Woody Allen on Woody Allen

Over the course of his long directing career, Woody Allen has portrayed contemporary American life with an unmistakable mixture of irony, neurotic obsession, and humor. Woody Allen on Woody Allen is a unique self-portrait of this uncompromising filmmaker that offers a revealing account of his life and work. In a series of rare, in-depth interviews, Allen brings us onto the sets and behind the scenes of all his films. Since its original publication, Woody Allen on Woody Allen has been the primary source of Allen's own thoughts on his work, childhood, favorite films, and inspirations. Now updated with one hundred pages of new material that brings us up to his Hollywood Ending, Woody Allen on Woody Allen is a required addition to any cinephile's library.

Each chapter is a conversation between Allen and filmmaker Stig Bjorkman about a particular film. Much like what Trufault did with Hitchcock. This is the kind of book you consult before and/or after watching a Woody Allen film, so you can get an understanding about the decisions behind casting, cinematography, producing, directing a particular scene, etc. from Annie Hall, Take the Money and Run, Manhattan, Manhattan Murder Mystery, they are all here. Published by Grove Press Books and with a price tag of $12, you cannot go wrong with this one.

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Doc Savage and The Monsters

Doc Savage battles genetically-engineered giants in "The Monsters," the classic pulp thriller that inspired the Hugo Strange story in Batman #1. Why did I point this out? Because this pulp reprint contains two original essays written by historian Will Murray, about the four color comics and the connection between those and the novels in this reprint. A nice way of pairing the stories together. 

Then, the Man of Bronze and his Iron Crew discover that a metabolism-accelerating elixir is creating an army of superpowered criminals in "The Whisker of Hercules." 

This classic pulp reprint also features the original color pulp covers by Walter Baumhofer and Modest Stein, and interior illustrations by Paul Orban.

I would like to point out that these reprints from Nostalgia Ventures are a welcome addition to my bookshelf, are graphically pleasing to the eye and the reprinting of the original illustrations are a nice touch. Most pulp reprints don't include the illustrations from the pulps. As a result, they read like today's novels and stories were are printed on the cheap because the publishers don't want to spend money on an illustrator. I believe Girosol was the first publishing company to do this with pulp reprints and Nostalgia Ventures followed their lead.

The essays by Will Murray are also welcome, but can be too in-depth at times for the casual reader. But since those are extras on top of the two novels you are buying, it's not a bad thing. My only gripe is that many of these Doc Savage novels were reprinted in the 1970s in trade paperbacks and you can buy them for as low as $5 a piece. So the $12.95 cover price isn't too bad for the product but shop around and buy them for $8 or $9 bucks a piece and you'll do fine.

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Doc Savage and the Brand of the Werewolf

Review of Nostalgia Ventures pulp reprint #13. Doc Savage teams up with his beautiful cousin in the Lester Dent novels that introduced the character of Patricia Savage. First, the Man of Bronze and his Iron Crew investigate the murder of Doc's uncle. The only clues, a strange ivory cube and the mysterious "Brand of the Werewolf," set them on the trail of an ancient mystery. This pulp reprint includes a fascinating essay by historian Will Murray about the origins of Patricia Savage, but I really wish Murray would stop offering theories in between facts and giving readers the false impressions that such theories are facts. He's a gifted writer but the way he words his sentences you have to seek the underlying meanings. I suspect this is not as much the fault of Murray as it is with editor Anthony Tollin, who has repeatedly done this in other pulp reprints and magazine articles.

The second story gives you the impression that George Lucas wanted to reprise the hoard of man-eating ants sequence in "Fear Cay" for his recent movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls. After a failed kidnapping attempt, Doc and Pat Savage travel to the West Indies and encounter flesh-eating ants and a 130-year-old man on the strange island called "Fear Cay."

This collector's item pulp reprint features the classic color pulp covers by Walter Baumhofer, interior illustrations by Paul Orban, and historical articles by Will Murray. A biography in the back about Lester Dent looks familiar and I keep thinking it was reprinted from another pulp reprint in the series.

By the way, these early volume numbers are available for low prices. Don't spend the full $12.95 cover price or subscribe to the series like a magazine, which the publishing company offers. Seriously, if you shop around you can get them for about $8 or $9. If there was only one pulp reprint, I would say buy it at any price. But when there are more than fifty Doc Savage reprints available, every little bit helps.

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The Shadow: Judge Lawless and The Living Joss

Sanctum Books, formerly Nostalgia Ventures, continues to reprint old Shadow pulp novels from the 1930s and 1940s, especially the ones that have not been reprinted in paperback during the 1970s. The quality of the pulp reprints is on cheap, thin paper which allows the text on the back side of the paper to bleed through. Most pulp reprints from other companies (such as Girasol Collectables) have thicker paper to prevent this issue.

The reprinting of the original interior pulp illustrations by Tom Lovell and Paul Orban is a nice touch, also being done by Girasol Collectables. I wish more people inserted the art among the text like Girasol and Sanctum.

In the first novel, The Shadow goes undercover in Chinatown to battle a legendary oriental demi-god in "The Living Joss." It's not one of the better Shadow novels, but the editor, Anthony Tollin, romantically talks it up as if it was one of the better novels. But then again, he's read all 200 plus issues so he can compare this novel to all the others and be a better judge. In the second novel, the more action-packed story, we discover what can prevent "Judge Lawless" from making a mockery of the law. The Shadow investigates and smashes this crooked operation. In the back of the book there is a reprint of an old-time radio script for a "lost" Orson Welles thriller that does not exist in recorded form, "Djaruti, Goddess of Death." For old-time radio fans this script is a must-read.

