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” presents his big broadcast of William Castle’s “Mr. Sardonicus” (1961), this Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be dancing and jumping for joy for his big broadcast of a classic mammoth Columbia Pictures macabre thriller masterpiece.

“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of William Castle’s “Mr. Sardonicus” (1961)

Original 1961 Columbia Pictures theatrical trailer for William Castle‘s classic mammoth macabre gimmick thriller masterpiece production of “Mr. Sardonicus,” with an introduction by Castle and his mention of the “Punishment Poll” gimmick for the original Columbia theatrical release.

“A man so evil- His face could stop a heart!” Original 1961 Columbia Pictures theatrical poster art element for the original Australian theatrical release of William Castle’s “Mr. Sardonicus.”

The legendary and iconic Berywn/Chicago-based classic mammoth macabre thriller feature film masterpiece host will present his big broadcast of “Mr. Sardonicus” (1961), this Sat.; Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The classic 1961 Columbia macabre thriller was directed by the legendary master of macabre cinema, William Castle. For the majority of Castle’s motion picture career, he produced and directed numerous feature films for Columbia Pictures.

Before he went into the art and innovation of “gimmick” macabre-thriller feature film masterpiece productions, he directed numerous classic mammoth Columbia feature film masterpiece productions, including the western “Klondike Kate” (1943) with Glenda Farrell (of Warner Bros.’ “Torchy Blane” fame), Ann Savage, Tom Neal and future TV producer Sheldon Leonard.

He also directed four entries in Columbia’s “The Whistler” feature film adaptation series (adapted from the CBS Radio series of the same name) with Richard Dix, “The Whistler” (1944, also with Gloria Stuart of 1933’s “The Invisible Man” and 1997’s “Titanic” fame), “The Mark of the Whistler” (1944, also with Janis Carter and Porter Hall), “Voice of the Whistler” (1945, also with Lynn Merrick and Rhys Williams) and “Mysterious Intruder” (1946, also with Nina Vale and Barton MacLane of Warners’ “Torchy Blane” fame and later of TV’s “I Dream of Jeannie” fame in the latter part of his acting career) and four entries in Columbia’s “Crime Doctor” mystery feature film masterpiece adaptation series with Warner Baxter; “The Crime Doctor’s Warning” (1945, also with John Litel and Dusty Anderson), “Just Before Dawn” (1946, also with Adele Roberts and Martin Kosleck), “Crime Doctor’s Man Hunt” (1946, also with Ellen Drew and William Frawley; later of TV’s “I Love Lucy” and “My Three Sons”/”Binge the Cringe” fame) and “The Crime Doctor’s Gamble” (1947, also with Micheline Cheirel and Roger Dann).

Castle also produced Orson Welles‘ classic mammoth critically-acclaimed Columbia Pictures film noir-drama masterpiece production of “The Lady From Shanghai” (1947) with Welles, Rita Hayworth and Everett Sloane, Castle also co-wrote the screenplay for the aforementioned 1947 Columbia production with Welles and Sherwood King.   The veteran director-producer also directed hs classic mammoth Columbia feature-length adventure masterpiece and the very first 3-D film for Columbia Pictures, “Fort Ti” (1953) with George Montgomery, Joan Vohs, Irving Bacon and young Rusty Hamer (later of TV’s “Make Room For Daddy”/”The Danny Thomas Show” fame).

Alongside “Mr. Sardonicus” (1961) many of Castle’s classic mammoth Columbia macabre “gimmick” feature film masterpiece productions alongside include “The Tingler” (1959) with Vincent Price, Judith Evelyn and Darryl Hickman;  “13 Ghosts” (1960) with  Charles Herbert, Jo Morrow, Martin Milner (of TV’s “Route 66” and “Adam-12” fame) Margaret Hamilton (of 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz” fame) and John Van Dreelen, “Homicidal” (1961) with Glenn Corbett, “Zotz!” (1962) with Tom Poston (later of TV’s “Newhart” fame), Julia Meade, Jim Backus (of interest to fellow Super Tooners/Super SvenPals of Toony & Bill’s “Toon In With Me,” the vocalizations of “Mister Magoo” and his Live-Action appearances/of TV’s “Gilligan’s Island” fame), Margaret Dumont (who previously appeared in seven of The Marx Brothers’ classic mammoth feature film comedy masterpieces from 1929–41) and  Fred Clark, and “The Old, Dark House” (1963) with Poston and Janette Scott and “Strait-Jacket” (1964) with Joan Crawford, Diane Baker, Leif Erickson, young George Kennedy and young Lee Majors (later of TV’s “The Big Valley” and “The Six Million Dollar Man” fame).

