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Home , Abbott and Costello, Bud Abbott, Bud and Lou, Ella Raines, Glenn Strange, Hold That Ghost

FEATURE

PRODUCTION

THE #1572 “ MEET ” FILE

Part I

he inspired idea of melding two of Universal’s most famous franchises had been kicking around the Tstudio for a few years, but it was producer Robert Arthur who got the chance to bring it to life. He gave the concept to a few screenwriters, including , Bertram Milhauser, and the team of and Fred Rinaldo. “The minute the studio told Fred and I the basic idea,” Lees recalled in Abbott and Costello in Hollywood, “we said ‘This is the greatest idea for a that ever was!’ But that’s all they gave us. We came up with the rest.” Lees and Rinaldo, who had written (1941), came back with a promising treatment. Titled “Ab- bott and Costello Meet Frankenstein,” their first crack at the story was delivered April 21, 1947. It has most of the elements that will be in the final film: the boys are inept baggage handlers who deliver crates to MacDougal’s House of Horrors; the “exhibits” get up and walk away; , on ’s trail, persuades the boys to help him; there’s a

Abbott and Costello Quarterly—7 FEATURE

” “THE BRAIN OF FRANKENSTEIN PRODUCTION # 1572 OCTOBER 1947 START DATE: FEBRUARY 5, 1948

CAST: ...... CHICK ...... WILBUR LON CHANEY ...... TALBOT IAN KEITH ...... DRACULA ...... DRACULA PATRICIA MORISON ..... SANDRA

LENORE AUBERT ...... SANDRA

GLENN STRANGE ...... THE MONSTER

DOROTHY HART ...... JOAN ELLA RAINES ...... JOAN as the linchpin, and JANE RANDOLPH ...... JOAN appropriately re-titled CHARLES BRADSTREET ... STEVENS “The Brain of Fran- kenstein.” (Along the way, there was a version that also included the Mummy and Count masquerade ball where Chick Alucard, the son of Dracula!) wears a wolf mask and McDougal Shooting was scheduled to is attacked; and start in October 1947, after Bud Dracula plunge to their deaths in a and Lou finished their indepen- fight; the Monster has a fiery end dent filmThe Noose Hangs High. on a pier; and the Invisible Man But that summer Lou suffered shows up for the tag. a fall and hurt his leg. He was Surprisingly, however, the ordered to stay off his feet for plot did not revolve around using several weeks. Noose was post- Costello’s brain, only the revitaliza- poned from August to November, Lou rarely if ever read the scripts tion of the Monster. Dr. Stevens pushing back the start of “Brain” to of their films, Costello must have has a larger role because there is February 1948. reacted to the notion of shar- no Sandra character. Stevens is Charles T. Barton (1902-1981) ing screen time with not one but willing to help Dr. Lejos, but has directed both films.Noose wrapped three monsters, and that there was no idea that Lejos is Dracula. The on December 10, and Barton spent no room for any of their classic Joan Raymond character—called a couple of weeks supervising routines. Jean Butler here—is a local camp post-production. On December 30, “Bud and Lou had quite a chip counselor swept up in the action. Universal assigned him to “Brain” on their shoulders about doing The setting was a resort town like and gave him five weeks to prep it,” Barton told Greg Mank in his Lake George in upstate New York. the film. terrific book,It’s Alive. “They’d In June, after more story For a brief time, it looked as if fight me like hell. But I stood my conferences, Lees and Rinaldo de- Lou Costello wouldn’t do the film. ground with them, and so did livered a treatment much closer to He hated the script, according Bob Arthur.” the final film, with Wilbur’s brain to Robert Arthur. Since Bud and Meanwhile, other roles were

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Opposite page: Ian Keith as Dracula, with Lou; John Carradine as Dracula in . Left: Patricia Morison as Sandra; Below: Lenore Aubert (with Michael Duane) in The Return of the Whistler, the role she had just before Meet Franken- stein.