The historical commentary by Anthony Tollin leaves me with secondary thoughts. Much of the information in his essay about the early Shadow radio program appears to be a reprint of material from a book I recently read, The Shadow: The History and Mystery of the Radio Program by Martin Grams. When Grams branched into obscure trivia such as Frank Readick being the star of two radio programs, Tollin's essay does the same. Coincidence? Might be when you're talking about history but I could cite half a dozen other coincidences which makes me wonder if Anthony Tollin wrote The Shadow book under the pen name of Martin Grams, or if he's lifting material from the Grams book. I don't want to open a can of worms so I'll leave it as "shades of suspicion." I never would have caught this had I not recently read Grams' book, but this isn't the first time I've seen repetition from one book to another on other subjects.

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The Films of Audie Murphy

Boyd Magers has done it again! Another winner, especially if you love Audie Murphy.

This work traces Audie Murphy's life as a film actor, including reviews of each of his films from Beyond Glory (1948) to A Time for Dying (1971). Did I say review? It's actually a reference guide. 

A biography of the actor runs from his birthdate (listed as 1924 so he could get into the army a year early, but really 1925) to his three years in the army winning every possible combat medal, including the Congressional Medal of Honor, and from his entry into Hollywood at James Cagney's invitation to his final dramatic decline, gambling his fortunes away, becoming involved in violent episodes, and dying in a plane crash in 1971. Sadly, the biography is limited to an extensive "Introduction," and not a chapter of its own.

Then, each of the 49 film reviews include credits, including casts, characters, crew, date of release, location, and cost, backgrounds for directors and main players, dates of production and comments and anecdotes from interviews with Murphy's colleagues. Each section also describes what was happening in the actor's life at the time of the filming and gives interesting comments about the production. The sections on films also include reviews and critics' notices from tradepapers and newspapers of the time, and the work is richly illustrated with film stills and private photographs.

I couldn't speak better and describe the book any more than I just did. For a company like McFarland that has been printing more and more slackers, it is nice to see a winner from time to time originating from the book factory.

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Dwight Frye's Last Laugh

Gregory William Mank is one of the best authors in the field of movie research. There can be no doubt about it when you read this book about the dramatic rise and fall of the actor who won screen immortality as the giggling Renfield in Dracula (1931), and the sadistic hunchback of Frankenstein (1931).

Mank went to the right source to do this book, the family of Dwight Frye, and everything from his stage and Broadway career to a photo of his wooden Christmas card can be found within the front and back cover. Midnight Marquee deserves praise for publishing a book about an actor who didn't accomplish a lot in Hollywood, and the general public would ask "Dwight who?"

Frye's theater work is even divided up in the bibliography as Early Theater Work 1918-1922, Broadway plays, and Regional Theatre. Frye Junior admits that his father was most proud of his role on Dracula, and how that role led to his casting as the murderous butler in a Charlie Chan movie.

Frye is also known for his roles in The Vampire Bat and the pre-code version of The Maltese Falcon and By Whose Hand? A photo of Frye's Hollywood home is even included.

I could go on and on with tidbits that intrigue the casual Dwight Frye fan, but I'd like to say you'll do better buying your copy of the book today.

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The Gripes of Rapp

Philip Rapp, creator of The Bickersons, was radio's greatest comedy writer. Until I read this book, I was not aware that Larry King once hailed The Bickersons as "the best radio comedy ever." Rapp did not just write for radio. He also wrote for Hollywood. he was one of Hollywood's highest paid script writers, using his gift of the gag to write films for Danny Kaye, best-selling albums for Don Ameche and Frances Langford, and classic television series like Topper and I Married Joan. He wrote the final Tv series for Joan Davis, and for the Marx Brothers, and influenced everything from The Honeymooners, The Flintstones and Married With Children.

Culled directly from the Philip Rapp files, this biography showcases the best of Philip Rapp, including a large chunk of Rapp's scripts, jokes and writings. Teaming with rare photos and interviews with family and friends, author Ben Ohmart has written a detailed book that is a must for any comedian.

If you ever wanted to know what Philip Rapp thought about The Honeymooners being a direct rip-off of The Bickersons, chapter eight offers a lot of material for thought, including direct comments from Rapp himself.

Roger Corman, the famed director, once remarked that this book offers "anything you want to know about comedy writing and much more." Talk about praise! This book is available in hardcover and paperback. I bought the paperback and wish I bought the hardcover instead. I wore the cover out a bit and now it looks dog-eared.

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Life and Career of Paul Reed

This thoroughly engaging and often hilarious story of the son of Russian immigrants and his journey from an austere childhood of truancy and survival on the streets of Manhattan's lower east side to ubiquitous recognition as a regular fixture in the world of Broadway musicals and TV sitcoms imparts an intimate look at the man behind the characters he portrayed. Written by his son, Paul Jr., this loving tribute brings the author's father back to life with all his talent, idiosyncrasies and humanity.

Paul Reed was familiar to baby boomers for his role as Captain Block of the fictional 53rd Precinct in the Bronx, on the television series, Car 54, Where Are You? This book proves there is more to the actor beyond the situation comedy that he is best known for. Written by his son, Paul Reed Jr., we get a glimpse of his personal life as a family man, star of Broadway stage plays, and tons of great never-before-published photos. And boy, what photos!

