From Zombos' Closet

Noel Neill Remembered

By Professor Kinema

She was petite, she was pretty, she was sweet and, oh yes, she was fan-friendly. Noel Neill will always be the Lois Lane I will remember from my youth.

Her association with Superman started in the first two Superman serials: Superman (1948) and Atom Man vs Superman (1950). The man of steel in these two serials was Kirk Alyn (who died in 1999). Jimmy Olsen was played by Tommy Bond (who died in 2005) - a grown up Butch from the little rascals. 

When the TV series The Adventures of Superman began its 6 year run in 1952, she wasn't able to repeat her earlier screen role for the show's first season or its unforgettable pilot: Superman and the Mole-Men (1951). She did appear in Invasion USA (1952) along with Phyllis Coates, who did play Lois Lane for the first 26 episodes of the series, although they shared no scenes together in Invasion. When the second season was ready to be filmed, Coates had already committed to another series, allowing Noel Neill to return as Lois.

Watching the reruns over and over, one could glimpse Phyllis Coates' Lois as more plucky, but for the most part, Noel Neill was and is Lois Lane to fans. When the TV series abruptly ended in 1958 because of the death of star George Reeves,  she felt another actor should have been cast and the series continued. That was not to be. John Hamilton as Perry White, who often said "Great Caesar's Ghost!" and "Don't call me Chief!" when flummoxed by Jimmy Olsen, also died that year. Jack Larson, another fan favorite as Jimmy Olsen, who often said "Yes, Chief!" and "Golly Mr Kent!"), died in 2015. For a while, Noel Neill lived in a real town in Illinois named Metropolis (the "official home of Superman"). There is a statue of Lois Lane there in her likeness.

After the television series ended she didn't appear on screen for the next 20 years. In 1978, Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill made uncredited cameo appearances in Superman starring Christopher Reeves. She also appeared in the 1980s Superboy television series, and in the 1990s in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. She did a credited appearance in 2006's Superman Returns, starring Brandon Routh.

My only encounter with her was about 8 years ago at a Chiller Convention. She was petite, pretty, sweet, and very fan-friendly.

Zombos Note: I was at that Chiller Convention also, and was about to walk into the room where Noel Neill was signing, but something else came up and I missed my chance. I probably would have bumped into Professor Kinema, though we didn't know each other at the time.

Charles Herbert (1948-2015)

from Professor Kinema

At one Monster Bash several years ago Charles Herbert was sharing a table with B-movie/schlock producer/director Bert I. Gordon and his daughter, Susan.  He was very fan-friendly and we had one brief chat.  I bought a few items, he autographed a few items and, with Susan, posed for a few photos.

Like a lot of juvenile performers, his best (albeit only) years were as a child in films and TV. Mostly uncredited, his earliest appearances date back to 1953.  On TV he appeared in such classic shows as Screen Directors Playhouse, Celebrity Playhouse, and Playhouse 90.  The few (of many) TV shows and feature films of interest to Monster Bash attendees include Science Fiction Theater, One Step Beyond, Men Into Space, The Outer Limits, and one episode of Twilight Zone based on Ray Bradbury's story I Sing the Body Electric.

A genuine cult status was achieved with his appearances in such feature films as The Monster That Challenged the World, as the little boy fighting over a found sailor's cap; The Colossus of New York, as the son of the Colossus; The Fly, he shows Vincent Price that funny looking fly caught in the spider web and about to be the fly's dinner; and appearing with Susan Gordon in the Bert I. Gordon directed The Boy and the Pirates.  His only top billing in what would essentially be his final film appearance came as Buck in William Castle's 13 Ghosts.

By 1968 his film and TV career was over.

Susan Gordon, Professor Kinema, and Charles Herbert

Sandy and Oz By Professor Kinema

Although nothing of fantasy can be made from images of houses being torn apart from the high winds of Hurricane Sandy, one cannot help but imagine something out of The Wizard of Oz.