easily cast. Lon Chaney signed on Meets the Wolf Man (1943). to play the Wolf Man for the fifth Addicted to morphine and in time. He created the role, which poor health, he took every poverty no other actor played, in 1941 row offered to him; it when Universal sought to link the was the only work he could get. Chaney name with a new series Some sources claim that Uni- of horror films. Born Creighton versal executives were so out of Chaney, Lon always regretted trad- touch with Lugosi’s career that ing in on his father’s name and had they thought he was dead. At difficulty living up to it. In 1951 he the very least, they thought Bela told a columnist, “The worst thing was too old to play Dracula; he that can happen to any actor is to was 65 in 1947. be the son of a great actor.” John Carradine inherited , now Universal’s the role in two earlier monster official Frankenstein monster, was reunions, House of Frankenstein tapped to play the role for the third (1944) and House of Dracula part (opposite page, in our concep- time, tying ’s record. (1945), and may have been con- tion of him in the role with Lou). Karloff coached Glenn when they sidered again. But he was now on Keith was 48 in 1947—about both appeared in House of Fran- stage in New York. Chaney had Lugosi’s age when he made the kenstein (1944). played the Son of Dracula (1943), original film. Other roles, however—includ- but he had enough to do in this Fortunately, Bela got the part. ing Dracula—were up for grabs. film as the Wolf Man. (At one His casting was announced on Bela Lugosi brought Dracula point Universal wanted him to January 12, but he wasn’t signed from stage to screen in 1931, and play both monsters in Frankenstein until January 26. For only the it typecast him. “The only work Meets the Wolf Man, but wisely second time in his career, Lugosi I could get was monstering,” he reconsidered the logistics.) played Dracula on screen. lamented to a United Press cor- What was the studio to do? The first choice for Sandra respondent in 1955. His last film What it did in 1931 with the origi- was Patricia Morison (above, with at Universal had been Frankenstein nal film: pencil in Ian Keith for the the boys, in our conception of her

Abbott and Costello Quarterly—9 FEATURE

Raines (1920- 1988) became one of film noir’s most idolized actresses. That year she also ap- peared in ’ Hail The Conquering Hero and Tall in The Saddle with . At Uni- versal, Ella fre- quently worked for Siodmak and often appeared in screenplays by Bertram in the role). Once promoted as a Two actresses were considered Milhauser. One of her few light rival to Dorothy Lamour, Morison for the role of insurance investiga- , White Tie and Tails (b. 1915) reportedly possessed tor Joan Raymond: Dorothy Hart (1946), is notable for its director: the longest hair in Hollywood (39 and Ella Raines. Both were former Charles Barton. But after she mar- inches). But she was misused in models. ried Olds, a triple ace fighter films, cast as villainesses in Univer- Hart (above, left) was first pilot, in 1947, Raines became sal’s final Sherlock Holmes entry, signed by Columbia where she an Air Force wife, and her career Dressed to Kill (1946), as well as in made one film,Gunfighters (1947). slowed down. Olds later became Song of the Thin Man (1947) and Universal picked her up and sea- commander of the Air Force Acad- Tarzan and the (1947). soned her in small roles in The Ex- emy in Colorado. By the mid-’50s, She apeared with Chaney in Call- ile (1947), The Naked City (1948), Ella was doing network television ing Dr. Death (1943). In 1948 Larceny (1948), and The Countess pilots. She had a short-live series, Morison abandoned Hollywood of Monte Cristo (1948). She was Janet Dean, R.N (1953-54). Ac- and went on to Broadway stardom later considered for a role in Abbott cording to the New York Times, when hand-picked her and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Ella turned down the Joan Ray- for the role of Lilli Vanessi, the im- Karloff. Hart (1922-2004) became mond role because “she felt that perious stage diva, in his musical the tenth actress to portray Jane she couldn’t stand the competition Kiss Me, Kate. The show opened when she appeared opposite Lex with Dracula, the Wolf Man and on December 30, 1948 and ran for Barker as Tarzan in Tarzan’s Savage Frankenstein’s monster...” 1,077 performances. Fury (1952). That year she left the The Joan Raymond role went to Austrian-born Lenore Aubert film business, moved to New York, an actress with a similar sounding (1918-1993), who had shown and did occasional guest spots on name: Jane Randolph. Jane had a fine ability to play a femme TV dramas and game shows. She appeared in the horror/noir classic fatale opposite a comedian (Bob worked on behalf of the world’s Val Lewton’s Cat People (1942), Hope) in They Got Me Covered children through the United Na- and its fine sequel,Curse of the (1943), was cast. Lenore brought a tions. Cat People (1944). She also had a genuine accent to the part, which Ella Raines (above, in our recurring role in the Falcon series added to her effectiveness. Accord- conception of her as Joan) was with Tom Conway. Her last picture ing to Greg Mank, Lenore’s career discovered and, as the euphemism before “Brain of Frankenstein” was was impeded by Samuel Goldwyn goes, groomed for stardom by Anthony Mann’s noir Railroaded because she rebuffed his amorous . Thanks to Robert (1947). advances. Siodmak’s Phantom Lady (1944), In an interview with Paul Parla