Martin Grams wrote a book about Car 54, Where Are You? and his brief biography of Paul Reed is not extensive. Reed's involvement with the television program, is extensive. This book, however, doesn't cover Car 54 much at all, so both books compliment each other. The chapter about Reed's television career working with Sid Caesar is hilarious and worth the cost of the book. And the price is not expensive, either.

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The Outer Limits Companion

David J. Schow wrote The Outer Limits: The Official Companion in 1986, an offspring to a series of articles and broadcast log that appeared in The Twilight Zone Magazine during the 1980s. In 1998, Schow expanded his initial publication and re-titled it, The Outer Limits Companion. It is the 1998 edition that I am doing my book review, and the revised version is the one I recommend. It is out of print and goes for as much as $180 a pop, but shop around and you can get it for $40 like I did. And when spending that kind of money, make sure it is the 1998 version pictured here, to get your money's worth.

I won't make any comparison with the two versions, and base my review only on the 1998 edition.

"There is nothing wrong with your television set..."

With these words, each week, the mysterious Control Voice would usher us to the furthest reaches of the human imagination -- The Outer Limits. Some people don't like the series, but I suspect they saw a few of the stinkers from the second season and thus never saw the series at its prime. The producer, Joseph Stefano, fought the networks during the first season and the best human morality plays using space aliens left an impression on the viewers, including Rod Serling. According to author Martin Grams, had The Twilight Zone been renewed for a sixth season, Serling had intentions of doing more outer space stuff and the kind of stories seen on The Outer Limits. The first season has the majority of the best episodes and deserves multiple viewings.

This book takes apart the series in every aspect from viewers' faulty memories and fan letters reprinted in magazines of the mid-sixties, a history of Daystar Productions, how Project Unlimited created the creatures (known as the Monster of the Week), and everyone who was ever on the series was obviously interviewed as there are tons of quotes from actors, writers, directors, producers and even the folks who voiced the creatures. There are tons of trivia. The episode "ZZZZZ," for example, contains five letters but it was pointed out that the commercial VHS release had it listed on the package with six letters, and cast members, not wanting to go insane, referred to the episode as "The Bees." The actress who played the lead in that episode recalled padding her bra because the director wanted her larger than life.

Robert Culp recalled how Harlan Ellison wrote "Demon With a Glass Hand" with Culp in mind for the lead role. Inside jokes such as "The Chamelion" has a character named Colonel Stevens, named after producer Leslie Stevens. The stunt men were interviewed. Behind-the-scenes photos reveal how some of the camera tricks were accomplished. 

This is a very thick 400 page coffee table book with glossy pages. The only way it could have been more expensive to produce was if the publishers wanted to have the entire inside in color. But since the series was shot in black and white, it seems logical to retain the interior in black and white. It's also 9 by 12 and that's larger than most books.

My review can be summed up in one sentence and I'll put it in quotes. "This is the kind of book I wish all television series received the same treatment." There isn't anything in here that isn't covered (except maybe dates of production and music cues but that was done for The Twilight Zone book Martin Grams wrote and proves that sometimes we don't need everything about a series, but it sure is nice to have).

"We now return control of your television set to you until next time..."

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The Shadow Radio Program

As a fan of The Shadow character, Martin Grams wrote what has been the most anticipated book of the year. After consulting authorities on the subject, I have heard nothing but high praise. Could The Shadow: The History and Mystery of the Radio Program be worth the hype?

Early this morning I received a package from the post office. A complete surprise! The book arrived! Having paid for a copy back in October at the Friends of Old Time Radio Convention, I was eager to tear into it. And today was my day off work. Lucky me! Well.... here's my review.

After spending two hours reading various passages and chapters, it has occurred to me that it's going to take at least a week to digest everything in this book. There's a chapter about the Blue Coal Mystery Revue (1932 to 1933, NBC) and an episode guide documenting every episode from that season including The Shadow's narration and plot summaries. A chapter documenting the Australian series (both of them) from the forties with complete cast credits. Charles Michelson and his syndication business is explained in detail, a void now filled for the old time radio fans who have been crying for someone to document how Michelson syndicated the radio programs. Juvenile impact and World War II is the focus of chapter four. My favorite is chapter seven which describes all of the observations and details about Lamont Cranston and Margot Lane, from the extant scripts and recordings. They both smoked cigarettes on the program! (Can you say "role models" boys and girls?)

The history of the radio program is slickly divided into various subjects. A chapter about the Orson Welles broadcasts, a chapter about Bret Morrison's triumphant return and stay, and a chapter about Bill Johnstone.

I honestly don't know who on God's Green Earth will want to know all the radio stations in Los Angeles that chose to broadcast The Shadow radio program from the 1930s to the 1950s, but whatever you are looking for, you can find it in this 830 page book with a comprehensive index.

My gripes? (Always gripes no matter what the book.) The graphic designer or the printers goofed and all of the pages and text are centered. That is, the very few pages at the end of each chapter doesn't start at the top of the page and scroll down. They are perfectly centered. But this is no fault to the author or the publisher. It's obviously a printing error and perhaps my copy is the only one that fell through the cracks. And it is a minor gripe.

