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A.I.P. : THE FINAL GASP OF HORROR
Vincent Price, Robert Quarry and William Marshall
make a last bloody stand.

An exclusive TheHorrorDrunx.com article
by
SID TERROR

American International Pictures was a Horror powerhouse, one of the last studios that catered to the genre as a steady part of its diet. Its history was also one that tapped into the classic Horror bloodline of Universal Pictures monsters.

A.I.P. was formed in 1956 by partners James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff. Nicholson had previously been an important part of Realart Pictures and had done the re-release campaigns for all the Universal classics theatrically, basically creating the Monster Mania of the 1950's, so the man certainly knew how to sell Horror. Partnered with entertainment lawyer Arkoff, they set out to make their own films rather than just redistributing other peoples.

Nicholson being mostly an advertising campaign guy, it wasn't any surprise that at A.I.P. often the title and flashy poster art would come first, with a actual screenplay (based on the poster art) and film production being of secondary concern. Sure it was completely backwards from the way it was usually done (a studio making a movie, then the poster and ad campaign later), but somehow it was a formula that mostly worked for American International.

While the films weren't always top drawer entertainment, in fact some of them were just awful, many of them became very popular, made a LOT of money at the box-office and went on to become outright classics. Just a few of the 1950s titles: I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF, I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN, HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER, IT CONQUERED THE WORLD, THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN, ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES, THE ASTOUNDING SHE MONSTER, and many, many others.

In the 1960s A.I.P. would give the careers of classic Horror stars Vincent Price and Boris Karloff a resurgence of popularity. There was also the series of films based on the literature of Edgar Allen Poe. Other A.I.P. Horror films of the 1960s would also include THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, THE TERROR, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES, THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES, and many more.

By the 1970's the studio system (contracts that developed talent and bound actors to a specific studio) was long dead in the movie industry, yet still alive to some extent at American International. For example, Vincent Price could appear in movies and on television for any studio he wanted, but his contract with American International allowed him to do HORROR genre films only for them. A.I.P. would also develop new names specifically for their Horror genre too, again signing them to exclusive contracts. More on that in a bit.

By the time the early 1970's rolled around, it seemed like American International was faltering on the Horror front. There just hadn't been anything to compare to the films they had cut their fangs on in the 50s, or even the Poe series of the 60s.

Then suddenly in the matter of a very short time, BOOM, they had three new popular series on their hands, as well as related films. It was to be a short lived last gasp of Horror for the studio, but a very important one. Those are the films I wanted to concentrate on here, because the entire list I'll be focusing on are now considered must-see classics for any serious fan of the Horror genre..

Director Robert Kelljan and producer Michael Macready had shot a soft core porn film called FLESH OF MY FLESH that they had made some money from, so were looking to do another. Titled, THE LOVES OF COUNT IORGA it started life out as just another soft-core film. The project took a drastic turn however, when actor Robert Quarry was approached to be cast as the Count. Robert Quarry, who had started in the movie business when he was cast in the Alfred Hitchcock film SHADOW OF A DOUBT and already had a very good career at that time, saw something in THE LOVES OF COUNT IORGA, but saw a soft-core film as below him. I once asked the actor about this and he said he actually gave them a sort of an ultimatum...

Robert Quarry: "They asked me to read the script and afterwards I told them 'This seems like a very ambitious effort. Why don't you just make it a straight horror film?' it just made sense, because it would open them up to a larger audience than the usual adults only fare. They really wanted me for the part, so they asked me 'If we make the changes, will you take the role?' and I said I would."

When filming began in Agoura Hills California, it got off to a bumpy start however. Quarry was working on the Paul Newman film WUSA and because of scheduling conflicts could only work on the vampire film at night (of course) and on weekends. On the first night of filming, after they kept him waiting on the set for several hours (in 110 degree heat) only to film one scene that could have easily been done by a stand-in because it was only of his feet sneaking up on a van, the production then called a wrap for the night. Livid, Quarry actually quit on the spot. Eventually he allowed himself to be talked back onboard, which turned out later to be the best decision for the actor.

