.  She previously wrote the screenplay for 1 episode of the MCA/Revue (Universal) adventure TV series, “Soldiers of Fortune” (for the 1957 episode “Pipeline to Danger”) with John Russell, Chick Chandler and guest Edward Platt (later of TV’s “Get Smart” fame).

Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson.

*The 1963 Tourneur production of “The Comedy of Terrors” was released theatrically through American-International Pictures, the independent distribution firm that was established by Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson in 1954; according to the Samuel Z. Arkoff papers collection/archives  housed at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California.   American-International was later acquired by Filmways in 1979, which was later acquired by Orion Pictures in 1982.  Orion, along with the majority of the American-International/Filmways holdings was later sold to the present incarnation of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1997.  Inspired by MGM’s revival of the “Orion Pictures” moniker for feature film releases in recent years, the current incarnation of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) also revived the “American-International Pictures” moniker.   Alongside Arkoff, Nicholson and Matheson, veteran American-International feature film producer Anthony Carras also co-produced the classic mammoth 1963/64 Tourneur horror-comedy feature film masterpiece production of “The Comedy of Terrors.”

Who was in Jacques Tourneur’s classic mammoth American-International horror/comedy masterpiece production of “The Comedy of Terrors” (1963/64)?

The players who appeared in Tourneur’s classic mammoth American-International horror/comedy masterpiece production of “The Comedy of Terrors” (1963/64) were Vincent Price (as Waldo Trumbull), Joyce Jameson (as Amaryllis Trumbull), Boris Karloff (as Amos Hinchley), Peter Lorre (as Felix Gillie), Basil Rathbone (as Mr. John F. Black), Joe E. Brown (as a cemetery keeper), Beverly Powers (as Mrs. Phipps, Beverly Powers received screen credit under the pseudonym of Beverly Hills), Buddy Mason (as Mr. Phipps), Alan DeWitt (as Riggs), Douglas Williams (as a Doctor), Linda Rogers (as a maid), Luree Holmes (as a butler), Charles Soldani (in an uncredited role as a mourner), Harvey Parry (in an uncredited role as a man who was knocked down on the street), Paul Barselou (in an uncredited role as a stand-in for Riggs) and Orangey the Cat (as Cleopatra, Orangey received screen credit under the name of an earlier feline character that was portrayed by the feline actor, “Rhubarb“).

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “Island of Lost Souls” (1932), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be dancing and jumping for joy for his upcoming big broadcast of a classic mammoth Paramount Pictures* fantasy/sci-fi feature film adaptation masterpiece.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “Island of Lost Souls” (1932)

Original 1932 Paramount Pictures* theatrical trailer for “Island of Lost Souls” with Charles Laughton, Bela Lugosi, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams and Kathleen “Panther Woman” Burke.

“The Panther Woman!” Original 1932 Paramount Pictures theatrical poster art for “Island of Lost Souls,” featuring Kathleen Burke as Lota, the “Panther Woman.”

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based classic mammoth sci-fi/fantasy feature film masterpiece host will present his big broadcast of “Island of Lost Souls” (1932) this Sat., March 11 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The classic mammoth 1932 Paramount* fantasy/sci-fi feature film masterpiece adaptation of “Island of Lost Souls” was directed by veteran actor-turned-feature film director Erle C. Kenton.   Kenton was part of pioneering silent feature film comedian-actor-producer Mack Sennett’s original pioneering “Keystone Kops” silent comedy players troupe for Sennett’s Keystone Film Company before going into the field of directing films; according to IMDB.

Alongside directing the classic mammoth 1932 Paramount fantasy/sci-fi feature film masterpiece adaptation, Kenton mostly worked on numerous classic mammoth horror, thriller. supernatural and comedy feature film masterpieces for rival studio Universal Studios for most of his directorial career, including his classic mammoth Universal “Frankenstein” monster masterpiece installment of “The Ghost of Frankenstein” (1942) with  Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi, Evelyn Ankers, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Ralph Bellamy and  Dwight Frye; his classic mammoth Universal comedy masterpiece with  Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, including “Who Done It?” (1942) with Louise Allbritton, Patric Knowles, Mary Wickes, Don Porter and William Bendix and “Pardon My Sarong” (1942) with Charles Fuqua, Hoppy Jones, Bill Kenny and Deek Watson of the legendary jazz vocal singing group The Four Ink Spots; Virginia Bruce, Lionel Atwill, William Demarest (who later appeared on TV’s “My Three Sons” from 1965-72, a.k.a. the Ernie “Binge the Cringe” show), Leif Erickson and Herb Vigran, his classic mammoth Universal monster masterpiece production of  “House of Dracula” (1945) with John Carradine, Lon Chaney Jr.  Glenn Strange, Jane Adams, Lionel Atwill and his classic mammoth Universal thriller masterpiece production of “The Cat Creeps” (1946) with Noah Beery Jr., Lois Collier, Paul Kelly and Douglass Dumbrille.

