Lon Chaney Jr (1906-1973) born 107 years ago -- The Music of Universal Horror and Drama Films

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Date Posted: 13:52:23 02/11/13 Mon
Author: Tim
Subject: Lon Chaney Jr (1906-1973) born 107 years ago

I am a day late posting this, but yesterday was the birthday of Lon Chaney, Jr (1906-1973)

He was born Creighton Chaney on February 10, 1906 in Oklahoma City.

Chaney played Lawrence Talbot, aka The Wolf Man, in five Universal classics. He was also the only actor to play all four monster roles at Universal: The Wolf Man, Dracula, Frankenstein�s Monster and The Mummy.

He was very busy at Universal during the 1940s. Here is a list of his horror and drama films at the studio during that decade.

Man Made Monster (1941)
San Antonio Rose (1941)
The Wolf Man (1941)
North to the Klondike (1942)
The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
Eyes of the Underworld (1942)
The Mummy�s Tomb (1942)
Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man (1943)
Son of Dracula (1943)
Calling Dr. Death (1943)
Weird Woman (1944)
Cobra Woman (1944)
Ghost Catchers (1944)
The Mummy�s Ghost (1944)
Dead Man�s Eyes (1944)
House of Frankenstein (1944)
The Mummy�s Curse (1944)
The Frozen Ghost (1945)
Strange Confession (1945)
House of Dracula (1945)
Pillow of Death (1945)
Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein (1948)

Here are some (though by no means all) of his other films for various studios. His final picture was Dracula vs Frankenstein (1971), directed by Al Adamson.

Of Mice and Men (1939)
One Million B.C. (1940)
Too Many Blondes (1941) (A Universal Film)
Billy the Kid (1941)
My Favorite Brunette (1947)
Bride of the Gorilla (1951)
High Noon (1952)
The Black Castle (1952)
I Died a Thousand Times (1955)
Indestructible Man (1956)
The Black Sleep (1956)
Pardners (1956)
The Cyclops (1957)
The Defiant Ones (1958)
The Alligator People (1959)
Witchcraft (1964)
Gallery of Horror (1967)
Dracula vs Frankenstein (1971)

Tim

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Replies:

[> Re: Lon Chaney Jr (1906-1973) born 107 years ago -- DAN, 07:35:23 02/13/13 Wed [1]

Lon Chaney Jr. is one of my favorite actors. I thought he was great as Lawrence Talbot, the Wolf Man. Despite the critism, and I admit he doesn't top Lugosi or Karloff as Dracula and the monster, but I have to say that I really liked him as Alucard/Dracula in "Son of Dracula" and as the Monster in "Ghost of Frankenstein." He gave raw power to the vampire and monster roles.

I have all but four of Lon's films on DVD from your list. I need "San Antonio Rose," "North to the Klondike" "Eyes of the Underworld" and "Too Many Blondes." I've yet to see those four either.

I'd really like to get hold of "North to the Klondike" and "Eyes of the Underworld." Many critics gave these two films a decent rating.

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[> Re: Lon Chaney Jr (1906-1973) born 107 years ago -- Tim, 12:32:31 02/13/13 Wed [1]

I have not seen those four films either, Dan. There are a few more on the list I have yet to see as well.

One of the films I neglected to mention is Spider Baby (1968), a horror movie directed by Jack Hill. Over the years it has become a cult film of sorts. This low-budget picture was shot in just 12 days in 1964, and was not released until 1968. It was poorly received at the time.

In 2012 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced a restoration of Spider Baby.

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/cult-classic-spider-baby-academy-restoration-175800343.html

Spider Baby is really as much a dark comedy as it is a horror film. And the opening theme song is performed by Lon Chaney Jr!

Spider Baby Opening Titles
Uploaded October 15, 2008
16,563 Views

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7RT9OGzXL4

Tim

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[> [> Re: Lon Chaney Jr (1906-1973) born 107 years ago -- DAN, 09:58:23 02/18/13 Mon [1]

The Copy of Spider Baby that I have isn't the greatest, nor is the movie itself really, but being a completest I try to collect all of Lon Jr's films, Lugosi's, Karloff,s Universal horror films, etc.

Anyway that's good to know, because a restored copy of "Spider Baby" is going to be a big improvement.

I know when they restored "The Indestructible Man" I bought the DVD and it made a big difference from the copies I'd seen on TV and the VHS and DVD copies I've had.

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