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Opposite page: head shot of Dorothy Hart; Ella Raines (in our con- ception of her as Joan Raymond); left: Lou and Jane Randolph.

and it was exciting even just reading the script. There were a lot of visitors to the set too. They were always coming and going. There were children of Abbott, children of Costello, children of Lugosi. I met and spoke to them all. It was a very busy set. It was a wonderful and Charles P. Mitchell in Clas- away [from the masqerade party] picture and fun.” sic Images, Jane recalled, “I didn’t after he hypnotizes Costello and It was one of Jane Randolph’s think I would like doing a movie me.” last films. Her final picture was like [Abbott and Costello Meet Jane’s memories are less dis- Open Secret (1948), with John Ire- Frankenstein], but I loved it. I tinct about Aubert and Chaney. land. Shortly after, she retired from enjoyed it very much.” “She was always ready and on time show business when she married She continued, “It was fun. and very pleasant. Chaney played Jaime del Amo, and she spent most Abbott and Costello were very the wolf man, of course, and that of her time in Spain. funny every day, and they were involved plenty of make-up. We re- The role of Dr. Stevens, which always very nice to me. Everybody ally only had a few scenes together. was whittled down with each new was always in a good mood. There I remember mostly seeing him draft of the screenplay, went to wasn’t any strain, and nobody from the distance.” Charles Bradstreet (1918-2004). seemed upset...A lot of the crew She also enjoyed working with According to his bio on the In- worked with them before, so they Glenn Strange. “We did a lot of ternet Movie Database (supplied were used to them. ” publicity poses together. We did by Tom Weaver), Bradstreet got One of her fondest memories some of them out in front of the his start when he accompanied was working with Bela Lugosi. “He studio. In his make-up as the Fran- his brother to try-outs for a play was quite a gentleman. He really kenstein monster, he was so tall. It and got the lead role himself. liked doing Dracula. He did not was fun doing poses with him. He Later, while managing a bar called hint that he felt trapped by the would pick me up and carry me for Billingsley’s (frequented by Frank character. He seemed proud of it.” some shots. He didn’t carry me in Sinatra, Bing Crosby et al.), he was In one sequence, Jane danced the film, just for publicity shots. offered a contract at Columbia, with Lugosi at the masquerade He was very nice, interesting and but studio boss Harry Cohn, who ball; their scene was trimmed amusing.” knew that Bradstreet had once from the film. “He was a very good Randolph admired Barton for tossed Cohn’s nephew out of the dancer. He was dressed in full keeping things going and being bar, nullified it. vampire costume, but he moved efficient on such a wild produc- Bradstreet landed at MGM, very well.” tion. “The whole thing was very playing a series of small roles. His Randolph recalled that “It is interesting. I found this film very latest was The Unfinished Dance Lugosi himself who drives the boat exciting. It was exciting being in it, (1947), starring Margaret O’Brien.

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“ The Brain of Frankenstein” CONCRETE TANK WITH SKY BACKDROP Production #1572 Bayou, cove and cave entrance - Stage assignments -

Stage 17 Stage 15 Castle laboratory, Chick and library, hallway, Wilbur’s hotel staircase, Sandra’s room and hallway bedroom; exterior bayou for close-ups; Phantom Stage exterior pier for STAGE 14 Dance pavilion Monster fire close-up Gardens Stage 19 and woods Baggage room; House of Horrors STAGE 10 Scoring stage

Stage 6 London hotel room; castle cellar stairs & secret room.

Aerial view of Universal in 1943. The stages were re-numbered in the 1960s. Stage 6 is now Stage 3; Stage 14 is now Stage 20; Stage 15 is now Stage 19; and Stage 19 is now Stage 22 (sounds like an A&C routine, doesn’t it?). Today the tour tram passes right to left between the Phantom Stage (28) and old Stage 19 (now Stage 22) and follows the road that curves past the old Concrete Tank to the back lot sets. The tank was later replaced by production bungalows.

12—Abbott and Costello Quarterly FEATURE

Right: Chaney has his new Wolf Man make-up applied. This may have been taken during one of the two tests he did, either Jan. 31 or Feb. 6, 1948. Courtesy of Bob Furmanek.