Adapted from veteran sci-fi/fantasy author H.G. Wells’ novel, “The Island of Dr. Moreau;” the screenplay adaptation of Wells’ novel for Kenton’s classic mammoth 1932 Paramount* sci-fi/fantasy feature film masterpiece production was written by veteran screenwriters Waldemar Young and Philip Wylie. Young previously worked as a scenarist for Tod Browning’s now-lost Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) silent horror production of “London After Midnight” (1927, the last surviving copy was lost in a 1967 vault fire at MGM’s then-Culver City, California studio complex) with Lon Chaney, the screenplay for William Beaudine‘s classic mammoth Warner Bros.–First National “Vitaphone” comedy-drama masterpiece adaptation of Booth Tarkington‘s “Penrod and Sam” (1931) with Leon Janney. Frank “Junior” Coghlan, Cameo the Dog, Margaret Marquis and Zasu Pitts and co-wrote the screenplay with Vincent Lawrence for Cecil B. DeMille‘s Academy Award-winning classic mammoth Paramount drama-biopic masterpiece production of “Cleopatra” (1934) with Claudette Colbert, Warren William (who later became the first screen “Perry Mason” in the classic mammoth Warner Bros. “Perry Mason” film adaptation masterpiece series from 1934–36 and later appeared in George Waggner‘s classic mammoth Universal monster masterpiece production of  “The Wolf Man” in 1941 with  Lon Chaney Jr., Evelyn Ankers, Claude Rains,  Bela Lugosi, Maria Ouspenskaya and Ralph Bellamy), C. Aubrey Smith and Ian Keith.

Philip Wylie later worked as an uncredited screenwriter for James Whale’s classic mammoth Universal monster/sci-fi masterpiece adaptation of H.G. Wells’ “The Invisible Man” (1933) with Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, Henry Travers and Una O’Connor and also wrote the original story treatment for the classic mammoth Rudolph Maté–George Pal-Paramount sci-fi masterpiece production of “When Worlds Collide” (1951) with Richard Derr, Barbara Rush, Peter Hansen, John Hoyt, Larry Keating, a pre-“Petticoat Junction“/”Green Acres” Frank Cady and a pre-
“I Dream of Jeannie” Hayden Rorke.

This will mark Svengoolie’s sixth big coast-to-coast broadcast of the classic mammoth Erle C. Kenton-Paramount sci-fi/fantasy feature film adaptation masterpiece on the airlanes of Me-TV.  He previously showcased “Island of Lost Souls” (1932) as a big coast-to-coast Me-TV broadcast premiere back in July 2011 and as regular big coast-to-coast Me-TV broadcasts back in Dec. 2011, Jan. 2013, Jan. 2015 and June 2016.

Who was in Erle C. Kenton’s classic mammoth Paramount fantasy/sci-fi feature film masterpiece adaptation of “Island of Lost Souls” (1932)?

The players who appeared in Erle C. Kenton’s classic mammoth Paramount fantasy/sci-fi feature film masterpiece adaptation of “Island of Lost Souls” (1932) were Charles Laughton (as Dr. Moreau), Richard Arlen (as Edward Parker), Bela Lugosi (as Sayer of the Law), Leila Hyams (as Ruth Thomas), Kathleen Burke (as Lota, the “Panther Woman”), Arthur Hohl (as Montgomery), Stanley Fields (as Capt. Davies), Paul Hurst (as Donahue), George Irving (as The Consul), Buster Brodie (in an uncredited role as the Pig Beast), veteran Paramount make-up artist Charles Gemora (in an uncredited role as a Gorilla), Bob Kortman (in an uncredited role as Mr. Hogan), Joe Bonomo, John George, Robert Milasch, Constantine Romanoff, Duke York and young Alan Ladd (in uncredited roles as Beasts).