One observation I would like to make. The author has class. As pointed out in the introduction of the book, his research was extensive and exclusive. He did not consult previously published reference guides to avoid reprinting the same errors that continue to appear in other books. Good for him. As I flipped through the pages, I discovered numerous footnotes clarifying his information and why it conflicts with that found in other books. He clarifies and cites all of his sources, and the sources for the mistakes that have been printed in the past. Rather than call out the books by name, he merely refers to them as "prior published reference guides." This saves face for the so-called "authorities" who were responsible for generating the errors in the first place. Kudos to Mr. Grams for doing this. (Course, everyone in the hobby probably knows who the screwball is that made the errors and would not take the time to make the corrections.)

At first I thought the $29.95 price was a bit steep for a book about a radio program but when it arrived and I saw it was 800 pages, it only took 60 seconds of flipping through the pages to discover it was worth every penny. (Especially since I just bought a 202 page book for $95 from McFarland.)

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Lee Van Cleef: Best of the Bad

He had the face of a true villain, chiseled to perfection. Director Sergio Leone, best-known for "The Man With No Name" spaghetti western trilogy, once described Van Cleef as having the face of a hawk; actor Eli Wallach called it "wonderfully alive" and full of wickedness. As an actor, Van Cleef portrayed some of the best movie villains of all time-Angel Eyes in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, and Frank Talby in Day of Anger. Although more than twenty years have passed since his premature death in 1989, Lee Van Cleef remains a cinematic icon for millions of film fans worldwide, and his legacy as the "Best of the Bad" is set in granite. Lee Van Cleef: Best of the Bad explores the life and career of this great actor, a man with unbounded talent and a heart of finely-polished gold. Through interviews and numerous sources, Best of the Bad reveals the real Lee Van Cleef and discusses his roles in For A Few Dollars More, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, and Day of Anger, along with chapters on mythic archetypes and historical gunfighters and bounty hunters. Also included is a foreword by Mike Malloy, author of Lee Van Cleef: A Biographical, Film, and Television Reference.

The book is only 81 pages so thankfully the price was not expensive. Regrettably, it's nothing more than a collection of essays, many of them critical. The only saving piece about this book is the fact that is explores the actor's personal life, which few people have done. Most of the time people write about his movies, not about his career as a father, an interview with Luciano Vencenzon, and a section about the guns Cleef wore in the movies (with little illustrations). Critical essays about Westerns is welcome but only when books are thick and ripe. This one gives you the impression it's a collection of magazine articles and essays slapped together into a book.

Lon Chaney Talks Dracula

Late 1929. The Stock market crash. At MGM Studios Irving Thalberg was involved in a power struggle. Lon Chaney's contract was coming up for renewal. Tod Browning, MGM's famed director of the macbre genre for the studio, had left and signed a contract back at his home studio, Universal. Carl Laemmle Jr was made production head of Universal for his father and he wanted to do a film version of Dracula. Carl Sr. agreed, as long as they had Lon Chaney as the star.

Early in August of 1930, Carl Junior, still attempting to sign Chaney for the role, ordered a treatment to be authored by Louis Bromfield. By Mid August he was teamed with screenwriter Dudley Murphy and they began work on the script. Then in the middle of the negotiations, Lon Chaney unexpected by everyone in the film industry, died on August 26th.

This volume of the Atlernate History of Classic Monster Films presents the full first Bromfield treatment, the incomplete first draft screenplay by Bromfield and Murphy. What a treat for fans of Universal horror films like me!

In addition, when Dracula was finally produced, more in the fashion of the popular 1927 play than the Bram Stoker novel, as was intended by Laemmle for Chaney - A silent version of the Lugosi Dracula was prepared for theaters who had not yet converted to sound. We have also included a complete Title list from this version.

Also included in this volume is a translated version of F.W. Murnau's shooting script for the first screen version of Dracula - filmed in Germany in 1922 and called NOSFERATU, a symphony of horror. Murnau's hand annotations are included in bold print throughout the script. 

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Karloff: The Invisible Man

This volume is more of a portfolio in the development of Universal’s The Invisible Man. It is different from the other volumes in the script reprint series from Bear Manor Media in that, after attempts by many writers, Carl Laemmle Jr. was not satisfied with any of the treatments until James Whale got R.C. Sheriff to write the final shooting script. As you will see even Whale himself wrote a treatment.

Many projects were announced for Boris Karloff, now Universal’s top monster film star; they ranged from the supernatural Cagliostro, the classic monster film The Wolf Man to the science fiction projects A Trip to Mars and The Invisible Man.

The Wolf Man was put on the shelf for 9 years because director James Whale was stalling because Universal wanted him to make a sequel to Frankenstein - but after countless rewrites by Preston Sturges, Gouveneur Morris, John Huston and a dosen other wirters, R.C. Sherriff managed to capture H.G. Wells' original concept and The Invisible Man was put into production, however without Karloff who turned down the part in a salary dispute with Carl Laemmle Junior. With Claude Rains in the starring role (even though he does not appear on screen except for a few minutes at the end of the film, The Invisible Man became a huge success and one that most historians and fans think is Whale's best picture, after The Bride of Frankenstein, made two years later.

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Frankenstein Unproduced Film Script

With the success of Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi, Universal Pictures was quick to capitalize on creating a new Lon Chaney in Bela Lugosi. Chaney had been the original choice to portray a duel role as both Dracula and Professor van Helsing, Dracula's adversary. Before production could begin Chaney died suddenly leaving Carl Laemmle Jr. without a star.