Instead of an entire house being picked up into the middle of a twister (and safely landing on top of a bad witch in a fantastic place), images of mass destruction have been filling the airwaves during the past month's newscasts. One story which struck a chord was of the damage done to Brooklyn's Green-wood Cemetery.

Interred at historic Green-wood is one of the principle players of the classic 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz: Frank Morgan, the Wizard himself.

Hmm, thought I, the prominent citizen of the Emerald City, originally from New York City, whose final rest is in a place named Greenwood. He shares the gravesite with other members of his family, originally named Wupperman. His brother, and fellow actor, Ralph is there also.

Being originally from the New York area, specifically upstate Chittenango, Madison County, author L. Frank Baum wrote several classic tales about the fantastic place called Oz. One story of how he was inspired tells how he noticed a box of files labelled "O to Z.'" Another, that twirls around in a twister of it's own, is that the two letters that make up the name of his fantasy megalopolis are each just one letter back from the letters N and Y. Hence, Oz is the city of New York.

Whichever the case, it's interesting to note that many who were involved with the film production have come to their final rest in and around the New York area. However, Baum's final resting place is in Forest Lawn, Glendale, California.

In Union Field Cemetery, Ridgewood, Queens is The Cowardly Lion, Bert Lahr. Lahr was also originally from New York City. In Upstate New York's Ferncliff Cemetery rests Dorothy herself, Judy Garland, as well as Harold Arlen, creator of the film's musical score.

In Amenia, scattered over property she owned, are the ashes of the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton). Glinda, the Good Witch (Billie Burke) lies in Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, New York.

The rest of the Wizard of Oz principles, director Victor Fleming, Tin Man--Ray Bolger, Scarecrow-- Jack Haley, Auntie Em-- Clara Blandick, and Uncle Henry-- Charlie Grapewin, all rest in Hollywood cemeteries.

There's even a memorial site in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for Terry, the little dog who portrayed Toto.

Find A Grave: http://www.findagrave.com

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Professor Kinema Remembers Ray Bradbury

 

Professor Kinema with Uncle Forry and Ray Bradbury

In the 1970s I wrote a letter to Ray Bradbury inquiring about what would be involved in adapting some of his stories for a TV series. Basically it was for information on my part, since there was no potential for a TV series existing...for me, that is. He promptly wrote back informing me that all of his stories belonged to him, personally and completely. He then mentioned what the price of the film rights would be for each of the stories I mentioned. Needless to say, it was way out of my class. He concluded the letter with a word of encouragement. 'Why not write something original?' Most other authors (at least those who would bother to answer) would simply say something like, 'Buzz off kid, not interested...unless you could come up with the extraordinary fee for what I've written.'

Mr. Bradbury encouraged one to write.

In the early 1990s at Unkka Forry's birthday weekend I had the pleasure to actually meet him in the Ackermansion. He kindly autographed several items for me and posed for an informal picture. These inscribed items not only contained his signature, but the date of the inscription. This serves as a fond memory of the day I encountered the 'Dean of Science Fiction Writers.' He had been labeled a science fiction author, but in articles I've read about him he prefered to be considered a Fantasist.

We chatted briefly. I didn't bring up the letter I wrote to him. No doubt hundreds have been written to him. He wouldn't have an immediate recollection of mine.

At the birthday event he got up and related a few fond thoughts about his boyhood and lifelong friend, Forry. One comment he made about what he shared with the Ackermonster was "We both grew old...but we never grew up. "

A great epitaph for not only Forry Ackerman and Ray Bradbury, but for all of us who love living in the realm of the Fantasist.

Professor Kinema (Jim Knusch)

 

Bill Hinzman Remembered By Professor Kinema

He was the first of the Marauding Ghouls to be seen in the original Night of the Living Dead. While visiting the grave of their father, Johnny (Russel Streiner) taunts his sister (Judith O'Dea) by eerily saying, "They're coming to get you, Barbara." He then points to a figure rambling among gravestones in the distance. He then says, "Look, here comes one of them now!"

In true cinematic irony, this figure was indeed coming to get not only Barbara, but Johnny too. During the scuffle Johnny gets killed, their car gets wrecked, and Barbara ends up in the deserted farmhouse where the bulk of the story's action takes place.

