Category Archives: Horror History

Horror History: André Morell

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andremorellAndré Morell
Born Aug. 20th, 1909 – Died Nov. 28th, 1978

André Morell is a British actor that made his name in the horror genre, mainly thanks to Hammer Films. Appearing in such titles like The Shadow of the Cat (1961), She (1965), The Mummy’s Shroud (1967), and of course, he role as Sir James in Plague of the Zombies (1966), made him a very familiar face to Hammer horror fans. This is probably my favorite of his roles, playing the witty British gentleman, but knows when it’s time to get down to business! He also appeared in non-Hammer films like the underrated The Giant Behemoth (1959) and a bit part in 10 Rillington Place (1971). And while not a horror film, his performance in the 1961 film Cash on Demand, c0-starring Peter Cushing, is just incredible and so much fun to watch.

But even before those films, he had become well known from his work on British televsion, especially working with Nigel Kneale’s 1954 adaptations of George Orwell’s 1984, doing some nasty things to his co-star Peter Cushing. Then in 1959, he appeared as Professor Bernard Quatermass in the BBC broadcast of Kneale’s Quatermass and the Pit. This was such a success that fans started calling him Quatermass. He would have been in Hammer’s movie adaptation had he been available at the time they went into production.

He would later appear alongside Cushing again, in a much more friendlier role as Dr. Watson to Cushing’s Sherlock Holmes in Hammer’s The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959).

Morell was always there to give a memorable characterization as the typical prim and proper British man. Always the gentleman, whether in the hero role or as the villain, as always a joy to watch him perform.

Horror History: Cameron Mitchell

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cameronmitchellCameron Mitchell
Born Nov. 4th, 1918 – Died July 6th, 1994

Cameron Mitchell has a face that most fans will recognize, especially if you’re either an older fan or at least have watched a lot of movies. Mitchell made a career usually playing the villain, bad guy, heavy, or whatever you want to call it. Sure…it might be because he got typecast, or maybe just because he was really good at it. He worked all over the world, in just about every film genre out there. He made tons of westerns, sword & sandal films, and of course his share of horror titles. He starred in Mario Bava’s Blood and Black Lace, not the first giallo, but the one that set the rules. Mitchell appeared in both bigger budgeted film as well as quite a few at the other end too. In fact, during his later years, that seemed to be where he worked the most. But that didn’t stop him from giving a great performance and keeping us entertained in titles like The Toolbox Murders (1978) or Island of the Doomed (967).

He said he actually liked working on low budget films because it gave him the chance to experiment with his craft. “The way things have turned out, I did get the chance to experiment, and as an actor, a pure actor, I could do and try many, which you couldn’t do in a major film.  I have been lucky in many ways.”

A real talented and professional, no matter what the title might be. Even when he might be chewing the scenery, he’s a real joy to watch.

Horror History: Paul Birch

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birch3Paul Birch
Born Jan. 13th, 1912 – Died May 24th, 1969

This square-jawed, barrel-chested actor appeared in quite a few of Roger Corman’s early pictures, such as Beast with a Million Eyes (1955), Day the World Ended (1955), and the classic Not of this Earth (1957), not to mention several other of Corman’s movies. But it was on the latter that he had a run in with Corman, even a physical one according to some reports, and walked off the set and never came back. But none the less, he is one character actor that you can always remember. He is always entertaining to watch in these early cheesy classic films.

He appeared in countless TV series during his career, with bit parts in even bigger pictures. He was one of the first humans to discover what the newly landed visitor’s from Mars wanted in War of the Worlds (1953). He was even the very first Marlboro Man in the TV commercials.

But no matter what he is in, he is always memorable and gives a fun performance. It also probably helped that the dialog on those early pictures were so cheesy, that it just made them even more fun to watch today then there were back then.

Horror History: Robert Clarke

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robertclarkeRobert Clarke
Born June 1st, 1920 – Died June 11th, 2005

Robert Clarke was one of those actors who was in countless films, but for some reason, very few remember him. He made a career out of acting, but sometimes that might just have been playing a guy in the background or walking through the shot. Other times he had bigger roles, working along side some of the greatest names in Hollywood, like Frederic March and John Wayne. In the horror genre, he worked with pretty much all of the greats, like Karloff, Chaney Jr., Carradine, and more. But unfortunately, for some reason, his name is just not that well known. So let’s change that.