Laemmle Jr. had seen Dracula on the stage in New York City, although he could not recall if he had seen Lugosi or Raymond Huntley in the role of Count Dracula. However Lugosi was performing in the touring company which happened to be in Los Angeles at that time. Was he the new Lon Chaney?

Lugosi was not Carl Jr's first choice for the role. However he eventually won the part and now they needed more ideas for him. "Murders in the Rue Morgue", "Cagliostro", "The Invisible Man" and "Frankenstein" were top on the list. 

One day in March 1931 Robert Florey, recently returned to Hollywood from Europe, was having lunch at the Musso and Frank Restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard. He was approached by an old acquaintance, Richard Schayer, head of Universal's story department. Schayer told him that his studio was looking for ideas for a new horror film to star Bela Lugosi and he knew Florey was involved with The Théâtre du Grand-Guignol de Paris, (a small theater, in an obscure alley in Paris which specialized in sadistic, shocking, explicit, violent melodramas and became known as the "Theater of Horrors". It opened in 1897 and closed in 1962.)

They both agreed on "Frankenstein" being the best choice. Schayer suggested that Florey would stand a better chance at being asigned writer and director if he were to present the idea to Carl Laemmle Jr.

This book offers a reprint of the script for "Frankenstein" as it would have been had Bela Lugosi starred; and Robert Florey directed. Historical background is just as fascinating. If you love Universal Studios horror films, this is a must read.

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London After Midnight: Lon Chaney

LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT (MGM,1927) starring Lon Chaney, is considered a Lost Film. It is still on the top of the AFI and other world wide film organizations "Most Wanted" lists as it was when the first edition of this book was published in 1985. This edition is 254 pages and the original printing was 178 pages.

      Chaney added 3 new faces to his "Thousand Faces" - Inspector Burke of Scotland Yard, Professor Burke of India, and America's first film vampire, The Man in the Beaver Hat. In fact it was directed by Tod Browning, who directed "Dracula" 4 years later, which was also to star Chaney as the Count, but his premature death in 1930 prevented it.

      This new edition also contains a foreword by Forrest J Ackerman and an introduction by the film's Art Director A.Arnold (Buddy) Gillespie; short interviews with David S. Horsley, ASC and by Carroll Borland, who played Luna, the vampire girl in the 1935 remake entitled. "Mark of the Vampire. Also the script is presented in it's original form. Many new photographs of vintage posters from around the world and a reformatted reconstruction of the film by the use of photographs, art work and Silent Film Titles.

Included is the complete 1928 Photoplay novel by Marie Coolidge-Rask, long out of print and usually around $500 when you can find a copy. Reproduced on the back cover is the fantastic portrait of Chaney as the vampire by Special Effects and Academy Award winning makeup artist - Rick Baker, Monster Maker.

regardless of what people are saying, this was never published prior as part of the Magic Image series and God bless Bear Manor Media for taking time to release these script series and keep them coming!

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The Wolf Man vs. Dracula

Following Phantom of the Opera (1943), in the middle of the Silver age of Universal Studio's monster movies, a new sequel to Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman was considered for a Technicolor production: Wolfman vs Dracula! Lon Chaney Jr., who was the only actor to portray Universal's four  classic monster roles; Dracula, frankenstein's monster, the mummy and the wolfman. At first Chaney was to play both roles, as his father Lon Chaney Sr. had done in several of his famous silent films. But Larry Talbot in his human phase would look exactly like Count Dracula so the role of Dracula was given to it's originator Bela Lugosi.

 

A script was prepared by Bernard Shubert, who had written the screenplay for Tod Browning's London After Midnight (MGM 1927) remake Mark of the Vampire (MGM 1935). Shubert kept the settings very tight in its scenes, to keep the cost down to balance out for the extra expense of technicolor. But by 1944 Bela Lugosi was in his 60s and would have had to play part of his role as a giant bat much like in the Copolla Bram Stoker's Dracula in the 90s - and that would have been too much for him. And they couldn't have the Wolfman fighting an animated bat much like John Carradine's depiction of the Count or even Lugosi's portrayal in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. So they decided to make one of their Arabian Nights film on the Technicolor contract and all that remained of Wolfman vs Dracula are some color 8x10s of Chaney in both parts.
 
This volume has a short biography of screenwriter/TV producer Bernard Shubert and comments from Shubert and special effects cinematographer David Stanley Horsley. A reprint of the screenplay is a rare treat, and the only gripe I have is not being able to see Lon Chaney Jr. in the photo of both roles as described in the editor's comment at the end of the history chapter. But if you love Universal horror movies, this is a must have.

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Fess Parker, TV's Davy Crockett

Fess Parker grew up in Texas, served in World War II, and later became TV's incredibly  popular "Davy Crockett" and "Daniel Boone." After his film and TV career, Parker became a successful businessman, hotel builder, and vintner.

The first chapter is Fess Parker's biography before the acting bug bit him, then the second chapter focuses on a bigger bug, THEM! Each chapter that follows is dedicated to each of the DAVY CROCKET episodes (which means you get a lot of information about DAVY CROCKETT in this book), and then focuses on DANIEL BOONE. Books like this are only as good as they get when the family cooperates, and thanks to Fess Parker Enterprises and Parker's family, this book is wonderful.

