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Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6” x 9” black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. Bell & Howell Information and Leaming 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA UMJ 800-521-0600 MAGIC, MONSTERS AND MOVIES: AMERICA'S MIDNIGHT GHOST SHOWS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of the Ohio State University By Beth A. Kattelman, B.A., M.A. ****** The Ohio State University 1999 Dissertation Committee : Approved by Professor Alan Woods, Adviser Professor Esther Beth Sullivan Professor Joy Reilly Adviser Theatre Graduate Program UMI Number 9951674 mvu" UMI Microform 9951674 Copyright 2000 by Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346 ABSTRACT Midnight ghost shows were magic shows presented on the stages of movie theatres across America from approximately 1930 to the mid-1960s. They reached their heyday during the forties and early fifties and then declined steadily due to the advent of new media technologies. The early shows capitalized on the spiritualism craze by featuring illusions and effects that centered around séances, mindreading and the production of apparitions. Later ghost shows evolved into shows that presented horrific illusions, such as decapitations and buzz saw effects, and monsters borrowed from the popular horror films of the day. Most ghost shows followed a strict formula and even those that deviated somewhat contained important traits common to all of these performances : the show was part of a double-bill with a horror film, was performed at midnight, and contained a blackout sequence in which luminous spirits and monsters would appear onstage and in the audience. Several historical tangents converged to produce a time in which midnight ghost shows could flourish. These tangents include : the spiritualism craze of the late 1800s, the rise of motion pictures, the social anxiety precipitated by World War I, World War II and the Great Depression, and the influence of technological innovations. By examining this popular entertainment through the works of cultural theorists John Fiske, Pierre Bourdieu and Mikhail Bakhtin insight is gained into the societal forces and social milieu surrounding the phenomenon. lU Dedicated to my parents and grandparents. To Dee Shepherd. And to all of those masters of mystery and legerdemain who continue to keep the tradition alive. IV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I'd like to thank ray adviser. Dr. Alan Woods, for his encouragement and guidance in the completion of this dissertation. Thanks also go to members of my committee. Dr. Esther Beth Sullivan and Dr. Joy Reilly for their insight and thoughtful comments. I wish to thank Lee Jacobs and Dick Newton for their willingness to share memories and stories. I am also grateful to Eugene Burger for helping me to contact fellow magicians and for the inspiration his work has provided. I thank Dee Shepherd for her patience and support during the writing of this dissertation. I ' d also like to thank my parents and grandparents for their support, encouragement and inspiration throughout the years. VITA April 1, 1959.............B o m - Cincinnati, Ohio 1981 - 82.................Company Member, The ArtReach Touring Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio 1982 -. 83.................House Manager, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park 1983 -. 86.................Supervisor of Performing Arts, The Jewish Community Center of Cincinnati 1984 - 89............... Managing Director, Madcap Productions, Cincinnati, Ohio 1989 - 90............... University Fellow, The Ohio State University 1990 - 91............... Graduate Teaching and Research Associate, The Ohio State University 199 1 ...................... Company Member, The Omaha Magic Theatre, Omaha, Nebraska 199 1 ...................... M.A. Theatre, The Ohio State University 1992 - 93 ................Graduate Teaching and Research Associate, The Ohio State University 1993 - 95............... ...Editor, Theatre Studies 1992 - 96............... Artistic Director, New Venture Theatre, Columbus, Ohio vi 1998 - present............ General Manager, Borders Books and Music, Columbus, Ohio PUBLICATIONS 1. Beth Kattelman, "Rita Mae Brown, " The Gay and Lesbian Literary Heritage, ed. Claude J. Summers (New York: Henry Holt, 1995) 2. Beth Kattelman, "Jane Chambers, "The Gay and Lesbian Literary Heritage, ed. Claude J. Summers (New York: Henry Holt, 1995) 3. Beth Kattelman, "Review of Woman’s Theatrical Space, " Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, Spring, 1996: 121-23. 4. Beth Kattelman, "Charles Ludlam, " Gay and Lesbian Biography, ed. Michael J. Tyrkus (Detroit: St. James Press, 1996) 303-304. 5 . Beth Kattelman, "Megan Terry, " Gay and Lesbian Literature, vol. 2, ed. Tom Pendergast and Sara Pendergast (Detroit: St. James Press, 1997) 6. Beth Kattelman, "JoAnn Loulan, " Gay and Lesbian Literature, vol. 2, ed. Tom Pendergast and Sara Pendergast (New York: St. James Press, 1997) 7. Beth Kattelman, "Spike Jones," American national Biography, ed. John A. Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (New York: Oxford UP, 1999) 246-247. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Theatre vu TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Dedication............................................... iv AcJcnowledgments.......................................... v Vita.....................................................vi Chapters 1. Introduction.................................... 1 2. War and the Horror Film............................17 3. Spiritualism........................................35 4. Format and Effects................................. 55 5 . The Performers.................................. 79 6 . Ghost Show and Film............................... 101 7 . Technology........................................ 121 8. Promotion and Ballyhoo............................138 9 . The Audience............... 171 10. Conclusion....................................... 185 Appendix: Telephone interview with Dick Newton.......190 Bibiliography........................................ 207 vm CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION This study explores the phenomenon of performances known as midnight ghost shows. Midnight ghost shows were magic shows presented on the stages of movie theatres across America from approximately 1930 to the mid-1960s. They reached their heyday during the forties and early fifties and then declined steadily due to the advent of new media technologies. The early shows capitalized on the spiritualism craze by featuring illusions and effects which centered around séances, mindreading and the production of apparitions. Later ghost shows evolved into performances which presented horrific illusions, such as decapitations and buzz saw effects, and monsters borrowed from the popular horror films of the day. Most ghost shows followed a strict formula and even those that deviated somewhat contained important traits common to all of these performances : the show was part of a double-bill with a horror film, was performed at midnight, and contained a blackout sequence in which 1 luminous spirits and monsters would appear onstage and in the audience. In examining the midnight ghost show phenomenon, I will trace several historical tangents which converged to produce a time in which ghost shows could flourish. The interest in spiritualism, the rise of motion pictures, the social anxiety precipitated by World War I, World War II and the Great Depression, and the influence of technological innovations were all factors which helped to bring about and sustain the genre. While these are not the only factors which found their nexus in the ghost show performances, they are the most significant influences which lead to the creation and popularity of these productions. These same factors were also influential in the lives of the audience who attended and found relevance in the productions. As John Fiske states "popular culture has to be above all else, relevant to the immediate social situation of the people."! Therefore, when researching a fad, or a popular entertainment, one must look at the social conditions which underpin the interest of the populace. If careful consideration is given to what a text might represent, or to how the product