Carl "Junior" Laemmle is known as the man who brought the Universal monsters to life. As producer of Universal Pictures he had actively pursued the filming of both Dracula and Frankenstein. The fruitful results of his quest made motion picture history and, at least for a time, bailed his movie studio out financially from impeding bankruptcy.
It was Junior's father, however, Carl Laemmle who was the mastermind behind the creation of the film studio and its subsequent metamorphosis into a Hollywood "city" of its own.
Here is "Uncle" Carl's story, told in the May 1931 issue of THE NEW MOVIE magazine. Laemmle, a Jewish immigrant from Germany, came to the US with little money in his pocket to build one of the most famous movie studios on the planet.
The giallo film has left its indelible mark on the history of mystery/horror cinema. "Giallo" means yellow in Italian, and refers to the paperback thrillers with yellow covers that proliferated in Italy after WWII.
Presented here is the US lobby card set for the Italy/France/Germany co-production of Dario Argento's CAT 'O NINE TAILS. Depicting mostly murder scenes from the film, the cards have an appropriate yellow border. Included is the US one-sheet poster.
John Barrymore played the sinister Svengali in Warner Bros. 1931 film of the same name. This photograph is from the May 1931 issue of THE NEW MOVIE magazine and it appeared the same month the film was released.
There is no photo credit given, but it was most probably shot by either Irving Lippman or Buddy Longworth, both listed as still photographers for the film. Barrymore's makeup is by Johnny Wallis.
Also with a part in this story of hypnotism and mind control is Bramwell Fletcher, who, just a year later, would go into fatal hysterics after seeing THE MUMMY come to life.
Actor David Manners is shown here in from a film he had acted in just a month away from appearing as John Harker in Universal's DRACULA. The atmospheric photograph is from THE RIGHT TO LOVE and appeared in THE NEW MOVIE magazine (January 1931).
The photographer was Earl Crowley (1902-1983). Crowley was a Hollywood glamour and stills photographer of the 1930's (Note: His work for THE RIGHT TO LOVE is missing from the list of his films on IMDB).
Included here are several shots of the first Chinese-American actress, Anna May Wong (sometimes identified as Anna Mae Wong) by Crowley. Also included is a shot of Miss Wong with a pre-FRANKENSTEIN Colin Clive on the deck of the Aquitania en route to London. Wong created a stir in one of the plays she appeared in when she kissed a white actor.
With Yuletide coming, I have started my wish list for DVD's I'd like to have. Lots of good viewing is being made available these days, including Giallo, Sci-fi and obscure horror titles.
The story shown here, "Monster's Maze" is from issue #23 of the first run of Harvey Comics' CHAMBER OF CHILLS in 1951. The art is by Vic Donahue (1918-2008). Donahue, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (one other source lists his birthplace as Croyden, PA) was a combat artist in WWII for the USMC. After the war, he freelanced in New York and illustrated newspaper features on scientific subjects. In the 1950's, he drew comics for the Simon and Kirby shop, then for Harvey, Feature and Treasure Chest. He drew for various romance, horror, western, and war titles. After his career in comics, he moved to working in watercolor. One of his portraits, that of Pope John XXIII, was seen the world over on Catholic prayer cards and calendars.
This beautifully preserved original pre-code horror comic artwork is done in ink over graphite on Bristol board and measures 14.50" x 20" with an image area of 12" x 18". The complete issue of CHAMBER OF CHILLS #23 where the story appeared follows.
CHAMBER OF CHILLS
Vol. 1 No. 23 (No. 3 of first series)
October 1951
Harvey Comics
Cover: Al Avison
Contents:
"Walking Dead" - Script: Bob Powell? | Pencils: Bob Powell | Inks: Bob Powell; Howard Nostrand (assist); Marvil Epp (assist).
Hall of Horror! 1-page text story.
"Trip to Terror" - Pencils: Lee Elias | Inks: Leonard Starr?
"Brain Operation!" 1-page text story.
"Strange Customs" - 1-page illustrated story, Pencils and inks: Rudy Palais
"Death in the Desert!" 1-page text story.
"Dimensions Danger" 1-page illustrated story, Pencils and ink: Rudy Palais
"Monster's Maze" - Script: ? | Pencils and inks: Vic Donahue
"Scientific Oddities" - 1-page illustrated story, Script: ? | Pencils: ? | Inks: ?
"The Doom of Living Ice" - Script: ? | Pencils: Pierce Rice | Inks: ?