The author also had conducted a lengthy interview with the actor and used most of that interview for this book.

I was impressed to see that Ron Ely wrote the Foreword, and Phil Collins wrote the introduction. Parker truly was an inspiration. I was among the large handful who rushed to Best Buy the day DAVY CROCKETT came out on DVD, and was pleased to discover this book is a loving tribute and superb biography about the man we saw weekly on TV for many years.

William R. Chemerka's authorized biography is a respectful tribute to an amazing man that features thoughtful recollections from Parker's family, friends, co-stars, and fans, and includes a number of never-before-published photographs.

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Raymond Burr: A Film, Radio and Television Biography

Best known for his television Perry Mason and Ironside, Raymond Burr had a career spanning over fifty years. His life is meticulously documented her, including movie roles in such Hollywood productions as Rear Window and Key to the City, and other work in television. Also discussed are his family, Fiji Island home, work in Canadian films, and trips to Korea and Vietnam to entertain American troops.

This book starts with Burr's childhood in California, his Broadway debut with Crazy With the Heat, his work at the Pasadena Playhouse, his trip to England, and all this before he began his film career! Chapter six was my favorite because it dealt with his work on Pat Novak for Hire and Dragnet, two radio programs I commonly hear his voice playing a supporting role. Hitchcock's Rear Window is discussed in detail. His radio career and his quest for Perry Mason is not too extensive (I've read much more in-depth info in a magazine article) but the chapter about the Perry Mason television series was a good read. Naturally, the book covers his later work, including Ironside. I forgot about those made-for-TV movies until I read the chapter about "The Return of Perry Mason."

My critical complaint is the appendixes. The first documents Raymond Burr's radio credits. Boy is that awful. Missing dates, inaccurate information and very skim on Burr's audio work. Heck, I consulted Goldin's and discovered 185 radio appearances within seconds. Yet the listing in this book doesn't come close. Only saving grace was Ken Greenwald's contribution for Fort Laramie. IMDB provides more info (though that site is not known for being accurate) for Burr's movies than the appendix offers. As for the appendix listing all of the Perry Mason television episodes, if I really wanted to be a nit-picker, all of the titles listed in the appendix (except for the premiere broadcast) is wrong. The author could not list the complete title for each and every episode? No, he decided to list partial titles. 

If you can buy this book for $10 or less, it's worth owning for the history/biography. But I certainly expected more for the $35 I paid.There's another biography about Raymond Burr that I just ordered from Cover Out and I expect to learn a lot more about the man who was the definitive Perry Mason.

The History of Independent Cinema

From the flickering silent images of the nickelodeon to the roaring vibrancy of today's digital video productions, independent cinema has always challenged the way films are created, released and viewed. The History of Independent Cinema presents an extraordinary journey that revisits the innovative men and women who stood up to the status quo and brought revolutionary new ideas and technologies to the motion picture world. 

The History of Independent Cinema celebrates the pioneers who introduced color, sound, widescreen projection and videography to the filmmaking process. You will meet the brave individuals who tore down racial and gender barriers behind the camera, challenged censorship taboos imposed on film production, formulated new strategies for film distribution, and created many of the greatest movies ever made. 

Spanning the full spectrum of the U.S. film experience, The History of Independent Cinema is a tribute to the legendary filmmakers and landmark films that reshaped - and continue to reshape - American popular culture. 

My first impression was that this book was going to become another one of those traveling into familiar territory. When someone tells me it's an independent movie, I think low-budget and direct-to-DVD. Those kind of films I don't like. But this book was different. It was unique and covered (for the most part) films shot on location, small movie studios and the producers like Hal Roach and Sam Goldwyn. If you are a movie buff, this is a book worth reading.

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The Girls of Murder City

The story of the women who splashed front page headlines in Chicago during Prohibition is told in with prose. They were obviously the inspiration for the jailed women in the musical, Chicago. More than a dozen murderesses preened and strutted in Cook County Jail as they awaited trial, but two stood above all the rest. This book covers extensively the biographical lives of "Stylish Belva" Gaertner and fellow inmate "Beulah" Annan, and the effforts of an intrepid "girl reporter" named Maurine Watkins. 

Based on true facts, the author purposely cited every primary and secondary source for every factoid in the book. It reads like a novel, but it is clearly a documentary. And for that reason you don't have to digest every it piece by piece. Told through 20 chapters, I would be shocked if you put this down after reading the first three. 

Oddly, the part that fascinated me the most was the author's attempt to capture the time period. A detailed description of the muscle behind William Randolph Hearst and the rival Chicago Tribune newspaper explains the how and why the newspapers operated. You not only get a first-hand account of how people lived during Prohibition, how the police were bribed, how they operated, how newspaper reporters got the information they did and so on was equally fascinating.

The author also points out that reporters and rewrite men of the era did tend to over-dramatize events compared to today's journalistic standards, and in some ways crime reporting was more accurate in the 1920s. Police reporters were given extraordinary access that is unheard of today. But the author admitted that at times he had to double-check the facts to make sure the newspapers were not trying to sensationalize a mole hill.

An entertaining read worthy of a few hours at the beach.

The Avenger: Pulp Reprints from Sanctum Books

The raging flames of personal tragedy forged Dick Benson into something more than human -- the scourge of the underworld known as The Avenger! With his Justice, Inc. team, the man of steel wages war against super crime.