The Ghoul (Bill Hinzman) is last seen, for now, lurking about the house. Later he, and the now ghoulified Johnny, turns up in one of the final shots of the film were the house is overrun.

Like many a mini-budgeted film (especially of the 1960s), several who worked on NotLD behind the camera also made an appearance in front of the camera. This I could definitely identify with since I had made brief appearances in many a low budget production I was involved with.

Throughout his career Bill Hinzman was essentially a cinematographer/photographer. He functioned as an assistant cameraman on NotLD. However, his small role as a ghoul (or zombie, as some sources indicate) in this truly bonified cult favorite was his first foray into filmmaking. He continued in the genre, being involved with films like Legion of the Night (1985), Majorettes (1986), Flesheater(1988), Santa Claws (1996), Evil Ambitions (1996), The Drunken Dead Guy (2005), and his final role, River of Darkness (2011).

Generally a fan-friendly great guy, he was always willing to talk of his involvement with NotLD. He was at a loss for words when asked how it had almost immediately fallen into Public Domain. He was very verbal about it's 1998 30th anniversary 'resurrection' video release, slightly re-edited with added footage. Naturally, his ghoul character was subsequently 'resurrected' (enuf of that pun), more developed, and occupying more of this NotLD Redux's running time. However, he was reluctant to explain how this particular walking corpse had noticeably aged at least 30 years.

When approached at conventions he would emphasize the fact that his best work was done behind the camera. During a brief on-camera interview for the Professor Kinema show he was quick to point this fact out. However, at later conventions he was usually in ghoul makeup with a ghoul statuette of him prominently displayed at his table, available for sale. Herein his true cult figure status was clearly defined.

A mystery he solved for me was the reason why his ghoul character wasn't acting consistently with the actions of subsequent ghoul characters. This character appeared to be more a deranged madman rather than a slow lumbering resuscitated corpse. His explanation was that this sequence was among the last to be shot and director Romero instructed him to act in this manner. The hero had to be killed, the car had to be incapacitated ("Johnny's got the keys"), the girl had to be pursued. The plot had to get underway

Bill Hinzman left this realm for real on February 5, 2012, from cancer. His death occured the same day as that of Josephine Streiner, a crew member who also played a zombie/ghoul in NotLD.

 

The Professor, Hinzman, <br>and Frankie at a Monster Bash

 

 

Bill Hinzman Bust

 

 

Professor Kinema Remembers Susan Gordon

She was small, petite and never lost that little girl look.  Reflecting on the few brief encounters I experienced with her at an occasional Monster Bash, I was saddened to learn that Susan Gordon had passed away on Dec 11. She also went by the married name of Susan Aviner. She left us at the still young age of 62 from thyroid cancer.

At the Monster Bash she usually shared a guest room with her father, Bert I Gordon, and friend (and co-former child performer) Charles Herbert.

Our brief conversations included reminiscences about her most famous big screen and TV appearances.  At the tender age of two, she was featured in a chocolate candy commercial made by her father in Minnesota. She and her father then spoke about her feature film 'debut' in The Attack of the Puppet People (1958). This came about when the original child actor had become ill. Looking around, Mr BIG 'noticed' that nearby was a precocious 8 year old who could fill in.

Soon after, she was appearing in bigger films like The Five Pennies with Danny Kaye (1959). The following year she appeared in The Boy and the Pirates with Charles Herbert, directed by her father. After working a few more times with Herbert, they became and remained friends. The IMDb lists her last feature film credit as Picture Mommy Dead in 1966.

To fans of the classic Twilight Zone series, her immortality was secured with her appearance in the episode, The Fugitive.

She was always cordial, seemed to possess a constant smile as well as williness to talk about her fanta-film and TV work. We shared a laugh when I commented to her father that I considered him "my favorite schlock film director." After a brief pause to contemplate the dubious wisdom of what I had just said, I added, "I truly mean that as a compliment."

