FREAKS COMICS ADAPTATION (PART 3)

FREAKS

No. 3

November 1992

Fantagraphics (Monster Comics)

Editor: Ryder Wyndham

Cover: Francisco Solano López

Script: Jim Woodring

Art: Francisco Solano López

Letters: James Greer

Pages: 24

Cover price: $2.25

WEREWOLF OF LONDON AD CAMPAIGN

This year marks the 90th anniversary of Universal's WEREWOLF OF LONDON. Released on May 13, 1935, it is notable as being the first and only werewolf feature film of the 1930's. It starred Henry Hull (as the titular character), Werner Oland (as his nemesis, Dr. Yogami),Valerie Hobson, Lester Matthews, Lawrence Grant and Spring Byington.

Character actor Egon Brecher played an uncredited bit part. Brecher also appeared in the genre films THE BLACK CAT (1934) MARK OF THE VAMPIRE (1935), THE BLACK ROOM (1935) and THE DEVIL DOLL (1936). Reginald Barlow was also cast in a bit part and had small roles in KING KONG (1933), BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935), TOWER OF LONDON (1939) and THE MAD MONSTER (1942).

Despite it's title, WEREWOLF OF LONDON was filmed entirely in California. The interiors were shot on the backlot of Universal Studios and the opening sequence exteriors at Vasquez Rocks less than an hour's drive away (maybe longer these days with traffic!).

Tibet camp exterior shot at Vasquez Rocks.

Largely a result of Henry Hull's cachet, Universal heavily promoted this picture and dedicated nearly a full issue of their in-house publication, UNIVERSAL WEEKLY to it.

SUSAN DENBERG ON A MATCHBOOK COVER?

Her turn-ons were sports cars and "exciting" clothes. She had aspirations to become an actress. She liked to read, dance, sunbathe and swim. Her favorite author was Harold Robbins. She was also Playboy's Playmate of the Month for August 1966.

Born Dietlinde Zechner on August 2, 1944 in in Bad Polzin, Germany and raised in Klagenfurt, Austria, as a young woman she took the stage name Susan Denberg and became a dancer in London and Las Vegas. After her photo shoot in PLAYBOY by renown glamour photographer Peter Gowland, she signed a contract with Hammer Films and starred alongside Peter Cushing in FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN in 1967.

Despite her learning some English, Denberg's accent was so heavy that the studio opted to dub her dialogue using the German voice actress Nikki van der Zyl. Miss van der Zyl also dubbed Honey Rider's voice (played by Swiss actress Ursula Andress) in DR. NO.

Prior to that, she played Magda Kovacs in the Season 1, Episode 6 story, "Mudd's Women", on STAR TREK.

After just a few more film and TV appearances, her life suddenly spiraled out of control and she descended into alcoholism and drug addiction. This, she claimed, happened after her first LSD trip sent her off the rails.  After spending some time in a mental hospital, she was able to turn her life (somewhat) around. By that time, her parents had disowned her.

Text unreadable - For reference only.

She returned to Vienna and worked as a topless waitress in a "porno bar" called Rondell Rauschkino and a nude dancer at another Vienna club called Renz.

Although she was once reported as dying by suicide, as far as this blogger can tell, she is currently spending a quiet, retired life in Austria at the age of 81. By all accounts, she's fortunate to have made it this far.

A lot of famous blonde actresses aren't so lucky.

The idea for this post happened last week, while I was absorbed in watching an episode on Scott Michaels' Dearly Departed Tours YouTube Channel titled "Hollywood Matchbooks THEN and NOW". Michaels has several of these vids where he takes a handful of matchbook covers from old Hollywood restaurants, hotels and other locations and compares them to what's at those same addresses today. Sadly, at least half or more of them have either been demolished or have changed hands or venues.

A few minutes into this show, he opened up a matchbook for Hollywood Massage. When he turned it over and I was amazed to see the color picture of someone recognizable. After rewinding it a few times, I finally figured out it was a picture of none other than Susan Denberg!

Now, I'm positive that such an upstanding establishment as Hollywood Massage would have passed on any permission to use the photo and this was before licensing became a common business practice. Still, it surprised the hell out of me.

I was unable to come up with a photo of Susan that exactly matches the one on the matchbook, but I'm sure you'll forget that small detail after you scroll through the images below and visit her naughty, NSFW gallery HERE.

This looks to me like same outfit as in the matchbook photo.

Now, had I known that Susan Denberg was working at the Hollywood Massage back in the day . . .

View the Dearly Departed Hollywood Matchbooks THEN and NOW episode HERE.

SUSAN DENBERG'S VITAL STATISTICS

Susan Denberg

Miss August 1966

BIRTHPLACE: Bad Polzin, Germany

HAIR: BLONDE

EYES: GREEN

BUST: 34" C

WAIST: 25"

HIPS: 34"

HEIGHT: 5' 7"

WEIGHT: 123 lbs

• AMBITIONS: I'd like to be an actress.
• TURN-ONS: Sports cars, exciting clothes.
• TURNOFFS: Impoliteness, bad dressers, self-admiration.
• IN MY SPARE TIME: I like reading, dancing, sunbathing, attending car races, relaxing and swimming.
• FAVORITE AUTHOR: Harold Robbins.
• PLAY ME A: Ballad.
• PEOPLE I ADMIRE: Caesar, Napoleon and Cleopatra.
• MY IDEAL EVENING: Dinner in a romantic restaurant, seeing a show and the drinking and dancing till closing time.
• FAVORITE ACTORS: Steve McQueen and Sean Connery.

SUSAN DENBERG GALLERY