[Gregory]

Thanks for posting that, Nancy. We all know they were two wonderful gentlemen.

[George Lyons]

Capris! There were two guys in that picture??

[sabaue]

Great picture Nancy. They were both wonderful actors.

[Marty]

Originally Posted by Tina

Who played Baron Frankenstein in the 1957 Hammer Horror

" The Curse Of Frankenstein?

Chaney Junior?

Vincent Price ?

Peter Cushing?

Boris Karloff?

Quarter of a Million pound question!!

do I make half a million for saying Peter Cushing (of course, and Christopher Lee played "his" monster) but also for mentioning that little Melvyn Hayes (Gloria from It Aint Half Hot Mum) played the baron as a boy.

Originally Posted by Nancy

Here's one from my archives. I hope it doesn't spoil your image of these two "scary' guys!

A wonderful picture (now in my archives) and one that shows Karloff (and Rathbone incidently) as everybody who knew him says he really was. A very soft spoken English gentleman with a sweet natured sense of humour. I think the reason both he and Rathbone were so popular and successful (like Price, Cushing and Lee) was their ability to recognise that despite the critical disdain for the "horror" genre, they played their roles with the same level of professionalism they would bring to the more accepted "serious" parts, a belief that the audience that was giving them a very "good living", as Karloff would often put it, should never be shortchanged.

[RonnieC]

House of the Long Shadows was the last movie in which Chris Lee, Vincent Price & Peter Cushing appeared together. It's worth seeing.

That's a great photo, Nancy! I also loved Boris Karloff's and Basil Rathbone's earlier work together in Son of Frankenstein from 1939. Lugosi was fantastic as Ygor in that one too.

[Marty]

Originally Posted by RonnieC

House of the Long Shadows was the last movie in which Chris Lee, Vincent Price & Peter Cushing appeared together. It's worth seeing.

A true gem of a rarity, hopefully someone will get around to a home video release. The Grisbane family is made up not just of Cushing, Lee and Price but also that other stalwart of classic horrors and "B"s, John Carradine.

[Gregory]

That picture of Nancy with Karloff and Rathbone is wonderful and it reminds me that by the time it was taken, the two men have known each other for at least 20 years.

Has anyone seen Rathbone on Person to Person? He gave Edward R. Murrow a fencing demonstration.

[Marty]

Originally Posted by gregoryr1m

That picture of Nancy with Karloff and Rathbone is wonderful and it reminds me that by the time it was taken, the two men have known each other for at least 20 years.

A lot longer than 20 years, Greg. As well as the aforementioned "Son Of Frankenstein" which was begun in 1938, one of Rathbone's finest performances was as Richard III in the 1939 film "Tower Of London" in which Karloff plays his willing henchman beautifully, and prior to working together both men were firm friends.

A decorated officer in World War One, his fencing prowess, his expertise with stage make up as well as his inate athleticism can be witnessed in so many of his roles (not a bad singer and dancer too, as Fox's second Rathbone/Bruce Holmes film "The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes" proves). At one point in the 30s he was also probably the highest paid and in demand "freelance" actor in Hollywood.

One of the best Rathbone fansites HERE includes great photos of not just Basil, but Boris, Bela and many others.

[Gregory]

Interesting stuff on Rathbone, Marty. I just saw House of Fankenstein last weekend for the first time in about 20 years. He will always be linked with the name of Shelock Holmes as Lugosi is with Dracula. I have always enjoyed a good Rathbone performance.

Great thread and a terrific photo.

Universal Studios were the daddies of horror cinema and Hammer wasn't too far behind. Amicus and Tigon put out some corkers, too. Right now Japan and Korea lead the world in horror cinema -- and then some. But every keen maker of horror pictures in some way, shape or form owes a debt of gratitude to films such as James Whale's Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein.

Basil Rathbone's Holmes pictures are high on my list of all-time favourite films. In fact, the probably run a close tie with Johnny Weissmuller's Tarzan films as being my favourite series of films starred in by the one actor or based on the one character. Rathbone was such a splendid actor with a huge screen presence. He demanded and still demands the viewer's attention and to see him ham it up is such a joy, but perhaps more so when he was on more serious form e.g. in Anna Karenina with Garbo.

I am nostalgic of the time when horror was not gore stuff. Back then you could enjoy being scared without blood sprinkling all over, members being dismantled and so forth. Some of the movies today are so graphic and disturbing I can only guess what imprint it leaves on young minds. I'm not saying we should have another Seduction of the innocent type of witchhunt, when all comic-book publishers and filmmakers had to self-censor their work and make it bland, but whether it's horror, war or porn movies I think that there should be a way the kids can be protected from the perversions of the adult world. Unfortunately this is less and less true today.

[Ace917]

I mentioned this movie in another thread, but Basil Rathbone did a masterful performance in The Adventures of Robin Hood, playing Prince John's right hand man. Not a horror flick, of course, but it demonstrates his breadth of talent.

[Marty]

Originally Posted by Steph

Some of the movies today are so graphic and disturbing I can only guess what imprint it leaves on young minds..

Very true Steph, I mean I grew up on a diet of Universal, Hammer and Amicus and there's nothing wrong with me now is there?

I would to some degree argue that pre 1960s censorship actually encouraged a high level of creativity in the classic Horror film makers, having to go that little bit extra with suggestion, whether with a nuanced line, a lighting technique, a camera angle, silhouetted framing or sound effect.

[George Lyons]

Is that a young Richard Burton??? nah...it's just Smarty.

What's wrong with Marty? After looking like a Tarzan impersonator and a prankster, he suddenly looks... well, decent. Is that the perspective of meeting us all in September?

[Marty]

Originally Posted by Steph

he suddenly looks... well, decent.

I haven't been well. Don't worry though Steph I will look as disturbing as I abnormally do come mid September.

[Marty]

On the DVD release of a rather mediocre, yet interesting, Tigon picture "The Curse Of The Crimson Altar" is a very poignant recent interview with Christopher Lee in which he talks very affectionately about the very funny Boris Karloff, who was, incidentally, once his next door neighbour in London for a while, as well as "dear, dear" Peter and the very "gentle" Vincent Price.

Lee's writings as well as his various audio commentaries can come across a little pompous at times, yet if one cuts through that, when he talks about working and learning from "The Greats" his emotional honesty comes shining through, offering real insights to some of the finest actors to grace the respective genre.

Talking of Vincent Price and interesting DVD releases, if you can find the special edition of Witchfinder General it's definately worth a purchase, featuring long deleted scenes re-instated after years missing from the most oft seen prints. The quality varies, but they're nice to have included.

Anyone seen the lesser-known Elvis film The Trouble With Girls (and How to Get into It)? Most of Elvis' films were horror films in another sense of the word, but this one features a couple of cheeky cameos by horror masters Vincent Price and John Carradine. A definite curio...

Otherwise, I'm more than partial to a bit of gore. I like slasher films which, when they're good they can be terrific, but when they're bad they really are dire.

Just bringing this round to Frank for a second, but does anyone else think that he would have been well cast as Robert Thorn in The Omen, had Gregory Peck not got the part?

[Marty]

another reason to love Karloff.

Boris with able assistance from Art Carney and Dinah Shore, from a mid 1950s appearance on the Dinah Shore hour.

Source: YouTube

A tribute DVD to my favourite screen actor had just a snippet of this routine so I was thrilled to find this longer version. Fun! Actually (despite the evidence here) Boris could interpret a song reasonably well, he had the sort of talking/singing style favoured by Rex Harrison, that suited lullabys and nursery songs, and he did win a Grammy in the spoken word category too.

[Fred F]

It was hilarious