ABOVE: Robert Quarry
flashes his fangs

When principal photography was finally complete, the independent film makers brought their rough cut of the film to American International and were lucky enough to secure a distribution deal.

Still, they weren't out of the woods yet. When the ratings board got a print of the finished film, the trouble really began. Since the MPAA has historically been much harder on film makers that come from the adult film world and Horror films in particular, to them the film was a double threat. Several edits later (the film was submitted a total of six times), mostly trimming scenes of what they deemed gratuitous sex and violence, plus one submission where they just had to tone down the soundtrack to make some scenes less frightening, and they were finally able to get their GP rating. But there was one more obstacle in their way.

A.I.P.'s Samuel Z. Arkoff decided he hated the title because he felt that film goers would never know how to pronounce "Iorga". A title change was ordered and the film then became COUNT YORGA VAMPIRE. This title change must have been an 11^th hour, last minute, decision, as I have seen some prints of the film (both on television and theatrically) over the years that for some reason still retain the original "The Loves Of Count Iorga" title.

COUNT YORGA VAMPIRE: One-Sheet poster and Pressbook
(from the authors personal collection)

All the trouble seemed to be worth it however. In 1970 when COUNT YORGA VAMPIRE, a film that had only cost about $60,000 to make, was released, it made many millions at theater (and drive-in) box-offices all across the country. In fact, it soon became the highest grossing movie in American International Pictures history up to that time!



Quarry takes a bite out of
the box-office in COUNT YORGA VAMPIRE!

American International, seeing in Robert Quarry a new Horror star in the making, quickly signed him to a similar deal as the contract that they had Vincent Price tied up with. On the up side, it was great for Quarry who as an actor would have some job security. On the down side, there was one great role he would have to eventually turn down for contractual reasons... That of Janos Skorzeny, the vampire in the now classic film THE NIGHT STALKER, starring Darren MacGavin. Barry Atwater would later be cast in the role. But Quarry wouldn't miss out too much, since with the success of COUNT YORGA VAMPIRE, A.I.P. quickly ordered another Count Yorga film. It would be something that A.I.P. had wanted since the Vincent Price / Poe films in the 1960's, they would have their next Horror film series!

However their main Horror star, Vincent Price, was not out of the running yet. His new film SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN (1970) was making some healthy cash in theaters and he was already in England's Elstree studios, making a pivotal film that would effect the Horror genre for years to come...

ABOVE: One-Sheet poster
(Courtesy the authors personal collection)

The 1971 film THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES (working / production titles "Dr. Phibes" and "The Curse Of Dr. Phibes") would be the beginning of a new kind of Horror villain---The stylish art-deco brainchild of director and production designer Robert Fuest (Formerly of THE AVENGERS tv series) with a brilliant screenplay by the writing team of James Whiton and William Goldstein. It was also advertised as Vincent Price's 100^th film for some extra promotional mileage.

ABOVE: Vincent Price in one of his finest roles
as Dr. Anton Phibes.

The Abominable Dr. Phibes was a rebirth of "smart horror", with its antagonist/protagonist Dr. Anton Phibes (Vincent Price) concocting all forms of creative deaths for his enemies. His victims, at the mercy of some of the best gadgets and contraptions this side of a James Bond film, were also killed in line with the 10 Biblical plagues of the Pharaohs. Frankly, almost everyone since, from SAW and SE7EN to FRIDAY THE 13^TH has tried to recreate or tap into this kind of formula, most failing with miserable or limp results.



ABOVE: Vincent Price and Virginia North cook up
another tasty death in THE ABOMINABLE DR.PHIBES

The performances from both leads and character actors alike is great (one of Price's co-stars, Joseph Cotton had starred in CITIZEN KANE fer crissakes!), with sardonic humor and crisp dialogue... Even though Price doesn't speak his first dialogue until over 30 minutes into the film... It all added up to this film becoming a classic and repeatedly being voted one of the best 100 Horror films of all time.