Though he made quite a few westerns, Clarke is probably remember more from cult horror/sci-fi fans because of the few genre pics that he did back in the ’50s, such as The Man From Planet X (1951) and The Hideous Sun Demon, which Clarke also co-wrote, co-produced, co-directed as well as playing the title character! So while he may be the epitome of a B-Movie actor, it is for that reason that he is still remembered by cult fans to this day. So let us keep his memory alive!

Horror History: Richard Wordsworth

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richardwordsworthRichard Wordsworth
Born Jan. 19th, 1915 – Died Nov. 21st, 1993

There are a few actors that can have such an impact on screen…without ever uttering a single word. One of those was Richard Wordsworth when he played doomed astronaut Victor Caroon in Hammer’s breakout film The Quatermass Xperiment (1955). Playing the only ‘survivor’ from a rocket flight into space, he comes back less of a man, but more of something else. Just by facial expressions, he shows the audience the internal hell he is going through as he slowly transforms into something we’ve never seen before. Hammer scholar Wayne Kinsey says his performance ‘steals the show’, while authors Tom Johnson and Deborah Del Vecchio state his performance is a ‘Karloff level performance’.

He only made two other horror films, both for Hammer. The next one was a small role as a worker in a hospital for the poor, run by Peter Cushing’s Dr. Frankenstein. Once again, even though his role his small, it is very memorable. But it his last role for Hammer, that of a poor and simple beggar, that once again pulls at our hearts, in Curse of the Werewolf. Thrown to the dungeon and forgotten, turning into a beast over the years, he attacks and rapes the beautiful Yvonne Romain who was locked in the jail with him.

He was the great-great-grandson of the famous poet Williams Wordsworth, and would later tour the states in a one man play based on his life and works. He almost followed his father into the clergy, but was later drawn to the stage, enrolling in the Embassy School of Acting in London. He would work with many of the greats of the English stage, such as Alec Guinness and John Gielgud, before appearing in a trilogy of Hammer Horrors. And while he only appeared in three titles, we are able to see the incredible talent pouring out from this man….sometimes even without a single word.

Horror History: Tom Chantrell

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tomchantrell-3Tom Chantrell
Born Dec. 20th – Died July 15th, 2001

It’s a very old story how Hammer CEO would take a poster art of a new film to the distributors and sell the picture, only to then give the poster to the screen writer and tell them to write the movie! One of men responsible for those posters was Tom Chantrell, who turned out over 7000 designs in his career, averaging about 3 posters a week! If you’re a fan of Hammer films then you are well aware of his work, even if you didn’t know it. His designs highlighted the selling points of what Hammer was trying to do…sell tickets! Just try doing a Google image search of his name and see the hundreds of works of art that this man did in his career.

His first film poster was for the 1938 film The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse, and he continued to work well into the late ’70s. When the ’80s came, that style of poster art seemed to be replaced by cheap computer Photoshop works of “art”. He did work a bit designing video covers, but it just wasn’t the same.

But at least that before his death, he was able to learn and realize that his artwork, as well as many other great poster art, was now being regarded as great works of art and had become highly collectable. Never one to give himself the credit he deserved, Chantrell was very modest, calling a good poster a “ripsnorter”.

Maybe one day this style of poster art will come back.  We can always  hope.

For a great interview with Chantrell, along with some great examples of his work, as well as many other Hammer posters and celebrities, head over to Hammer Horror Posters.

Horror History: George Woodbridge

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woodbridgeGeorge Woodbridge
Born Feb. 16th, 1907 – Died Mar. 31st, 1973

Woodbridge was one of those English character actors that we’d always see in the background or in bit parts, like in a more than a few Hammer films. Usually playing an innkeeper or maybe a policeman, even if only in the film a short time, he always help fill out the picture with interesting characters. With his booming voice, he had always made a last impression with me, though never really knew his name. So we’re trying to change that here today.

