Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) - Newspaper Ad [Oakland Tribune - July 27, 1948]

As baffling in retrospect as it might seem, star Lou Costello was adamant in NOT wanting to do this film. It took a hefty increase in salary and the hiring of a trusted director to get him on board. Good thing, as Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein went on to become on of their most popular, and famous, films.

Come on, they even brought Bela Lugosi back to play Dracula! Although the studio evidently had to be talked into that bit of casting.

Halloween Midnite Shows - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - October 31, 1946

The Fox West Coast Theatre chain held a series of late night screenings of Halloween appropriate fare to celebrate All Hallow's Eve in 1946. I have no idea what that 'Sneak Spook Preview' being screened at the Paramount was, but it might have been a marketing bait and switch. No idea.

House of Frankenstein (1944) is a fun little romp that plays like two episodes of a television series have been edited together to form something that resembles a feature length movie. The Vampire's Ghost (1945) is an above average cheapie boosted by a somewhat decent script, co-written by Leigh Brackett, and enlivened by a solid performance from John Abbott, who plays the titular vampire.

I have yet to see Voodoo Man (1944), but seeing that it was directed by William Beaudine and stars both Bela Lugosi and John Carradine, I just might check it out some random, rainy morning when I am in the mood to watch an old school grind-house programmer.

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) - Newspaper Ad [Oakland Tribune - July 29, 1948]

Having played out their roster of monsters with a cycle of ever increasing silly, albeit entertaining and seldom boring, films in the first, war torn half of the 1940s. Universal Pictures decided to combine them with their equally played out comedic duo of Abbott & Costello.

The result was box office gold, although it seems that it took some convincing on Lou Costello's part to actually make the film. KBHK (Channel 44, Cable Channel 12) had a dedicated Saturday midday time slot for Abbott & Costello films and would cycle through them over and over. 

While I would pass on the stuff like Pardon My Sarong and Buck Privates, I tried not to miss whenever an entry in their own semi-series of monster comedies, or monster comedy adjacent fare such as Hold That Ghost, was broadcast. Fun times, good memories.

Midnite Spook Show(s) - Newspaper Ad [Oakland Tribune - June 23, 1956]

It might not be a Friday the 13th, but that fact will not stop the venues in the Fox West Coast Theaters chain from holding yet another Midnite Spook Show.

If I had to choose between being able to see the classic chestnuts of Frankenstein (1931) and Dracula (1931) or the more contemporary House of Wax (1953) and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) on the big screen, I just might have leaned toward the latter. Because I do love me some giant monster action.

The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) - Newspaper Ad [San Francisco Examiner - May 1, 1942]

The Ghost of Frankenstein was the third sequel to 1931's Frankenstein and the first wherein Boris Karloff did not play the monster. This time around Lon Chaney Jr. wore the iconic make-up. He did okay, but was unable to bring forth the kind of emotion and character that Karloff had.

It is not a bad movie, per se. Just inferior to the three films that preceded it.

I also need to share this personal factoid, the film's utterly bonkers ending imprinted in my memory. Of all the Universal monster movies I watched as a child, the ending to The Ghost of Frankenstein proved to be the most memorable.

Friday the 13th Midnite Jinx Show(s) - Newspaper Ad [Oakland Tribune - February 13, 1953]

Fox West Coast Theaters held a bunch of Friday the 13th-themed Midnite Jinx Shows throughout the East Bay on Friday, February 13, 1953. What did they show?

Richmond's Fox theater, along with its Grand theater, showed a double-bill of The Cat Creeps (1946) and She-Wolf of London (1946).

Berkeley's California theater offered a questionable double-bill of Kansas Pacific (1953) and Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952).

East Oakland's Eastmont had The Black Cat (1941) and something called Phantom of Paris, which might be a retitled Mystery of Marie Roget (1942).

North Oakland's Senator theater had the best of the bunch, though. A triple-bill of Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), and The Monster Walks (1932).

Although both the Grand Lake and the Paramount are named in the ad, there were no listings for either theater. So it goes.

But there was a separate ad for the Friday the 13th Midnite "Jinx" Show at the Paramount Theatre:

It appears the Paramount had a double-bill that included a major studio preview. Might this have been a sneak preview of The War of the Worlds (1953)? No idea.

The live show was hosted by one Russ Byrd. Not recognizing that name, I did a quick search of the Oakland Tribune's archives and learned Byrd was a well-regarded entertainer and show host. He passed away in 1995.

Another search revealed that "Tiny" James was an absolute legend of a pipe organ performer. He died in 1989.