ABOVE: Phibes unmasked!

Needless to say, the film was another huge hit for American International, who shortly after its May 18, 1971 release began development of a sequel. It was to become their second Horror series within a year!

ABOVE: From advertising Pressbook
(Courtesy of the authors collection)

Also in 1971 was to come the release of the 2^nd film in the Count Yorga series, THE RETURN OF COUNT YORGA, with Quarry repeating his role as the Count. The film was very much a non-linear sequel, much like many of the Hammer studios Dracula series, with no clear answers how Yorga and other characters had survived the first film to make their return. The film had a slightly different feel from the original COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE, not being quite as dark.

Robert Quarry: "That is mostly due to the fact that the first film was done on such a small budget, we couldn't afford any more lights! I recall there being only four people on the crew of Count Yorga Vampire, plus one make-up person. With the success of the first film, we could afford a lot better by the time Return Of Count Yorga came around!"

ABOVE: One-Sheet poster
(Courtesy the authors collection)

Though this film had a much more polished look, it did fall a bit short of the first, but still did record business for A.I.P. and is highly watchable. Both Yorga films had done better at the box-office than the next couple Dracula films (DRACULA A.D. 1972 and THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA released here as COUNT DRACULA AND HIS VAMPIRE BRIDE) in the Hammer series, even though the Hammer films had quite a bit larger budget than their vampiric American cousins.

It seemed Quarry was poised to become the next Christopher Lee, but could A.I.P. keep the original creative blood flowing, or was it just a series of lucky flukes? The second seems more likely, since the working titles of THE RETURN OF COUNT YORGA were so similar to the Phibes film... THE ABOMINABLE COUNT YORGA and THE CURSE OF COUNT YORGA.

American International was just running out of fresh ideas. For the upcoming Dr. Phibes sequel, there was even talk during the development process of teaming up both Dr. Anton Phibes and Count Yorga in the same film, much like Universal had done in their monster mash-ups of the 1940's... Perhaps James H. Nicholson was having flashbacks to his days at Realart, designing the sales campaigns for the Universal monster reissues?

The original concept for the film was to have Phibes and Yorga in a race to Egypt, each competing to be the first to gain entrance to the "River Of Eternal Life". Upping the ante would be that not only would they live forever, but they could also restore the lives of their beloved wives. A look at the finished film shows us, especially at the conclusion, that was the story they were going for.

But they were foiled by a bit of a snag...

Robert Quarry had just completed a film for A.I.P. called THE DEATHMASTER (1972) in which he had played a vampire character only a couple steps removed from Count Yorga. You may also remember that Yorga was billed as "The Deathmaster" in advertising for both films. Michael Macready who had produced the first Yorga film took exception, saying that it was ripping off his Yorga series by causing audience confusion, so negotiations broke down and permission to use the Count Yorga character in the Phibes sequel was not granted. A quick re-write was done and Quarry, who was already under contract to do the Phibes sequel, had his character name changed to the evil but non-vampiric "Darius Biederbeck".

ABOVE: One-Sheet Poster
(Courtesy the authors collection)

The budget for what was to eventually be titled DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN (released in 1972) seems to have been cut around this time as well, perhaps due to financial trouble with the not always completely solvent A.I.P. Many more scenes that were to be filmed inside the pyramid included various elaborate traps, passages filling with boiling oil, etc., but these were dropped for budgetary reasons. The character of Phibes female assistant Vulnavia (from the first film) was to be a completely different character in this sequel, however American International Pictures ever meddling Samuel Z. Arkoff demanded that the character return for name recognition. She did return, but as a different actress (causing a little bit of confusion) when the original Vulnavia actress Virginia North had to bow out due to pregnancy. The role was re-cast with actress Valli Kemp.