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of “Son of Dracula” (1943) on Sven/Rich Koz’s Birthday, 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 masterpiece on his Birthday.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “Son of Dracula” (1943) on Sven/Rich Koz’s Birthday

Latter Realart Pictures theatrical re-release trailer for Robert Siodmak’s classic mammoth Universal Studios “Dracula” vampire-monster masterpiece production of “Son of Dracula” (1943) with Lon Chaney Jr.

“A horror film suitable only for adults!” Original 1943 Universal Studios Australian theatrical poster artwork for “Son of Dracula,” featuring Lon Chaney Jr. and Louise Allbritton.

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based classic monster feature film host will present his big broadcast of “Son of Dracula” (1943), this Sat., March 12/Sven-Rich Koz’s Birthday at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV!

The classic mammoth 1943 Universal “Dracula” vampire-monster masterpiece installment production was directed by veteran director Robert Siodmak.  Three years after directing the classic mammoth Universal vampire/monster masterpiece production of “Son of Dracula,” Sidomak directed the classic mammoth Universal drama-crime-film noir screen masterpiece adaptation of Ernest Hemmingway’s “The Killers” (1946) with Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Albert Dekker (of “Dr. Cyclops” fame), William Conrad (in his pre-“Cannon” days) and Virginia Christine ( who later rose to greater fame for her role of “Mrs. Olson” in numerous television commercials for Folgers Coffee).

The original story treatment for Robert Siodmak’s classic Universal production of “Son of Dracula” (1943) was written by veteran science-fiction author and screenwriter Curt Siodmak, the younger brother of Robert Siodmak.  Curt Siodmak wrote numerous screenplays for Universal Studios’ stable of classic monster/thriller/sci-fi feature film masterpieces throughout the majority of his career, including “The Invisible Man Returns” (1940), “The Invisible Woman” (1940), “The Wolf Man” (1941), “Invisible Agent” (1942), “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man” (1943), “House of Frankenstein” (1944) and “Curucu, Beast of the Amazon” (1956).  Curt Siodmak’s original story was adapted for the screen by veteran screenwriter Eric Taylor.  “Son of Dracula” (1943) was produced by veteran Universal producers Ford Beebe with associate producer Donald H. Brown and executive producer Jack J. Gross (Gross did not receive any screen credit on the aforementioned 1943 feature production).

This will mark Sven’s seventh big broadcast of “Son of Dracula” (1943) from coast-to-coast on Me-TV.  He previously showcased Siodmak’s classic mammoth 1943 Universal “Dracula” monster masterpiece installment back in April 2011*, Feb. 2012*, March 2013, Aug. 2014, July 2015 and Sept. 2020.

In Sven/Rich Koz’s Berwyn/Chicago days as the “Son of Svengoolie,” he previously showcased Siodmak’s classic mammoth Universal “Dracula” vampire-monster masterpiece production installment of “Son of Dracula” (1943) as a WFLD Berwyn/Chicago “Son of Sven” big broadcast in Nov. 1980; according to a classic 1980 Sven/Son of Sven WFLD Berwyn/Chicago promo that was unearthed by Berwyn/Chicago Television historian/archivist Rick Klein’s official YouTube site for FuzzyMemoriesTV: The Museum of Classic Chicago Television.

Who was in Robert Siodmak’s classic mammoth Universal
“Dracula” vampire-monster masterpiece installment of “Son of Dracula” (1943)?

The players who appeared in Robert Siodmak’s classic Universal monster masterpiece production of “Son of Dracula” (1943) are Lon Chaney Jr. (as Count Dracula, a.k.a. “Count Alucard”), Louise Allbritton (as Katherine Caldwell), Evelyn Ankers (as Claire Caldwell), Robert Paige (as Frank Stanley), Etta McDaniel (as Sarah), Frank Craven (as Dr. Harry Brewster),  J. Edward Bromberg (as Prof. Lazlo), Samuel S. Hinds (as Judge Simmons), George Irving (as Col. Caldwell), Adeline De Walt Reynolds (as Madame Zimba) and Patrick “Pat” Moriarity (as Sheriff Dawes).