When he was approached to play Dr. Stevens, Bradstreet thought it was a step backwards career- wise, but accepted because of his friendship with Charles Barton. It was easily his best-known role, and also one of his last. Accord- ing to Bradstreet, he was offered the chance to play Tarzan and the lead in TV’s , but turned down both offers. When, in his words, “the glamour went out of” acting for him, he got into film’s biggest laughs were authored real estate. by Lees and Rinaldo, like the tug of war between Dracula and the eanwhile, Lees and Wolf Man over Wilbur’s gurney, were treacherous: even before he Rinaldo’s screenplay was or when the boys barricade a door fractured his ankle attempting to passed on to Abbott and with furniture only to have the toss stunt woman Helen Thurston M through the lab window, Glenn Costello’s head writer, John Grant. door open the wrong way. And let’s A renowned straight not forget Wilbur’s classic line, twisted it by stepping on a cable. man and producer, Grant had “You and 20 million other guys,” Chaney’s full make-up could known and worked with Bud and written by Fred Rinaldo. now be applied in an hour, and Lou even before they teamed up. The film depended on three was more comfortable. But his When the boys needed material of Universal’s classic monsters, transformation scenes were only for their weekly appearances on and the demands of their specific achieved through arduous time- The Hour, they hired make-up. Lugosi required only lapse photography, requiring him Grant, who remained with them forty-five minutes to an hour to be to remain unnaturally still for eight into the . made up and costumed. For the hours. Although he transforms To the frustration of Lees and Monster and the Wolf Man, Bud twice on camera, Lon actually Rinaldo, Grant peppered the film Westmore, the new head of the de- endured three of those lengthy with dozens of little bits. “John partment, streamlined the process make-up sessions: the London Grant was a problem for us,” Lees by using foam rubber appliances. hotel room sequence, originally told Jim Mulholland in Quarterly These cut the time in half. Glenn filmed on February 16, was re-shot #39. “After we’d work very hard to Strange’s make-up and wardrobe on March 13. In addition, on get a story together, Grant would now took two hours. However, be- March 16, Chaney volunteered come in with something and they’d cause his molded rubber headpiece to sub for Strange after Glenn frac- put it in just because it was from was sealed tightly against his skin, tured his ankle the previous day. Grant.” perspiration collected inside it. Lon shot his scenes with Bud and Examples of Grant’s additions When the headpiece was removed Lou in the locker room that morn- include Wilbur’s exchanges with at the end of the day, half a cup of ing, (“You and 20 million other McDougal in the baggage office, water poured out. Glenn also wore guys!”), reported to make-up, and like the “I belong to two unions” boots that were built around his then tossed Thurston through the bit. He also inserted the photog- own shoes. The four inch plat- window in the afternoon. rapher bit with McDougal at the forms were featherlight because Ron Chaney, Lon’s grand- masquerade ball. Yet many of the they were made of cork. Still, they son, explained in Quarterly #25,

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ments at Universal. that took place in this castle was (Bernard Herzbrun actually built and housed inside a also has a screen soundstage on the Universal lot.” credit because he In Quarterly #4, Bud Abbott Jr. was the studio’s recalled the cellar staircase and re- supervising art volving door set on Stage 6. “That director—Brown’s was all one set—the revolving door, boss. Herzbrun the secret room, and the dock. It is acknowledged was really incredible!” on virtually every Bud Jr. also had distinct memo- Universal film ries of the laboratory set. “It was between 1947 a pretty awesome-looking set, but and 1955.) when they got ready to shoot, they Born in Ne- lit everything up and the lightning braska, Brown and the electricity was just incred- (1910-2002) ible! It just froze you when it went studied archi- off. Those aren’t sound effects you tecture at USC hear—that’s the actual cracking and entered the and crackling of the electricity!” film industry The cinematographer was in 1937 as a (1890-1980), draftsman at who had shot Lon Chaney Sr.’s Warner Broth- masterpiece, The Phantom of the ers. His first Opera (1925). (The costume ball screen credit sequence was filmed on Stage and Oscar 28, which had been constructed nomination was specifically for Chaney’s film and is as an assistant still known as the Phantom Stage.) art director on Van Enger worked at Universal for Citizen Kane 25 years and shot several Abbott (1941). He and Costello films, including their “Gramps was usually willing to later shared an Oscar for Cleopatra most atmospheric: Who Done It?, do whatever it took to get the job (1963), and was inducted into the , and Meet done. He was a real professional Art Director’s Guild Hall of Fame the Killer. In the early 1950s he when it came to his craft.” in 2006. was reunited with Lugosi for Bela Unfortunately, Chaney’s private Brown brought much of the Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla, life was not as disciplined. A gothic gloom of Kane’s Xanadu to and Chaney for Bride on the Go- month after completing Meet Fran- Meet Frankenstein’s castle. The rilla and Battles of Chief Pontiac. kenstein, Lon took 40 sleeping pills interior of the castle, includ- Van Enger moved to TV, where he and was rushed to a hospital in ing the hallways, laboratory, and worked on Broken Arrow, Lassie Burbank. His 19-year old son from library, was built on Stage 17. Jane and Gilligan’s Island. his first marriage told authorities Randolph recalled, “The castle and that Lon and his present wife had everything was so incredible. Even hooting began on February argued a lot recently. Another story when I saw it on film, I thought it 5, 1948 on the baggage room blamed his attempted suicide on was incredible.” Sset. This set, and the House exhaustion from playing the Wolf Lugosi’s 10-year-old son, Bela of Horrors set, was on Stage 19. Man. Jr., (above, left) visited the set a (Today, the TV series CSI is shot few times. In Quarterly #25 he re- on that stage, which was renum- he film’s sets were as impres- called, “The set itself was dark, in bered 22.) sive as its monsters. The the sense that it was gothic. Yet it To christen the production, Tart director, Hilyard Brown, was a magnificent set! It was hard Bobby Barber (above, left, with was on one of his first assign- to imagine that all of the scenes Lou), the boys’ court jester,