ABOVE: Phibes and his new Vulnavia -
Valli Kemp, a former Miss Australia

Then another major bump in the road occurred during production because relations between Quarry and Price began to break down. Word had leaked out at a press party that American International Pictures was grooming Quarry to possibly be the studios Horror actor replacement for Price, whose salaries were beginning to become unaffordable for low-budget A.I.P.. Vincent's long-term Horror contract with A.I.P. was also going to be up within a year... So true or not, maybe Vincent did have cause to be a bit upset in the way he got the Quarry news.

One story about another event that took place on the set was as follows... Price arrived at the studio early one day to hear a loud singing voice coming from someplace on the sound stage. As he turned a corner, Price saw that it was Robert Quarry. Quarry turned to say "Oh, hello Vincent... You didn't know that I was a singer?" to which the always acerbic Price replied "Well, I knew you weren't much of a fucking actor".

Whatever dislike the two men may have had for each other and even if they were to never see each other socially again, neither let it interfere with their work. The pair remained completely professional on the set. If anything, they took those buried emotions and used them in their performances while playing each others nemesis.

ABOVE: Robert Quarry tries to save his wife from
one of Phibes fiendish traps.

DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN actually turned out to be a very solid sequel, yet not quite as good film as the original, but again the Phibes character did great box-office for the studio.

When I view the film (which I love by the way), I've taken to ignoring the fact that Robert Quarry is playing a character named "Darius Biederbeck" and like to imagine that he is actually Count Yorga using an assumed name. It makes it a slightly more enjoyable film somehow, even though in a linear time-line way it doesn't quite match up to the Yorga films, which took place in the 1970s. Hmmmm... Maybe Biederbeck just found another way to attain eternal life and later changed his name to Yorga?

With DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN doing even better in the theaters than the first film in the series, it wasn't long after its July 1972 release, that the studio announced plans for and began developing a third Phibes sequel.

Many treatments and a few scripts were written, all with some very titillating and imaginative titles...

DR. PHIBES IN THE HOLY LAND (This one was to have Phibes fighting a group of Nazis in a story that sounds remarkably like it was adapted for RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK nearly a decade later. ...Hmmm.)

THE 7 FATES OF DR. PHIBES (This story treatment had Phibes searching for a key to Mount Olympus).

However it was around this same time that, James H. Nicholson left American International. With the Horror genres main champion gone from the studio, many of the proposed Horror projects languished in the development process indefinitely.

Sam Arkoff was moving away from classic Horror and had begun making films in a new genre called "Blaxploitation", where he thought the money would be. These exploitation movies, made primarily for black urban audiences, had become all the rage at that time. However, it seems all roads eventually lead back to that good old stand-by, the Horror genre.

At the helm of one of these Horror / Blaxploitation projects was a young black film director named William Crain. I spoke to William recently at a screening in Hollywood and he had this to say...

William Crain: "I was only 19 years old at the time, but I had lied about my age to get in the door of the studio. They thought I was a few years older. Sam Arkoff handed me a script by Raymond Koenig and Joan Torres that was a fair script for a first draft, but had the awful title COUNT BROWN IS BACK IN TOWN. I considered myself a serious film maker and said to my mother 'Mom, but it is a vampire movie!'. She then gave me the best advice of my young life ' But it is a feature length theatrical movie. When are you going to get a chance like this again? Who else would give you this kind of a chance? Do it!".

Before Crain would consider it, he got together with the screenwriters and made some serious changes. The first change being the title, which became the less offensive and more tongue in cheek, BLACULA.

ABOVE: One-Sheet poster
(Courtesy the authors collection)

William Crain: "Of course, what made that film was the casting of William Marshall as "Mamuwalde" (Blacula). With his history as a serious actor, for me it lifted the movie up into a whole new realm. We were lucky to get him. At first, man I wasn't getting anything from the studio that I was asking for, but as soon as they started to see the dailies that all changed. I'd show up on the set in the morning and suddenly there would be a second unit camera and crew. I finally even got the special slow motion cameras I asked for!"