She and her father looked at me and gave me a reassuring smile and nod.

George Melies Graveside

by Professor Kinema

If I were to choose a personal patron saint of sorts, it would definitely be French early Cinema pioneer, George Méliès. A subject of my MALS degree thesis (along with contemporary cinema pioneers Alice Guy Blaché and brothers Louis and August Lumiére), this truly creative man will always be considered the premier cinema autéur. He was the originator of the narrative film, the father of film special effects, and the innovator of lé Cinéma Fantastique.

He was born into a family of successful shoe manufacturers on December 8, 1861. Subsequently trained in engineering and machinery, he was expected to work in the family business. Instead, he chose to pursue an education in le beaux arts, which resulted in his becoming an accomplished artist, stage magician and all around grand showman.

In the winter of 1895, in the company of many other fascinated Parisians, Méliès witnessed his first moving pictures. The Lumiére Brothers, Louis and August, had rented the back part of the Café Indiénne on the Blvd des Capucines and were offering the first screenings to a paying audience. The price for a showing was one franc. After this initial experience, Méliès approached Louis Lumiére and offered to purchase one of their Cinématographes (a reconstructed Edison Kinematograph). The (ultimately ironic) response was, "I'm sorry Monsiéur Méliès, but the Cinématographe is not for sale, it has no commercial future."

But le Grand Showman thought differently. Being an accomplished artist he made sketches of the apparatus and contacted inventor RW Paul in England--Paul was experimenting with creating 'pictures that move'--for the necessary parts to construct his own. With his own custom Cinematographe in hand, Méliès original conception was to record his and his associates' acts of magic and present them throughout his popular stage shows in his Theatre of Magic: the Théatre Robert-Houdin on the Blvd des Italiens.

Soon he decided to take his camera out into the streets of Paris and capture daily life. While photographing the traffic in front of the Opera house it jammed. After several minutes he fixed the problem and continued to record images. When he developed and printed this sequence he was astounded at what was accidently caught on film. The camera stayed in one place while the jamming and eventual clearing action created the world's first 'jump cut.' A bus had magically been transformed into a hearse. His revelation was, 'Not only can the Cinématographe be used to capture acts of magic, but rather, magic can be created within the camera itself.' The fantastique entity of cinematic special effects was born. 

Méliès' output of magical films lasted from 1895 to 1912. He set a high cinematic standard right at the beginning. However, he didn't grow with the industry. By 1912 others had been influenced by him and surpassed him in content and technical expertise. At the onset of World War 1 the French government was seizing materials needed for the war effort. Many prints and negatives of his films were confiscated. They were melted down to recover the celluloid, to be used for boot heels for French soldiers. In the grandest of ironies, this was the fate of the truly magical products of an exceptionally creative and innovative artist--the autéur--who's family background was the business of manufacturing shoes.

By the 1920s Méliès had fallen on hard times. He and his 2nd wife, Jeanne D'Alcy (who appeared as a performer in many of his fantastic films), were operating a newspaper kiosk in the Gare Montparnasse of the Paris Métro. They were recognized. Declared a true cinematic pioneer, a renewed interest was instilled in his work. In 1931 a Legion of Honor medal was bestowed upon him, and he and his wife were awarded a rent-free apartment for the rest of their lives.

His closing act came on January 21, 1938. Along with several members of his family, he occupies a gravesite in the celebrated Paris cemetery; Père Lachaise. A lifelike bust of him adorns his final resting place. During each visit to Paris, I  make it a point to pay a brief visit and pay spiritual homage to Maéstro Méliès.

Not far from the Cinématèque, in the Bercy section of Paris, are many streets and a few small parks named after notable French Cinema innovators. One such park is named after Monsieur Méliès.

During one of my occasional get-togethers with 'Unkka' Forry Ackerman, he was telling me of yet another magazine (of several doomed projects) that he was involved with titled Monsterama (published 1991-92). A feature from the original FM entitled "Wanted, more readers like..." was to be included. I asked if my photo at Méliès gravesite would be considered. He cheerfully said, "Sure, send a copy of the photo to me in Horrorwood, Karloffornia."

