R.I.P. GLORIA STUART

pictured here with Claude Rains in "The Invisible Man"

pictured here with Boris Karloff in "The Old Dark House"

Gloria Stuart (born Gloria Frances Stewart on July 4, 1910) passed away Sunday in her Los Angeles home at the age of 100. Although mainstream film-goers remember Gloria as "old" Rose in James Cameron's blockbuster hit Titanic, we fans of the horror films will never forget her as the love interest in James Whale's classic The Invisible Man, or as Margaret Waverton in another James Whale classic The Old Dark House. Gloria had a very long and productive career, on film and television, mostly working in mainstream films, but we will never forget her in the roles we classic horror film fans cherish. Rest In Peace Gloria.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZACHERLE!

ZACHERLE, Born John Zacherle on September 26, 1918 (also known as Zacherley), is probably one of the best known Horror Hosts in television history, right next to Vampira and Elvira. His horror host career started in 1957, when he created the character of "Roland" for Philadelphia's SHOCK THEATER. He eventually became "Zacherle" in 1959, then started hosting CHILLER THEATRE in New York a few years later. With the release of several horror novelty records, his hosting of several horror movie shows and even an American Bandstand-style dance music show called Disc-o-Teen, Zacherle remains one of the most recognized figures in the horror host community, and will always be the Godfather of Horror Hosts! Happy Birthday to the Coolest Ghoul ever!

Fall Begins....

"O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being,
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,
Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red,
Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou,
Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed"

"The winged seeds, where they lie cold and low,
Each like a corpse within its grave, until
Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow"

excerpts from "Ode To The West Wind" by Percy Bysshe Shelley


Today is the first day of Fall, which means Halloween is just around the corner! The seasons change, things begin to wither and die,...ah but isn't Autumn beautiful? My only regret is that living down here in South Florida, we don't get to experience the turning of the leaves, the changing colors from a vivid green to the wonderful browns and oranges of Fall. I must live vicariously through all you folks who get to enjoy the best of what the Fall season brings. May you all have a fantastic Fall Season, and I'm sure you all look forward to Halloween as much as I do! Enjoy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIRA!

Elvira, Mistress Of The Dark (born Cassandra Peterson on September 17, 1951) is undoubtedly the undisputed Queen of Halloween, ever since rising to fame in the early 80's while hosting Elvira's Movie Macabre. Since then, Elvira has gone on to become one of contemporary horror's most famous icons, starring on TV, motion pictures and even music videos. This Fall, Elvira returns with all new episodes of Movie Macabre, and will be a featured guest at this year's Spooky Empire's Ultimate Horror Weekend. We look forward to seeing, ahem, more of Elvira! Happy Birthday to the Mistress Of The Dark!

SPOOKY EMPIRE'S ULTIMATE HORROR WEEKEND!

That's right, it's just 23 days away....SPOOKY EMPIRE'S ULTIMATE HORROR WEEKEND, Florida's one and only Ultimate Horror Convention! This year they've got some FANG-TASTIC special guests, like Freddy himself, ROBERT ENGLUND, as well as the Master of Horror JOHN CARPENTER! Spooky Empire always delivers the goods, and this year is no exception! They've got a cast reunion of the original A Nightmare On Elm Street, as well as a slew of other famous and infamous celebrities from the Horror World! Check out the Spooky Empire's official website for all the details!

GOLD COAST DERBY GRRLS FUNDRAISER EVENT!

I know, it's not exactly horror news, but it'll definitely be alot of fun! These are a great bunch of gals, so if you're local, be sure to make it out to this event!
Please mark your calendar for Friday, Sept 17th for the next Gold Coast Derby Grrls Fundraiser at Tobacco Road. We will be hosting an event with caged jello wrestling, merchandising booth, jello shots, live bands and
more. Scheduled performances by:
The Methodaires
Hawg Jowls & The Bacon Fats
Celine & The Hellbillies
Pandia
The Shakers
with guest DJ
George Van Orsdel

Tobacco Road
626 South Miami Avenue
Miami, FL 33130-3016
Sept 17th Friday 8pm
2am $5 cover 21+
DON'T MISS IT!