ABOVE: William Marshall as Mamuwalde
in BLACULA

When BLACULA was released on August 25 1972 it became a runaway box-office smash for the studio. It is one of those films (like I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF) that many people immediately want to dismiss because of the title. But for those that can overlook such a kookie title and get past it, it is really a great film with some good scares.

ABOVE: "There he is again!" William Marshall
in BLACULA

With the millions of dollars in box-office money rolling in, American International took the next logical step that they had done with Phibes and Yorga, they announced plans for a sequel... Making it their third hit film series within the last two years!

William Crain: "You would think that with all the money the studio was making hand over fist from a very small investment, that they would have been happy. But let's just say that Arkoff and I didn't go fishing together. The guy hated me. He could never forget that I had just done my own creative thing and had made a film that was much different than the one the studio had envisioned. Despite the huge success of Blacula, I never worked for the studio again."


ABOVE: Tina and Mamuwalde


ABOVE: Mexican poster
(Courtesy the authors collection)

Whether it was because he had made a quite different movie than the studio expected, or Arkoff discovered Crain's true age and felt bamboozled, William Crain would not be involved in the Blacula sequel... And no disrespect to the films makers, but I think the movie suffered because of it. The studio should have brought back the man whose vision had elevated Blacula from a goofy black romp, to a serious black themed Horror film.

After going through a run of title changes during development... "The Name Is Blacula" aka "Blacula II" aka "Blacula Is Beautiful" aka "Blacula Lives Again!"... The film SCREAM BLACULA SCREAM was released the next year in 1973. Even though it was directed by Bob Kelljan (who had directed both Count Yorga films) and starred William Marshall returning as "Mamuwalde" (Blacula), and had the addition of the great Pam Grier (as Blacula's voodoo priestess adversary) the film turned out to be the weakest of the studios recent Horror series sequels.

ABOVE: One-Sheet poster
(Courtesy of the authors personal collection)

Still, it did decent enough business that plans for a third Blacula sequel were hatched by the studio, who had by that time gone Blaxploitation crazy.

Meanwhile, American International was letting the true serious Horror genre films languish and fall by the wayside. Vincent Price returned for one last film to finish off his contractual obligation to the studio. MADHOUSE (made in 1973 but released in 1974) also known as Deathday, The Madhouse of Dr. Fear and The Revenge of Dr. Death. It was based on the excellent novel DEVILDAY by Angus Hall.



ABOVE: One-Sheet poster
(Courtesy of the authors collection)

Still one of my favorite Price films of this era, MADHOUSE features Vincent playing a Horror movie actor with mental problems, that may or may not have turned into a real killer.

ABOVE: Vincent Price in
one of the most outstanding
make-up jobs of his career

Joining him in this film was a great cast, including Peter Cushing and A.I.P.'s other Horror contract player Robert Quarry.



But one scene that was very telling of American Internationals temperament toward their Horror films at the time occurred during a masquerade scene in MADHOUSE. ...Quarry, wearing the same wardrobe he had in COUNT YORGA VAMPIRE (only 3 years before) loses a masquerade costume contest.

ABOVE: Vincent bows out in MADHOUSE,
his final film for A.I.P.

Indeed, all respect for the classic Horror genre seemed to have flown out the American International windows. The studio really didn't know what to do with Horror contract star Quarry. His next role would be in the Blazploitation voodoo / zombie chiller SUGAR HILL (also released in 1974), playing a gangster role that was originally written for a black actor.

It seemed like they didn't know what to do with William Marshall either, unsure if they should push him as a Blaxploitation star or Horror star. Ultimately they failed him on both counts, wasting his talent on films like ABBY, a blaxploitation version of THE EXORCIST.