Monsterama lasted two issues, but, the photo magically made its way to page 100 of the 'new incarnation' of Famous Monsters, issue # 200 ( May, 1993).

I also got a request to include it on a web page titled 'Morbid Curiosity: Celebrity Tombstones/Me and My Favorite Tombstone,' accessible at http://www.morbid-curiosity.com/id36.htm.

PK/JK

Graveside With a Super Stooge

A visit to Curly's graveside,
courtesy of Professor Kinema.

"N'yuk, n'yuk, n'yuk!"

If ever a visit to a gravesite conjurs up visions and, especially, sounds of days gone past, it's a visit with Jerome Lester 'Curly' Howard, nee Horwitz.

When one (that is, those of us who truly appreciate the finer art of comedy at it's absolute lowest) thinks of the Three Stooges, the first sounds one hears are the sounds that eminated from the pudgy, hair-challenged one of the trio. For sure, he was the only man in existance who could recieve a pretty girl's comment of, "My, what a beautiful head of bone you have there," and take it as a compliment; "Aw, I bet you say that to all the boys."

Moe was the 'Head Stooge,' Larry was the 'Stooge in the middle' and Curly was the 'Super-Stooge.'

Being the youngest of Jennie and Soloman Horwitz' five sons, his mother always called him 'my baby.' This nickname morphed into 'Babe.' In the first of the 97 short comedies he appeared in for Columbia, without his hair and mustache,  he was referred to as 'Jerry.' This again morphed into 'Curly,' a natural moniker for one sans hair. Like many other beloved performers and personalities, his grave marker carries the surname he was best known as instead of his birth name. Inscribed is Jerome Howard instead of Horwitz.

At Graceland, devoted fans make the pilgrimage to visit Elvis' grave. At Westwood Cemetery, fans make the jaunt specially to touch Marilyn Monroe's crypt. Assorted desciples visit Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris to 'commune' with the ethereal spirits of Kardac and Jim Morrison (attracting two vastly different sects of followers, to be sure). Rabid admirers in turn, including the ole Prof, have paid a special visit to a specific gravesite in the Home of Peace Memorial Park in East Los Angeles. With a tradition reaching back into antiquity, offerings are left at this gravesite, usually stones brought from the visitor's home. Unfortunately, fans tend to feel the need to take a souvenir back with them. This often results in a chip from the tombstone.

It's a true homage to a bygone personality and his contribution to culture (especially the USA's 'junk culture') when his image is used in conveying a message in modern times. Along with Jeopardy's Alex Trebek and former US President Clinton, Curly was asked one of the eternal questions of our age: "Got Milk?"

While visiting a friend in Brooklyn in the 1990s, he led me to a certain nearby billboard. Milk will always remain an excellent source of calcium for stronger bone density, which was especially needed for what Moe always referred to as Curly's 'cast iron skull.'

If asked whether or not he drank a lot of milk, his reply could only have been "Soiten-ey!"

PK/JK

Henri-Georges and Vera Clouzot Graveside

Another graveside visit
with Professor Kinema

Visitors to Paris frequent the Parisian cemeteries with as much interest as the other tourist spots around the city. If walking, a route heading up to the Montmartre section of Paris would take one past the Cimetière de Montmartre.

During the days of the mass obliteration of the Jim Morrison grave contained within another famed Parisian cemetery, Père-Lachaise, a large handwritten sign was placed in a prominent spot at the entrance of the Cimetiere de Montmartre. This sign read, in english, "Jim Morrison is not buried here."

Morrison's mega trashed gravesite (as well as many gravesites within close proximity of it), perpetrated by international fans and admirers, has since been cleaned up. Most pilgrims to the infamous 'lounge lizard' simply had to party on Jim's grave, believing he would've preferred it that way. The sign, consequently, has been taken down.

Although not as large, elaborate, and filled with as many historical names contained within Père-Lachaise, the Cimetiere de Montmartre is just as interesting and fun to explore.