Alongside Castle’s long career at Columbia, he also directed his earlier classic mammoth macabre gimmick thriller masterpiece productions for Allied Artists, notably “Macabre” (1958) with Jim Backus, Christine White and William Prince and “House on Haunted Hill” (1959) with Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart, Richard Long, Julie Mitchum, Elisha Cook Jr.,  Carolyn Craig, Alan Marshal and Leona Anderson. Castle also directed several classic mammoth macabre thriller masterpieces for rival Universal Studios, including “The Night Walker” (1964) with Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Taylor and Hayden Roarke (later of TV’s “I Dream of Jeannie” fame) and “I Saw What You Did” (1965) with Joan Crawford, John Ireland and Leif Erickson.  Castle later directed several productions for rival Paramount Pictures, including his classic mammoth Paramount comedy masterpiece production of “The Busy Body” (1967) with Sid Caesar, Richard Pryor, Anne Baxter and Robert Ryan and his classic mammoth Paramount sci-fi masterpiece production of “Project X” (1968) with Christopher George, Greta Baldwin, Henry Jones, Harold Gould and Monte Markham.   Near the end of his life, Castle later appeared in a cameo appearance in John Schlesinger‘s classic mammoth Paramount studio drama-thriller masterpiece production of “The Day of the Locust” (1975) with Karen Black, Donald Sutherland, Burgess Meredith and Geraldine Page.

Castle returned to Columbia Pictures to serve as an executive producer for the studio’s brief classic mammoth horror-thriller TV anthology masterpiece series, “Ghost Story/Circle of Fear” (1972-73), produced under Columbia’s Screen Gems TV unit for the NBC television network.

The screenplay for Castle’s 1961 macabre thriller was written by Ray Russell.   Russell’s screenplay was based off of his original short thriller story for Playboy Magazine, according to film historian Clive Hirschorn and his retrospective book on Columbia Pictures, “The Columbia Story.”  One year later, Russell wrote the screenplay for Castle’s classic mammoth Columbia fantasy masterpiece production; “Zotz!” ( according to IMDB).  Castle co-produced his classic mammoth 1961 Columbia macabre gimmick thriller masterpiece production with veteran producer Dona Holloway, she co-produced many of Castle’s latter productions.

This will mark Sven’s fourth big broadcast presentation of “Mr. Sardonicus” (1961) from coast-to-coast on Me-TV.  He previously aired the classic mammoth 1961 Castle-Columbia macabre thriller masterpiece as a coast-to-coast big broadcast premiere back in April 2018 and as regular big broadcasts back in Nov. 2018 and July 2019.

In Sven’s home area of Berwyn/Chicago, he previously showcased “Mr. Sardonicus” (1961) back in Nov. 2008 on his hometown TV station; WCIU-TV 26 (according to IMDB).

Who was in William Castle’s “Mr. Sardonicus” (1961)?

The players who appeared in Castle’s 1961 Columbia macabre screen thriller were Guy Rolfe (in the dual roles of Baron Sardonicus and Marek Toleslawski), Oscar Homolka (as Krull), Audrey Dalton (as Baroness Maude Sardonicus), Lorna Hanson (as Anna), Ronald Lewis (as Sir Robert Cargrave), Erika Peters (as Elenka Toleslawski), Vladimir Sokoloff (as Henryk Toleslawski) and cameo screen appearances by William Castle.

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of “Frankenstein” (1931) with Boris Karloff, This Sat. on Me-TV

Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be dancing & jumping for joy for his big broadcast of one of the many classic mammoth definitive Universal Studios monster masterpiece adaptations.

“Svengoolie” to present his big broadcast of “Frankenstein” (1931) with Boris Karloff

A snippet from James Whale’s classic mammoth Universal Studios monster masterpiece adaptation production of “Frankenstein” (1931) with Boris Karloff.

Original 1931 Universal Studios poster art element for “Frankenstein” with Boris Karloff.

The legendary and iconic Berwyn/Chicago-based classic mammoth monster feature film masterpiece host will present his big broadcast of “Frankenstein” (1931); this Sat., Sept. 2 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The classic mammoth 1931 landmark classic Universal monster masterpiece adaptation was directed by veteran Universal  director James Whale.  Whale also directed the classic mammoth Universal screen thriller masterpiece adaptation of J.B. Priestley’s “The Old Dark House” (1932) with Boris Karloff, Gloria Stuart, Melvyn Douglas and Charles Laughton; Universal’s landmark classic monster masterpiece screen adaptation of H.G. Wells’ “The Invisible Man” (1933) with Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart and Una O’Connor and his classic mammoth Universal monster sequel masterpiece production of “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) with Elsa Lanchester and Boris Karloff.

