Monsters! Mystery! Mayhem! & More!

Here's a great old ad from Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine.

The only monster Super 8 film my dad had in the 70s was Dracula with Bela Lugosi (I still have it). A friend of mine had I Was A Teenage Werewolf. The only other Super 8 in my collection is Son of Frankenstein.

7th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards

VOTE NOW FOR THE ...

7th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards

Voting ends March 21, 2009

Recognizing the best in monster research, creativity and genre appreciation.

These awards are by fans, for fans. Every Rondo nominee is being recognized for a significant achievement in the genre -- great filmmaking, strong writing, significant scholarship or just plain fun. So please take a look at the ballot and let the nominees know how much we appreciate their work by voting.

Click on the link below to vote --

Rondo Awards Ballot

Shirley Jean Rickert, RIP

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Shirley Jean Rickert, who starred in five "Our Gang" comedies as a child and later became a burlesque performer, has died at the age of 82.

Rickert appeared in the "Our Gang" films in 1931 with Jackie Cooper and other pre-Spanky and Alfalfa characters, playing a coquettish, Mae West-type character with a short blond bob. She later played Tomboy Taylor in five Mickey McGuire comedies alongside Mickey Rooney in 1933 and 1934.

Rickert - who later went by her married name, Measures - died Friday [Feb. 6] at a nursing home in Saratoga Springs after a long illness, said her daughter, Melody Kennedy.

She had roles in several other films, including "Neath Arizona Skies" with John Wayne and "Singing in the Rain" with Gene Kelly. After her movie career Rickert worked in burlesque in the 1950s as "Gilda and Her Crowning Glory," named for her long blond hair. As Gilda, she performed in theaters and nightclubs across the United States and Canada.

She left burlesque in 1959, going on to work a variety of jobs, including bartender, secretary and sales director for a regional theater in Springfield, Mass. In the mid-70s she launched a career as a traveling industrial hardware saleswoman.

"I walk in, and they say, 'Not another nuts and bolts salesman,'" Rickert told The Associated Press in 1993. "And then I open my sales folder and show them an 8-by-10 of me in 'Our Gang.' I say, 'You grew up with me.' Then they do a 360."

She remained active late in life, performing in local theater productions, helping maintain a Web site for her fans and even doing occasional appearances at film festivals and conventions.

The Many Moods of Romance

Here's a little something for Valentine's Day. The Many Moods of Romance: Night and Day - A Time Life Collection.

Track Listing

1. Night and Day - Ella Fitzgerald
2. This Time the Dream's on Me - Tony Bennett
3. Time on My Hands - Eddie Fisher
4. Dancing on the Ceiling - Jo Stafford
5. Isn't It a Pity? - Johnny Mathis
6. Don't Ever Leave Me! - Polly Bergen
7. Serenade in Blue - Vic Damone
8. Dancing in the Dark - Mary Martin
9. What's New - André Previn, His Piano & Orch.
10. For All We Know - Billie Holiday
11. Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) - Eileen Farrell
12. Day by Day - Johnnie Ray
13. Answer Me, My Love - Gisele MacKenzie
14. Moonlight Becomes You - Jerry Vale
15. Do I Love You (Because You're Beautiful) - Tony Martin w/ Henri Rene & His Orch.
16. Love Is Here to Stay - Michael Feinstein
17. Without a Memory - Judy Garland w/ Paul Weston & His Orch.
18. Come to Me, Bend to Me - Andy Williams
19. I Fall in Love Too Easily - Anita O'Day
20. Glad to Be Unhappy - Diahann Carroll

Click the link below to download --

--> The Many Moods of Romance <--

Click here to download a compilation I put together last year called Movie Love Songs.

Ackerman Sci-Fi, Horror Collection Up For Sale

I sure hope all of Forry's stuff finds a good home. It would be cool if it could all be put in some sort of monster/sci-fi museum.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — He always vowed that he wouldn't die unless he could take it with him.

But now that Forrest J Ackerman really is gone, the grand old man of science fiction's memorabilia collection is on the auction block.

Thousands of items, including the Count Dracula ring worn by Bela Lugosi in the 1931 horror classic "Dracula," the vampire cape Lugosi wore for decades — even the actor's outfit from the "worst film ever made," Ed Wood's cheesy "Plan 9 from Outer Space" — are going up for bid.

So are such notable pieces as a signed, first-edition copy of Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein" and a first-edition copy of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" that was signed not only by Stoker but also Lugosi, Boris Karloff and numerous other horror film notables.

The auction, tentatively scheduled for the last week of April, is expected to raise $500,000, said Joe Maddalena, president of Profiles in History, which is handling the sale.

Ackerman, the science-fiction writer, editor and literary agent widely credited with coining the term sci-fi, spent a lifetime collecting tens of thousands of pieces, ranging from the junky to the very rare. He died last December at age 92.

"I'm holding that stuff in my hand and I'm just like, 'Wow, these are his most iconic treasurers,'" Maddalena said when he was invited by Ackerman's estate to auction the collection. He said Ackerman's will stipulates that his estate's share of the profits be divided among his friends.

At one time Ackerman had a collection of 300,000 pieces of science-fiction film memorabilia, 50,000 books and the complete sets of 200 science-fiction magazines. During his final years he contributed many pieces to museums and sold some others, but held on to thousands more.