Bram Stoker Graveside

Graveside visit by Professor Kinema

On a shelf in the East Columbarium, in Golder’s Green Crematorium (in Greater London), sits an urn containing the cremains of Bram Stoker. Also contained in the urn are the ashes of his only child, son Noel Thornley Stoker.

Bram’s birth and death dates are listed (8 November, 1847-20 April, 1912) while only his son’s departure date is listed (16 September, 1961). Some sources list his son’s name as Irving Noel Stoker. It was planned that when his wife, Florence, departed in 1937, her ashes were to be added to the urn, but they were scattered elsewhere in the Garden of Rest.

It’s truly ironic that the author of possibly the most famous literary work about vampirism never really achieved true celebrity status until after his death. Like its main character Count Dracula, the novel took on a new life (I’m avoiding using the term resurrected) in the years after its initial publication in 1897.

Visitors to the crypt housing Stoker’s urn these days are required to be escorted by someone from the columbarium personnel. During my initial visit in the early 1980s, I was simply handed the key. One would guess that I didn’t look like I was planning to steal or vandalize anything.

Among the other notables whose ashes are contained at Golder’s Green, either in an urn in the columbarium or buried in one of the surrounding gardens are: Sigmund Freud, Anna Pavlova, and Keith Moon; and actors Gibson Gowland, Joyce Grenfell, Hugh Griffith, Cedric Hardwicke, Jack Hulbert, Frank Lawton, Ivor Novello, and Peter Sellers.

Former husband and wife actors Ian Hendry and Janet Munro are also there. Classic film actor Conrad Veidt’s cremains were originally kept in a crypt in Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York, but were brought here in 1997.

Among those who were cremated at Golder’s Green, but whose ashes are elsewhere, are comedian John Inman and author HG Wells. Wells’ cremains were scattered by his sons at sea (some sources say in the English Channel).

Stoker was born in Dublin, Ireland and died in London, England. A plaque exists commemorating his stay in Whitby, England (a location used in the novel, Dracula).

In more recent times Stoker’s great-grandnephew is attempting to get a statue of him erected in his home city of Dublin.

--Jim K/Prof K

More of Professor Kinema's Favorite Death-related Movie Dialog

The Creature With the Atom Brain(1955)

Frank Buchanan, referring to one of the creatures with an atom brain: “Is he dead?”

Dr Wilhelm Steigg: “He never was alive. Different parts of the body die at different times. My next problem is how to keep them working as long as the heart is beating.”

Buchanan: “Does the brain still die first?”

Steigg: “Always. The brain always dies first.”

I Was a Teenage Frankenstein(1957)

Dr Frankenstein: “There will be no death in this laboratory unless I declare it.”

The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake (1959)

Dr Zurich: “Since you know I’m dead, you know that you can’t kill me.”

Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)

The Ruler: “What plan will you follow now?”

Eros: “Plan 9.”

The Ruler: “Plan 9? Ah yes, Plan 9 deals with the resurrection of the dead.”

Eros to Tanna: “You know, it’s an interesting thing when you consider the Earth people, who can think, are so frightened by those who do not – the dead.”

…

Col Manning: “Why is it so important that you to contact the governments of our Earth?”

Eros: “Because of Death. Because all you of Earth are idiots.”

…

Kelton commenting on the hulking form of Inspector Clay (Tor Johnson) carrying the unconscious Mrs. Trent: “Clay is dead and we buried him. How’re we gonna kill somebody who’s already dead…dead? Yet, there he stands.”

Steel Helmet (1951)

Sergeant Zack after ‘loosing his cool’ and shooting the Red Korean Officer he was supposed to keep alive to turn over to headquarters as a POW for interrogation: “If you die, I’ll kill you!”

It, the Terror From Beyond Space (1957)

Lone survivor Col Ed Curruthers: “(Mars was) …alive with something we came only to know as death.”

…

Crewman Calder describing the Martian Creature standing in front of him: “There he is, as big as death!”

…

Final summation of the doomed Martian expedition and putting the kibosh on any future expeditions: “Another name for Mars is death.”