Adapted rom Mary Shelley’s 1818 gothic novel, “Frankenstein: or the Modern Prometheus,” the screenplay adaptation of Shelley’s novel was adapted for the screen by veteran screenwriters Francis Edward Faragoh and Garrett Fort for Whale’s classic mammoth Universal monster masterpiece adaptation production of “Frankenstein” (1931). Faragoh and Fort’s screenplay adaptation was inspired by veteran playwrights Peggy Webling and John L. Balderston’s proposed script idea for a  “Frankenstein” stage play adaptation.  Whale’s classic mammoth 1931 Universal monster masterpiece production adaptation of “Frankenstein” was co-produced by Carl Laemmle Jr., the son of Universal Studios founder Carl Laemmle with veteran associate producer E.M. Asher.

It was reported that veteran director Robert Florey was originally slated to direct the classic mammoth 1931 Universal monster masterpiece production, according to details from Universal’s 1999 DVD supplemental documentary featurette on “Frankenstein” (1931) and the studio’s classic mammoth “Frankenstein” monster masterpiece series, titled “The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster,”  The  wanted his “Frankenstein” production proposal to be inspired by the earlier silent German expressionist horror feature films, primarily Robert Wiene’s production of “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920).  Florey also wanted Bela Lugosi to play the role of Frankenstein’s monster, which was originally conceived in the style of a “Golem”-style creature.

“No man has ever seen his Like!” Rare Universal Studios concept poster artwork for “Frankenstein,” with a mention of Bela Lugosi.

Veteran Universal Studios make-up designer Jack Pierce did a couple of make-up tests with Lugosi in the “Golem”-style Frankenstein creature.  It was also reported that Lugosi was not interested in the Universal “Frankenstein” feature film adaptation from the beginning of the concept phase.  Lugosi originally wanted to play the role of Dr. Frankenstein   Florey was dropped from the production and James Whale was chosen instead.  Whale personally chose Boris Karloff for the role of Frankenstein’s monster in the classic mammoth 1931 Universal horror-thriller masterpiece after seeing Karloff in the Universal Studios commissary. Florey would later apply his expressionist inspirations to his latter classic mammoth Universal thriller-horror masterpiece of Edgar Allan Poe’s “Murders in the Rue Morgue” (1932) with Bela Lugosi.  For the original 1930 pre-production concept promotional art for the Universal production of “Frankenstein” with a mention of Lugosi, the “concept” version of the “Frankenstein” monster had more of a giant “larger-than-life sci-fi creature” look instead of the traditional Jack Pierce/Universal “monster” characterization.

This will mark Sven’s eighth big broadcast of Whale’s 1931 classic mammoth Universal landmark monster masterpiece on the airlanes of Me-TV.  Sven previously showcased ‘Frankenstein” (1931) back in Nov. 2013 as a big coast-to-coast broadcast premiere and as regular Me-TV big broadcasts back in Nov. 2014, Oct. 2015 , Sept. 2017, May 2019,  May 2020 and as part of Sven’s “Franken-fest” series of classic mammoth Universal “Frankenstein” monster feature film masterpieces back in Oct. 2021.

In Sven’s “Son of Svengoolie” days on WFLD/Chicago, he previously showcased Whale’s classic mammoth 1931 Universal monster masterpiece adaptation back in Nov. 1980 and as part of Sven/Son of Sven’s classic mammoth Son of Sven/WFLD special masterpiece presentation, “Sven’s Summer Special” back in June 1982.  A recording of “Sven’s Summer Special” with classic WFLD/Chicago advertisements was unearthed by Chicago television archivist Rick Klein’s “FuzzyMemoriesTV: The Museum of Classic Chicago Television” back in July 2019.

Fellow Super Svengoolie/Sventoonie SvenPal/Super “Toon In With Me” Tooner Sarah Rhodes/Sarahgoolie has utilized the classic mammoth 1982 WFLD Sven/Son of Sven/”Sven’s Summer Special”/”Frankenstein” (1931) big broadcast masterpiece for her wonderul classic Sven/Sven’s Summer Special” virtual Live-Tweeting anniversary festivals/parties for all fellow Super SvenPals/Super Tooners since 2021! -C.H.

Who was in Whale’s classic mammoth Universal monster masterpiece adaptation production of “Frankenstein” (1931)?

The players who appeared in James Whale’s classic Universal landmark monster masterpiece production of “Frankenstein”  (1931) were Boris Karloff (as Frankenstein’s monster), Mae Clarke (as Elizabeth), Colin Clive (as Dr. Henry Frankenstein), Dwight Frye (as Fritz), Edward Van Sloan (who played the dual roles of Dr. Waldman and the introductory “Frankenstein” feature prologue narrator), Francis Ford (in an uncredited screen role as Hans), Marilyn Harris (as Maria), Frederick Kerr (as Baron Frankenstein), John Boles (as Victor Moritz) and Lionel Belmore (as the Burgomaster).