A clever premise and fantastic adventures. Definitely classic pulp stories. Sanctum Books has been reprinting these delightful stories, two novels per volume. Since there were 24 novels, I assume only 12 volumes are going to be printed. A complete list is provided below.

Justice, Inc. (published September 1, 1939)

The Yellow Hoard (October 1, 1939)

The Sky Walker (November 1, 1939)

The Devil's Horns (December 1, 1939)

The Frosted Death (January 1, 1940)

The Blood Ring (February 1, 1940)

Stockholders in Death (March 1, 1940)

The Glass Mountain (April 1, 1940)

Tuned for Murder (May 1, 1940)

The Smiling Dogs (June 1, 1940)

River of Ice (July 1, 1940)

The Flame Breathers (September 1, 1940)

Murder on Wheels (November 1, 1940)

Three Gold Crowns (January 1, 1941)

House of Death (March 1, 1941)

The Hate Master (May 15, 1941)

Nevlo (July 1, 1941)

Death in Slow Motion (September 1, 1941)

Pictures of Death (November 1, 1941)

The Green Killer (January 1, 1942)

The Happy Killers (March 1, 1942)

The Black Death (May 1, 1942)

The Wilder Curse (July 1, 1942)

Midnight Murder (September 1, 1942)

A museum becomes a killing zone when an ancient Egyptian curse is revived by the deadly rituals of The Blood Ring, an unholy partnership between Big Business and Organized Crime results in a deadly trail of murder in Stockholders in Death. Chicago skyscrapers collapse after The Sky Walker is seen above the city, sparking fears of an alien invasion. All this and much more should demonstrate the variety of fantastic plots. 

The foreword by Ron Goulart in volume four was a great read. Will Murray's informative essays (featured in each of these pulp reprints) are great but I wish he would not include those non-trivial "speculative" facts such as theorizing The Sky Walker "might" have been the inspiration for Luke Skywalker in Star Wars. Instead of speculating, why not write to George Lucas and verify a definite yes or no? Seems more like padding to me.

Volume four included an old radio script from The Avenger radio program. I am aware that the radio producers featured adaptations from the pulp stories so why not include a radio script adapted from one of the two novels included in the same volume? In fact, why not explain why the radio script was included? No history or brief mention of what was significant of the script was included. Sadly, I suspect Sanctum Books is taking on more than they can handle. Typographical errors are becoming more common than they used to. In volume 2, for example, bottom of page 60 reads, "such an airplane was announced a practical." Shouldn't that be "announced as practical"?

In 1972, Warner Paperback Library reprinted most of The Avenger novels in a series of paperback editions, all credited to Kenneth Robeson. After reprinting the 24 original novels (by Paul Ernst), Warner ignored the short stories of Tepperman (which have not yet been reprinted in Sanctum's books and I don't know why as they should be in the reprints), and instead commissioned Ron Goulart  to produce an additional dozen (new) titles. These fit chronologically after the six stories by Tepperman, but are numbered by Warner starting from #25.

The initial price tag of $12.95 was not bad, when you consider the fact that The Avenger novels were reprinted in paperback format and you can get them for $5 or $6 a piece. (I bought four for $10 last week.) But the recent issues are now retailing $14.95 and unless you want the historical write-ups and essays that supplement the pages in each reprint, you might want to shop around. Especially since the final page in volume two, a biography of Paul Ernst, is the final page of volume four. Yes, some of the supplemental features are reprinted from previous reprints. (Sanctum has been doing this a lot in their Shadow reprints and is becoming very annoying.)

The Avenger reprints should be read in chronological order. The formation of Justice, Inc. is made up in the first three issues, so volumes one and two reprint them in the correct order. Beginning with volume three, the pulp novels are reprinted out of sequence but they appear to be making an "attempt" to reprint them in order because the first seven appear in the first four volumes. Why are they slightly out of sequence?

For the enjoyment of great pulp stories, I recommend you start with volume one and read them progressively. But use my list above to know which ones to read in the proper sequence.

Gene Wilder: Funny and Sad

Ever since his big screen breakthrough as phobia ridden accountant Leo Bloom in "The Producers," Gene Wilder has been one of America's most beloved comic actors. For five decades, Wilder has entertained audiences in some of the funniest films ever made, including "Blazing Saddles," "Young Frankenstein," and "Stir Crazy." Brian Scott Mednick's fascinating new biography "Gene Wilder: Funny and Sad" (BearManor Media) reveals a very serious and private side to Wilder that audiences don't get to see. The book traces Wilder's humble beginnings in 1930s Milwaukee as a shy child who learned early on that being funny got him attention. 

The author devoted time to telling the stories with prose, and I found myself chuckling over the humor and saddened by the others. For five decades, Gene Wilder has been making people laugh and appeared in some of the funniest movies ever made. But even comedians have their downtime and this book is a great read. Sadly, when the author sent the manuscript to Gene Wilder's manager, it was rejected. Wilder decided he didn't want to read about himself and the author respected his wishes. The photos are few, an insert in the middle of the book, but his birth certificate was worth a peak (easily available as a matter of public records). However, I would have preferred more photos. If it was me, I would have avoided listing Wilder's movie credits at the end of the book. He's not a silent screen actor who needs to have his life preserved. I can get the same information from imdb. But that's me, and should not be taken into consideration. It's an amusing read and I wish more biographies were written like this. A labor of love, indeed.