There were still tentative plans for more sequels in both the Count Yorga and Blacula series, so Horror fans had not quite given up. One treatment that made the rounds even planned to team up Count Yorga and Blacula in the same film, an idea that had earlier been attempted with Phibes and Yorga. Tentatively titled THE CURSE OF COUNT YORGA, Quarry once said that it would have featured a beaten down Count Yorga trying to recover from his earlier defeat in THE RETURN OF COUNT YORGA. This time living underground in the sewers beneath Los Angeles Yorga was to raise an army of the vampire homeless. Intriguing as it sounds, it is unsure where Blacula would have fit in. But in the end Bob Kelljan was apparently not receptive to the idea, still angered over the Deathmaster incident, and would not allow the character to be used. Sadly neither Count Yorga or Blacula would ever return, together or separately, onscreen ever again.

In the meantime, Vincent Price had certainly landed on his feet after his contract with American International had ended. He immediately went to United Artists and starred in one of his finest films ever (and his personal favorite) THEATER OF BLOOD released on April 5, 1973.



As a bonus, while making THEATER OF BLOOD Vincent Price would meet his future wife, actress Coral Browne. Price would later marry his co-star and the couple would stay happily married for the rest of their lives.


One great thing I love about THEATER OF BLOOD is that Price had so many different looks and disguises. He had the chance to play several characters in one film. At a time in Vincent's career when he was the most identifiable and everyone thought they knew who he was, there were many times in the film when a character would appear on the screen and it was a minute or two before you realized it was yet another characterization by Vincent Price!


ABOVE: Almost the entire cast from THEATER OF BLOOD
is in this photo. Can you spot Vincent Price? That
is him on the far right bottom in another of his disguises!

THEATER OF BLOOD would use the smart Horror / theme killings recipe used to such great effect in the Phibes series. This time, instead of being a mad musician / theologist killing doctors in accordance with the10 Biblical Egyptian curses, he would return as a revenge crazed stage actor killing off theatrical critics by replicating the deaths found in the plays of William Shakespear. In fact, for a time Phibes director Robert Fuest even considered helming the film.


ABOVE: Vincent as a gay hairdresser? Price camps it
up in another THEATER OF BLOOD disguise.

THEATER OF BLOOD became a huge hit critically and financially for both Price and United Artists and has become a bonafide classic on several lists as one of the best Horror films ever made.

In 1976, only four years after the release of DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN, I had begun a long friendship with Vincent Price. I asked him directly what his thoughts were about making another Phibes film. His answer to me was as follows...

Vincent Price: "I loved the character of Phibes, he is one of my favorite roles. Those pictures were so well written and the character was so defined. At this point the only way I would agree to doing another one would be if Robert Fuest was involved. He is the only one with the sensibility and humor to make it work. But if they are going to do it, they had better do it soon, I'm not getting any younger!"

ABOVE: One of his favorite and most beloved super-villians,
Vincent Price as Dr. Anton Phibes in DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN

I can vouch for the fact that he really was truthful about his love for dear old Dr. Anton Phibes, because before we left each others company that day he actually sung that final song (from the end of Rises Again)... "Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high..." I tell you I got chills hearing that voice do that in person! He really was in a good mood at the prospect of another sequel someday being made.

The closest that I think it ever came to happening, was a project called THE BRIDES OF DR PHIBES, It had apparently even gone so far as being cast (Paul Williams from one of my favorite films, PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE was to be a co-star) and was in pre-production, sets being built and rehearsals begun. However, before a frame of film could be shot, the plug was pulled on the project when American International went under and its assets sold off.

Many years after A.I.P. was dead and gone, there was still interest in trying to get another Phibes sequel off the ground. One such attempt was a script titled PHIBES RESURRECTUS and went as far as having the names Jon Davidson (later the producer of ROBOCOP) and George Romero (NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD director) attached. However Vincent Price was still reluctant without Robert Fuest being involved. About working with Romero, Vincent would only say "I don't think so. I might do it. I suppose I'd have to see a script and talk to him."

I recently bumped into George Romero and took the oppurtunity to ask him in person about this proposed project, hoping to get his recollections and some further insight. As far as I know, this Horror Drunx exclusive is the only time he has talked publically about it...