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climbed the rafters and dropped an egg on Barton’s head. It was a taste of things to come. instigated a lot of horseplay on the around. Greg Mank reported that Bud’s niece, Betty, was the set. In a famous outtake (above), Lenore Aubert, wrapped in a mink, script supervisor. “That film was Bobby trails Bela as he strides put a leash on Glenn and, with madness, absolute madness!” she down the castle’s grand staircase. Bud, Lou and Chaney (in full Wolf recalled in Quarterly #20. Bud, Lou, Lenore and Jane are Man make-up) in tow, took a stroll Glenn Strange called it “one of amused, but Bela is not. According around the Universal lot. the most enjoyable pictures I ever to the production records, this was Betty Abbott recalled, “Lon worked on. We [shot it] in about the first take of the day, and Lugosi Chaney Jr. was another guy who seven weeks. We should have done had had a rough morning. He was liked to frighten people. He would it in about five, but if you know Ab- an hour late to the studio, and stand in his dressing room and bott and Costello, they play about required seven takes to nail the watch people come in—because a quarter of the day and then work scene. Who could blame him for we had visitors on the set all the the rest of the time.” scolding Bobby? time—and then just go circle in!” Bela Jr. said, “I remember when According to Barton (quoted in Ron Chaney said, “My grandfa- they weren’t shooting a scene, Bud Bela Lugosi: Master of the Macabre ther, though he took his work very and Lou and these gag men would by Larry Edwards): “To be honest, seriously and was a consumate start doing these outrageous and there were times when I thought professional, really had a very hilarious antics. I will be honest Bela was going to have a stroke on comical side. He loved cutting up! in saying that the filming of this the set. You have to understand He was a prankster! He was a lot picture was very uplifting. It was a that working with two zanies like funnier off camera. He was a good happy set to visit. Abbott and Costello was not the storyteller and told a good joke!” “Dad liked the humor on the normal Hollywood set. They never The incongruous behavior of set. He would laugh as hard as went by the script and at least once the monsters off camera was not any of us when these gags and a day there would be a pie fight. lost on Lou’s daughter, Paddy, cut-ups would be going on. It’s Bela of course would have nothing then 11 years old. “Glenn Strange sad that that wasn’t ever shown to do with any of this. He would was so sweet—‘Frankenstein’ was on some outtakes! It would give a just glare at those involved with his always walking around with a big whole new twist to , famous deadly stare and the only smile,” she recalled. “I always got wouldn’t you say? emotion he would show physically a big kick out of that, seeing the “But if people were constantly was one of utter disgust.” monsters between scenes, read- cutting up and a scene being shot At one point Lugosi remarked, ing a newspaper, chewing gum, or was lost or had to be redone, then “Vee should not be playink vhile laughing and smoking like regular he might get annoyed or upset.” vee are vorking,” and it became a people. And then how all of that This clearly was a reference to running gag on the set. But Bobby reality was suspended so this fan- Barber, who interrupted takes and wasn’t the only one clowning tasy could come to life.”•

Abbott and Costello Quarterly—15