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Don Ameche: The Kenosha Comeback Kid

It's about time someone wrote a biography about Don Ameche. He did so much radio, television and movies that I am surprised someone did not do this earlier. Ben Ohmart of Bear Manor Media did a superb job. Ameche was a father, a singer, a sharp comedic wit, and a charming man who only wanted to entertain as long as he could. He did just that and it is the same opinion I acquired after reading this book.

The author went to the family for permission to do the book, as it is apparent with the family photos. And one of radio's versatile voices receives full treatment. There is a reprint of never-before-heard or read radio scripts from The Bickersons. Goldilocks and Silk Stockings are also discussed. Anyone who covers the Broadway career of an actor certainly dug deep into the vaults for information. I could go on for pages and pages about how good this book is but I will not spoil the fun. Buy this book.

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The Fly At Fifty: A Science Fiction Classic

""Help me! Help me!" 

Andre Delambre is a devoted husband, a loving father and a brilliant scientist. When his body is found in his laboratory with his arm and head crushed by a hydraulic press, his wife Helene admits to having killed him. Believing Helene incapable of such a crime, Andre's brother slowly uncovers the truth - that an experiment with Andre's new teleportation device went horribly wrong and Andre persuaded Helene to assist him in suicide. 

When the American Film Institute distributed a ballot with 400 nominated movie quotes to a jury of over 1500 film industry figures, the abovequote came in 123rd. But this film's influence extends far beyond a simple quote. The movie's concept, ending and the quote have permeated pop culture from 1958 to The Simpsons to a 2008 opera based on a 1986 film remake by David Cronenberg. 

The original movie The Fly was the surprise hit on 1958. Shot in 18 days at a cost of $450,00 dollars, it brought in $6 million, which at time when Fox Studios was in desperate need of a hit. It was the biggest box office film of director Kurt Neumann but he would never know - he died one month after the premiere (a week before the movie was released nationally). 

This film made a star of David Hedison and cemented Vincent Price's place among the horror film immortals. It is more than a tale of science gone wrong and hideous mutants. It is a film classic, the rare perfect blending of story, cast and crew, with the fantastic elements in sync with the universality of Andre's struggle with what he had hoped to do with this technology and what actually happened to him. That struggle touches everyone who has ever watched this film and why, after 50 years, it remains a classic. 

Complete with reminiscences from the film's star, David Hedison, this book covers the history and legacy of this seminal science fiction film. The book includes an exclusive interview with David Hedison, a chapter about George Langelaan, a discussion about the sequels and remakes and how The Fly has become everyday pop culture.

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King Baggot: King of the Movies (Silent Era)

King Baggot began making films for Carl Laemmle in 1909 and was a major star from 1910 to 1916. Baggot then gained renown as a director in the 1920s and as a character actor in the 1930s and 1940, but perhaps most notably, he was the first publicized leading man in America. If you are not a silent movie buff, you probably never heard of the man. In his two-reel Shadows he played ten characters and also directed - a first in film history. He founded the Screen Club, the first and most prestigious club strictly for film personnel. He directed The Home Maker, a social drama that explored role reversal between a husband and wife when such an idea was not at all accepted, and Tumbleweeds, now considered a classic among Western films.

This biography, published through McFarland, has a steep price tag but is worth the price. It covers Baggot's early life before he broke into the film industry, traces his career from his beginnings as a stage actor in 1900 to the peak of his career in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, and ends with his death in 1948. The extensive filmography documents every known film in which he took part, providing cast and production credits, release date, length, Library of Congress registration number, places where the film can be found today, and other information proving the author not only knows her subject but did her research as well. Great photos!

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Car 54, Where Are You?

CAR 54, Where Are You? is considered one of the finest television comedies ever produced. Rather than portray the police as bumbling fools, producer/creator Nat Hiken chose to portray the characters as lovable and personable. Some of the episodes (especially the early episodes) are gems. From 1961 to 1963, Officers Toody and Muldoon were among the most unlikely patrol-car partners seen on a police force. Although they were assigned to New York's fictional 53rd precinct, a rundown area of the Bronx not generally considered a hotbed of hilarity, they always seemed to encounter more comedy than crime.

The first episode where Toody and Muldoon attempt to trick Sol into slipping his feet into plaster so they can get him a nice-fitting pair of shoes to help with his aging and sore feet, but keeping it a surprise, is one such example. And who can forget the Christmas episode from the first season with the poignant conclusion?

The comedy was invariably of the broad slapstick variety reminiscent of Mack Sennett. One episode even saluted the Keystone Cops! As usual, Bear Manor Media and author Martin Grams managed to put together a book that exceeds my expectations. Heck, anything from Grams is worth the cover price. What impressed me was the chapter about the patrol cars used on the program. In detail, the author explained that the cars were painted red instead of blue, so no one on the streets would mistake the fake car for a real one. The vehicle registration numbers for the cars are also included, so if you see one on display, you can verify whether it is a legit Car 54 patrol car or a replica. That's detail!

The book also explains why Charlie reprises his drunk skits repeatedly in the second season, the landlord sketch repeated, and why Al Lewis took center stage for many of the episodes (Joe E. Ross was momentarily fired from the series). Exclusive quotes from Fred Gwynne is also a plus. The detailed episode listing, broadcast history, cast list, plot summaries and behind-the-scenes stories make this a winner.

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