James T Coughlin

Forgotten Faces of Fantastic Films James T Coughlin

I know that face, but .... who is that? Karloff, Lugosi, Chaney--those names and images have endured and become iconic over the years. The fates have not been so kind to those who supported them in their classic film roles. There were the henchman who robbed the graves and assisted the mad scientists. There were those who provided comic relief to modulate the onscreen terror. And there were the village officials, inept policemen, wise professors, kind and evil servants and many more. What they all had in common was a bond to the Golden Age of Horror Films in the 1930s. Forgotten Faces of Fantastic Films explores the lives and careers of 22 individuals who inhabited the laboratories, jungles, haunted houses and other eerie settings that characterized classic horror and fantasy cinema. Not only are their horror roles examined, but also their upbringing, education and theatrical background leading to their film careers. Beyond the horror and other film performances, detailed attention is also given to their careers on stage, on the radio and on television. Included are: Noble Johnson, the fierce Chief of Skull Island in King Kong; Ernest Thesiger, the malevolent Dr. Pretorius in Bride of Frankenstein; Lucille La Verne, the voice of the Evil Queen and Old Hag in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; Lionel Belmore, the Burgomaster in Frankenstein; Edward Van Sloan, the sagacious Professor Van Helsing in Dracula; and 17 others, some far more obscure--all of whom now receive long overdue recognition.