Woodbridge appeared in over 140 movies and television programs. His last appearance was in a children’s television program called Inigo Pipkin, where Woodbridge played the title character who was a puppet maker, who created such characters as Hartley Hare, George the tortoise, Topov the monkey, and Octvia the ostrich. The show was a success, but Woodbridge died of a heart attack while starting the second season. This was the first children’s program to deal with death, by saying character of the actor who passed away actually died as well, writing into the story, explaining to the viewers that the puppet creator had died. This was quite a few years before Sesame Street did the same thing when the actor playing Mr. Hooper passed away.

But at least we still have his movie appearances that will always put a smile on my face and remember this larger than life actor.

Horror History – Lone Fleming

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flemingLone Fleming
Born 1949

Fleming was one of those faces that might not have made a lot of horror films, but she was one that was always recognizable. Of course, since she appeared in one of my favorite films, Tombs of the Blind Dead (1971), she will always be remembered for her performance in there. She also appeared in de Ossorio’s follow up, Return of the Evil Dead, though as a different character. She also appearred in Eugenio Martin’s 19773 film It Happened at Nightmare Inn (aka A Candle for the Devil). I’m sure the fact that she was married to the director had nothing to do with her casting. Even if it was she still gives a great performance here. She also appeared in another de Ossorio film, THE POSSESSED, as well as working with Paul Naschy vigilante film, El Ultimo Kamikaze (1984). And while it was a small part, she worked with Juan Piquer Simón’s take on the Jules Vern epic The Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth (aka Where Time Began). She recently had a cameo in Victor Matellano’s film Wax, which starred another favorite Spanish actor of ours, Jack Taylor.

No matter what she was in, it is always a treat to see her names in the credit.

Horror History – Edwige Fenech

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edwigefenech.jpgEdwige Fenech
Born Dec. 24th, 1948

If you have watched more than a handful of Italian giallos, then chances are you’ve seen Edwige Fenech in action. And she is one that is hard to forget. Born in France, she started her career in beauty contests, eventually moving into modeling. In 1967, she made her film debut in the comedy All Mad About Him. She continued to work making films, mostly comedies, in France, Germany, and Italy. Her first real thriller was Top Sensation (1969), that co-starred another Italian sex symbol Rosalba Neri. She appeared in Mario Bava’s 5 Dolls for an August Moon (1970), then the following year starred in her first film with director Sergio Martino, the 1971 film The Strange Vice of Mr.s Wardh (aka Blade of the Ripper). She would go on to star in quite a few giallos in the next few years, many of them for Martino, titles such as All the Colors of the Dark (1972), The Case of the Bloody Iris (1972), Your Vice is Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972), and even with director Ruggero Deodato in Phantom of Death (1988).

In the ’80s, she became a television personality, hosting a talk show for a while. After a while, she moved into movie producing, which she  has been doing since. She even co-produced the 2004 version of The Merchant of Venice starring Al Pacino.

Seeing Fenech’s name in any movie was always an extra bonus. Such a great talent and just beautiful to watch, she is one of the reasons that Italian giallos are still as popular these days as they were back then. Of course, it might have also helped since she was usually in some form of undress during the movie….a lot.

Horror History – Jack Asher

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asherJack Asher
Born Mar. 29th, 1916 – Died Apr. 1991

One of thing that Hammer films are most known for are the way they look, especially their early Gothic horror titles that really catapulted them into popularity.  While the talents on the screen of Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and the rest of the stellar actors used, and even the talented directors and writers, one of the reasons these pictures looked like they did was because of the cameraman, Jack Asher.

He started in the film business as something as simple as the guy who was to open and close the door while filming was being done.  Eventually, he was asked to join the camera crew by Roy Kallino, at the bottom, learning the basics like loading the film into the magazines and working his way up, to eventually becoming a camera operator himself.  He worked on some of Hammer’s early color films and is definitely party of the reasons those films look like they did.  He worked on CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, HORROR OF Dracula, Revenge of Frankenstein, The Man Who Could Cheat Death, Brides of Dracula, The Mummy, as well as a few of their non-horror titles.

He worked for Hammer for less than 10 years before basically being let go because Hammer deemed him too slow for their fast-paced shooting schedules.  Damn shame if you ask me.