WEIRD TALES CLUB - 1941

I was reading through an old Weird Tales Magazine the other night from November, 1941, and saw this ad in the back pages of the book and thought I'd share it here. It is for a Weird Tales Club.

Everyone who joind got a membership card - wonder how many of those still exist out there? I found a picture of one online here: http://www.radiotheatrenyc.com/HP-LOVECRAFT.html

And the following picture is an ad for the next issue of Weird Tales Magazing featuring a classic story by H.P. Lovecraft, The Shadow Over Innsmouth!

Weird Tales Magazine published from 9 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City. So what was at 9 Rockefeller Plaza?  Here's a shot of the building entrance then and now.

I'm a huge fan of Weird Tales Magazine. They produced the finest weird fiction from the greatest stable of writers ever... H.P. Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, Henry Kuttner, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert Howard - the list goes on and on. Amazing stuff and you can pick up collections of these stories very reasonably on Amazon. Highly recommended, and highly addictive!!

Makeup Maestro Rick Baker to Receive Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

This Friday, November 30th, Rick Baker will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There is a ceremony to celebrate the event at 11:30am at 6764 Hollywood Boulevard, in front of the Guinness World Records Museum. This is doubly fantastic because this will be two celebrations in one – you see, Rick will also be entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for not one but TWO categories – Most Oscar Wins/Nominations for Best Achievement in Makeup! He’s been nominated twelve times with seven wins for An American Werewolf in London (1981), Harry and the Hendersons (1987), Ed Wood (1994), The Nutty Professor (1996), Men in Black (1997), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) and The Wolfman (2010).

If you’re in the Hollywood area make plans now to attend and help celebrate the career of this truly deserving professional!

Scary Monsters #85

Keep your eyeballs peeled for the upcoming Scary Monsters Magazine Issue #85 - it features this beautiful wrap-around cover by Terry Beatty dedicated to Jack Pierce, and features a cover story by yours truly on Pierce and his makeup masterpiece, the Frankenstein Monster. Should hit noosestands soon!!

Happy Birthday Boris

Today, November 23rd, is the birthday of William Henry Pratt, known better as Boris Karloff, master of the Macabre. He was born on this day in 1887 in London, England, and would go on to portray some of the greatest movie monsters, including agruably his most famous, Frankenstein. Here's to you, Boris, a true one of a kind, both on and off screen!


Below is an episode of THIS IS YOUR LIFE starring Boris Karloff, presented in 3 parts on youtube. Jack Pierce, the makeup man responsible for transforming Karloff into the Frankenstein's monster, appears in part two, discussing this makeup with Boris.

Scarecrow Walkin

The Nashville based Celtic folk band THE SECRET COMMONWEALTH have put together a music video for their song SCARECROW WALKIN. My good friend Troy Guinn, who I interviewed here about his podcast THE NASCHYCAST  (dedicated to all things Paul Naschy and produced along with his partner Rod Barnett), is a member of this band and sings this particular song. Check it out, and to find out more about the band visit their website.