Skittle-Bowl

My brother sent me this scan of an ad from an old comic book. Skittle-Bowl by Aurora. We had this game in the early 70s. I don't remember playing it a lot, but I think the ball and chain on a stick was used more as a weapon! Anybody else have one of these?

The Pittsburgh Steelers

This song combines two of my favorite things -- KISS and The Steelers!

New Steelers Song "KISSOFSTEEL" by Sinchak's Y-Town Rockers. Finally, a Steelers song that rocks!!! More info at http://www.peppermintrecords.com/.

Pictres from the website Steelers In Hoboken.

Hulk Vs

Are you ready for twice the action, twice the carnage and double the smash, True Believers?!

Coming January 27, 2009, Hulk takes on Wolverine and Thor in the most highly anticipated Marvel animated feature yet—"Hulk Vs!"

"HULK VS. WOLVERINE" SYNOPSIS The Incredible Hulk has been tearing a line across the Canadian wilderness, leaving a swath of destruction in his wake. He has to be stopped, and there's only one man up to the job. He's the best at what he does, but what he does isn't very nice. He's Wolverine, an elite agent of Canada's top secret Department H, and he's been put on Hulk's trail with a single objective: stop the green goliath…at all costs. Hulk and Wolverine are about to enter the fiercest battle of their lives.

"HULK VS. THOR" SYNOPSIS It's gods versus monsters in this epic forty-five minute movie. For ages, Loki the trickster has sought a way to bring defeat to his accursed stepbrother, Thor. But for all the battles Thor has fought, in all the nine realms, only one creature has ever been able to match his strength—a mortal beast of Midgard known as The Incredible Hulk. Now, with Odin the king of the gods deep in a regenerative sleep, and the forces protecting Asgard at their weakest, Loki is finally ready to spring his trap. In a classic battle that will test a hero's limits more than ever before, only the mighty Thor can hope to prevail.

I can't wait to see this DVD. Check out these awesome trailers --




It is available for preorder from Amazon --

Bob May, RIP

Bob May was at a convention I went to a few years ago. Unfortunately I ran out of money before I could get his autograph. Rest in peace Mr. May.

LOS ANGELES: Bob May, who won a cult following as The Robot in the hit 1960s television show "Lost in Space," died Sunday of congestive heart failure. He was 69.

May died at a hospital in Lancaster, his daughter, Deborah May, told The Associated Press.

His entertainment career spanned more than 65 years.

He was a veteran actor and stuntman who had appeared in movies, TV shows and on the vaudeville stage when he was tapped by "Lost in Space" creator Irwin Allen to play the Robinson family's loyal metal sidekick in the hit series that debuted in 1965.

"He always said he got the job because he fit in the robot suit," said June Lockhart, who played family matriarch Maureen Robinson. "It was one of those wonderful Hollywood stories. He just happened to be on the studio lot when someone saw him and sent him to see Irwin Allen about the part. Allen said, 'If you can fit in the suit you've got the job.'"

Although May didn't provide the robot's distinctive voice (that was done by announcer Dick Tufeld), he developed a devoted following of fans who sought him out at memorabilia shows.

"We gave them entertainment. We didn't try to lecture them. We just wanted to have fun with the family," he said at a 1995 reunion of the "Lost in Space" cast.

"Lost in Space" was a space-age retelling of "The Swiss Family Robinson" story in which Professor John Robinson, his wife and their children were on a space mission when their craft was knocked hopelessly off course by the evil Dr. Zachary Smith, who became trapped in space with them.

May's robot was the Robinson family's loyal sidekick, warning them of approaching disaster at every turn. His often-quoted expression to one of the children, "Danger, Will Robinson," became a national catch phrase.

The grandson of famed vaudeville comedian Chic Johnson, May was introduced to show business at age 2 when he began appearing in the "Hellzapoppin" comedy revue with Johnson and his partner, Ole Olsen.

He worked in vaudeville, nightclubs and theaters.

"My dad always ended his shows the same way his grandfather did, with a toast: 'May you live as long as you want to and may you laugh as long as you live,'" his daughter said.

He went on to appear in numerous films with Jerry Lewis and in such TV shows as "The Time Tunnel," "McHale's Navy and "The Red Skelton Show."

He was also a stuntman in such 1950s and '60s TV shows as "Cheyenne," "Surfside 6," "Hawaiian Eye," "The Roaring 20s" and "Stagecoach."

May and his wife lost their house in November when a wildfire destroyed their upscale mobile home park in the San Fernando Valley's Sylmar section. It was one of 484 homes destroyed.

Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Judith; his daughter; his son, Martin; and four grandchildren.

Funeral services are pending.

Megohead Of The Month

There is a new feature over at the Mego Museum Forums. It's called Megohead of the Month. Every month they will spotlight one member as a way to get to know them better. Guess who was picked to be the first Megohead? That's right. ME!

If you love classic action figures from the 70s, the Mego Museum is the place for you. The forums are more than just Megos though. They discuss other classic and modern toys, comic books, sci-fi, monster movies, repros, customs, auctions and much, much more. They even have an arcade and a marketplace. And don't forget about the Mego Museum trading cards! They are absolutely beautiful. Click on the picture below to join all the fun.

You can also buy the book World's Greatest Toys! by forum member Benjamin Holcomb. It features lots of great pictures and details about your favorite classic Mego figures.