It’s always a special pleasure to read any book by Tom Weaver and “It Came from Horrorwood” is no different. Weaver is back with 20 more interviews of actors and filmmakers of horror and sci-fi films. The interviews in this book originally appeared in the pages of magazines like Star-Log and Fangoria. What makes Weaver’s books such a treat to read is the intelligence that he brings to each and every interview that he conducts. Weaver’s interviews are no mere fluff assignment pieces. Weaver does his homework and often times it seems he knows more about the career of the person he’s interview than they do themselves. Many of these names are not household names, not even to devoted fans of the genre like myself. And therein lies the appeal of Weaver’s books…he gets the interviews with some of these lesser known names who always have a story, often many stories, to tell.
I was particularly surprised by the interview with Frank Coghlan Jr. who played Billy Batson in the Republic Serial “Adventures of Captain Marvel” in 1941. If you never seen this serial it is just a delight, and maybe the finest serial ever made. Frank discusses how he got the job (He looked like Batson) although he had never heard of the character who was still in his infancy stages in the comic book. Coghlan sheds some light on the remarkable (for the time) stunts and special effects. Coghlan had a long career, right up to playing bit roles in a pair of Don Knotts pictures in the 1960’s, “Shakiest Gun in the West” and “Love God”.
Michael Fox (No J) is not a name you probably know but the face certainly is. Fox was in dozens of genre films and serials over the year before being a frequent character actor in the latter stages of his career. He was in films such as “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms” and worked with Roger Corman in “Bloody Mama”. You might remember Fox as the prison announcer in the original “The Longest Yard” in 1974.
Ed Wood has become a cult favorite due in large part to the successful, although factually skewed bio-pic by Tim Burton. Weaver interviews Wood’s one-time companion Dolores Fuller who has little good to say about Burton’s film, especially with the way Sarah Jessica Parker player her and also with the way Bela Lugois was portrayed. Fuller speaks highly of Lugois who often visited for dinner and entertained her young son with thrilling stories.
Anne Gwynne is a bit of a forgotten scream queen. As a Universal contract player she starred in many universal horrors in the 1940’s including “Black Friday”, “The Black Cat (1941)”, “House of Frankenstein” and “Weird Woman”. Anne has nothing but good things to say about co-stars Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and John Carradine, but had a few choice comments about Lon Chaney Jr. and his bullyish treatment and pranks that he played on some of his co-stars such as Evelyn Ankers.
Another unknown name who provided a lengthy and informative interview was Gil Perkins who worked as a stunt double in thousands of films. Perkins was the stunt double for Bruce Cabot in King Kong. He also doubled as Frankenstein in “Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman”. Later Perkins would work with Elvis Presley in “Jailhouse Rock”, and also on the 1960’s Batman TV show.
Other interviewees included Linda Harrison who played Nova in “Planet of the Apes”; Robert Wise the director of “The Day the Earth Stood Still”; Gregory Walcott from “Plan 9 from Outer Space”; and Gloria Stuart of “The Old Dark House”. The book also contains a salute to Ed Wood. Another great effort from Weaver!
– Tim Janson
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