R.I.P. Kevin McCarthy

Thanks to Prof. Grewbeard over at Magic Carpet Burn for posting about this. I had no idea...
The world of horror and science fiction movies lost one of its totemic actors on Saturday when, according to the Los Angeles Times, Kevin McCarthy died at the age of 96. McCarthy was never really a household name, but he starred in a raft of genre classics including 1978′s Piranha, 1981′s The Howling, and most famously, the seminal 1956 sci-fi movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers, in which aliens attempt to turn the human race into emotionless “pod people.” He was a hugely talented character actor who made whatever he appeared in watchable and could help elevate good material into the realm of the truly great. You will be sorely missed Kevin, rest in peace.

R.I.P. Glenn Shadix

Glenn Shadix as "Otho" in Beetlejuice


publicity shot of Glenn Shadix


me with Glenn Shadix at Screamfest horror convention, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Glenn Shadix, very funny and talented character actor, best known for his collaborations with Tim Burton and widely known as the bumbling "Otho" in Beetlejuice, passed away today, he was 58. I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking at great lengths with Glenn Shadix several years ago. He truly was a great person, very friendly, incredibly humorous and a wonderful character actor. You will be missed. Rest In Peace.

Happy Birthday Max Schreck!

Max Schreck, born September 6, 1879, was a German actor who starred in several silent films of the era, but will always be remembered as the screen's first vampire in Nosferatu, A Symphony of Horror (1922). Nosferatu, which was an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's book Dracula, with Max Schreck in the title role as the screen's first vampire - a mysterious aristocrat named Count Graf Orlok living in the late 1830s in the German town of Bremen. Because of copyright problems, the vampire was named Nosferatu rather than Dracula, and the action was moved from Transylvania to Bremen. The emaciated, balding, undead vampire's image was unforgettable with a devil-rat face, pointy ears, elongated fingers, sunken cheeks, and long fangs, with rats following him wherever he went. Since this was an unlicensed version of Bram Stoker's Dracula, based so closely on the novel that the estate of Bram Stoker sued and won, with all copies ordered to be destroyed. It would be painstakingly restored in 1994 by a team of European scholars from the five surviving prints that had escaped destruction. The images of Max Schreck as Nosferatu have endured and will always be a symbol of classic horror in films. Happy Birthday to film's first vampire!

Happy Birthday Zachary Price!

A very sleepy Zachary on his 1st birthday morning

Zachary with John Landis, last October at Spooky Empire's Ultimate Horror Weekend 2009


I just want to wish my little pumpkinhead, Zachary Price, a very Happy First Birthday! I can't believe it's already been a year since Zachary was born, how time flies! I hope you have a very Happy Birthday Zachary!

MONSTER SPOOKSHOW RADIO No. 28!

Hell-o there boils and ghouls!

Welcome to the latest installment of

MONSTER SPOOKSHOW RADIO!

Summer is almost over, as Fall slowly creeps closer! Halloween is only a month away!
So lock your doors, bolt your windows, and get ready for Monster Spookshow Radio No. 28!

This month's terror-iffic jungular jingles are:

GOIN' TO A GRAVEYARD - The Fuzztones
ORGY OF THE DEAD - Cult Of The Psychic Fetus
FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE BEATLES - Dickie Goodman
GHOST TOWN - The Specials
WEREWOLVES ON WHEELS - The Born Losers
LULLABY OF GHOST LAND - Frankie Stein and his Ghouls
HORRORMOVIE FAN - Bloodsucking Zombies From Outer Space
FRANKENSTEIN OF '59 - Buchanan and Goodman
GRAVE MISTAKE - Hellcat and the Prowl
(Don't fear) THE REAPER - Blue Oyster Cult
I THINK OF DEMONS - Roky Erickson and The Aliens
FRANKY'S GROOVY MONSTER BOOTS - Eddie Angel and the Omega Men
MY FRIEND THE GHOST - Jill Whitney
MONSTER - Osaka Popstar
HORROR MOVIES - The Bollock Brothers
SATAN TAKES A HOLIDAY - Lenny Dee
SHE'S DEAD - Tuff Darts
ZOMBI - The Monotones
IGOR'S PARTY - Tony's Monstrosities
ZOMBIE RIOT - The Brains


Just click on the image above to get the latest installment of

MONSTER SPOOKSHOW RADIO!

Enjoy......Happy Haunting!

George Van Orsdel