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Sheriff McClelland describing the state of the marauding ghouls: “Yea, they’re dead. They’re…all messed up.”

Beetle Juice (1988)

Adam: “Barb, honey... we’re dead. I don’t think we have very much to worry about anymore.”

The Seventh Seal (1957)

Knight: “Who are you?”

Death: “I am Death.”

Knight: “Have you come for me?”

Death: “I have been walking by your side for a long time.”

Knight: “That I know.”

Death: “Are you prepared?”

Knight: “My body is frightened, but I am not.”

Death: “Well, there is no shame in that.”

Knight: “Wait a moment.”

Death: “That’s what they all say. I grant no reprieves.”

Knight: “You play chess, don’t you?”

Death: “How did you know that?”

Knight: “I have seen it in paintings and heard it sung in ballads.”

Death: “Yes, in fact I’m quite a good chess player.”

Knight: “But you can’t be better than I am.”

Death: “Why do you want to play chess with me?”

Knight: “I have my reasons.”

Death: “That is your privilege.”

Knight: “The condition is that I may live as long as I hold out against you. If I win you will release me. Is it agreed?”

The two choose chess pieces.

Knight: “You drew black!”

Death: “Very appropriate, don’t you think so?”

Professor Kinema's Favorite Movie Death-related Lines

Welcome to Death, a new category for an old theme. Professor Kinema's funereal tendencies provide such a wealth of material on Death-speak in the movies, you'll just die with morbid delight.

Dracula (1931)

Dracula: “To die, to be really dead, that must be glorious.”

Mina: “Why, Count Dracula!”

Dracula: “There are far worse things awaiting man than death.”

Lucy Weston: “Lofty timbers, the walls around are bare, echoing to our laughter as though the dead were there. Quaff a cup to the dead already. Hooray for the next to die!”

The Lost Squadron (1932)

Arthur von Furst, giving instructions to background players in a battle scene: “Listen men, when I take that scene, those who are supposed to be wounded, act like wounded. Those who are supposed to be dead, act like dead. Don’t move!”

Babes in Toyland (1934)

Stannie Dum (to the evil Barnaby): “You better come up, dead or alive.”

Ollie Dee: “Now how can he come up dead when he’s alive?”

Stannie Dum: “Let’s drop a rock on him, then we’ll make him dead, when he’s alive.”

Ollie Dee: “Now you’re making sense.”

Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935)

Ambrose Wolfinger (WC Fields), after his pistol accidentally goes off and his wife (Kathleen Howard) faints: “Did I kill ya?”

Ambrose Wolfinger : “My poor mother in law died three days ago. I’m attending her funeral this afternoon.”

Secretary: “Isn’t that terrible Mr Wolfinger!”

Wolfinger: “Yes it’s terrible. It’s Awful. Horrible tragedy.”

Secretary: “It must be hard to loose your mother in law”

Wolfinger: “Yes it is, very Hard. It’s almost impossible.”

After the company head decides to send flowers, condolences and a mention to the press of Wolfinger’s mother in law...

Peabody: “By the way, what did she die of?”

Malloy: “Bad liquor.”

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Pretorious: “Do you know who Henry Frankenstein is and who you are?”

Monster: “Yes, I know, (he) made me from dead. I love dead, hate living.”

Pretorious: “You’re wise in your generation.”

Monster to Pretorious in laboratory: “You stay, we belong dead.”

It's a Wonderful Life (1947)

Old Man Potter to George Bailey (the key statement that proves to be totally false): “Why you’re worth more dead than alive.”

Clarence: “So you still think killing yourself is the best idea?”

George: “Well, it seemed like it at the time”

Scrooge, A Christmas Carol(1951)

Opening narration: “Old Marley was as dead as a doornail. This must be distinctly understood or nothing wonderful can come of the story I’m going to relate.”

The Thing From Another World (1951)

Carrington: “I doubt that it (the Thing) can die…at least how we understand dying...think of what we can learn from such an advanced creature!””

Scotty: “The only thing we can learn from it is a faster way to die.”