GEORGE ROMERO: "I was a huge Vincent Price fan. In fact, I had liked him in THE LAST MAN ON EARTH so much, that I admit I kind of ripped off the idea for NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD from it. This all happened so many years ago now that I forget the detailed ins and outs, but I was sent the script and was supposed to direct it as a gun for hire. (Editor's note: Usually Romero wrote the screenplays for all of his own films, but not in this case.) Like I said, my memories are rather dim as to why the movie never came together. Part of it, I think, was Price's reluctance to do the film without Robert Fuest somehow attached. But in the end it didn't happen and we lost our chance."

Everyone really should have tried harder to get at least one of the Phibes sequel projects off of the ground, because indeed, Vincent wasn't getting any younger. My dear long-time friend Vincent Price left this world on a trip down "The River Of Eternal Life" at the age of 82. It was the week before Halloween on October 25^th 1993, when he finally succumbed to a long fight with lung cancer. Halloween that year lost a little of its glimmer and has never quite been quite as fun or frightening since.

BELOW: Phibes would only return again as an action
figure. One of two styles available (Masked or Unmasked)


William Marshall would go on to a long and successful career as a stage, film and television actor... Versatile and talented enough that he played everything from Shakespearian roles, to "The King Of Cartoons" on The Pee-Wee Herman show. He died on June 11, 2003 in Los Angeles California at the age of 78 of complications due to diabetes and advanced Alzheimer's disease. He was eulogized at his funeral by Sidney Poitier, Ivan Dixon, Paul Winfield and Marla Gibbs amongst others. I consider myself lucky to have met and spoken with him on more than a few occasions.

BELOW: Blacula, young forever, will never die or grow old. As a 12 inch action figure, you can bring him back for as many
sequels as you would like! Team him up with Phibes AND Yorga!

Robert Quarry would not fair nearly as well in his post Horror career. Not that he wasn't getting good work in big studio films, such as ROLLER COASTER (1977). Shortly after that time he was struck by a drunk driver and dragged beneath the vehicle for nearly a block. Sustaining major injuries, he was forced into a recuperative leave from acting for many years. Just when it seemed he was getting back on his feet as an actor, he was to become a victim of a violent robbery in 1982, with the assailants breaking both his legs, shattering his cheekbones and leaving him with major facial injuries. The brutal assault was so severe, he suffered his first heart attack as a result. Quarry would spend the rest of his life in pain, getting major corrective surgeries and trying to recuperate. (You may remember the fund raising drive that The Horror Drunx supported for him last year). He died nearly penniless in the motion-picture fund retirement home in Woodland Hills California on February 20^th 2009. Death by heart failure, from the weakened condition he had suffered since his violent attack decades earlier. He was aged 83.

And that my friends was the last gasp of classic Horror for the now long gone American International Pictures, thanks to Dr. Anton Phibes, Count Yorga, and Prince Mamuwalde.

In a large way, it was the final end of the golden age of classic theme Horror films. Less than a year after the release of the final Blacula sequel Horror would be taking another turn with the rise of the faceless and voiceless slasher film trend, begun by the release of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE in 1974.

No longer would studios have to develop a real actor with a refined Horror personality that they would have to pay a large salary to... Not when they could hire a different faceless glorified extra to wear a geek mask in each successive sequel of a weak Horror franchise. It is a trend that has continued though every Friday The 13^th and Halloween ever since.

Some MUST-SEE films mentioned in this article for
anyone that is serious about the Horror genre....

COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE (1970)
THE RETURN OF COUNT YORGA (1971)
THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES (1971)
DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN (1972)
BLACULA (1972)
SCREAM BLACULA SCREAM (1973)
THEATER OF BLOOD (1973) (United Artists)
MADHOUSE (1974)

"My name is Sid Terror and I am a Horror Drunx"

SID TERROR
Editor-In-Chief
TheHorrorDrunx.com Online Magazine
Hollywoodland, California
November 2009

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