SILVER SCENES IS HOSTING THE UNIVERSAL BLOGATHON! SO I THOUGHT I’D BRING OUT THE UNIVERSAL TELEVISION PRODUCTION OF BORIS KARLOFF’S ANTHOLOGY… LET ME ASSURE YOU, IT’S A THRILLER!!! VISIT SILVER SCENES AND CHECK OUT ALL THE WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION!

Classic TV Blog Association is hosting the MeTV Summer of Classic TV Blogathon

“I think the title leaves the stories wide open to be based on melodrama not violence or shock. They’ll be stories about people in ordinary surroundings and something happened to them. The whole thing boils down to taste. Anybody can show you a bucket of blood and say-‘This is a bucket of blood’, but not everyone can produce a skilful story”–Boris Karloff (1960)

At the bottom of this feature, you will find links to my older Thriller posts. Some of my favorite episodes- as well as 4 newly covered episodes in brief for the MeTV Summer of Classic TV Blogathon!-Masquerade, Parasite Mansion, Mr.George, and The Purple Room!

From the show’s opening iconic musical score, you know something deliciously sinister is about to occur. The word THRILLER appears against a fractured white web-like graphic title design quite a bit in the style of Saul Bass. The discordant piano and horn stabs of modern jazz already bring you into the inner sanctum of menacing storytelling. As Boris would often say as a precursory welcome, “Let me assure you ladies and gentlemen, as sure as my name is Boris Karloff, this is a thriller.”

Boris Karloff’s Thriller was an anthology series that ran from 1960-1962. It included 60 minute B&W episodes, 67 in all, that were expected to compete with The Twilight Zone ’59-’64 and Alfred Hitchcock Presents ’55-’62.

Thriller was filmed on the same network and sound stage as Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Producer Writer & Director Douglas Benton claims though not hearing it directly that Hitchcock resented Thriller, as he considered Hubbell Robinson encroaching on his territory.

Benton states, “Actually we weren’t doing the same thing he was, he was doing some very sophisticated ‘twist’ material. Hitchcock was doing the sort of thing that they started out to do on Thriller… We {Frye, Benton et al} came along and improved the ratings considerably and got a tremendous amount of press and Hitchcock didn’t like the competition. I don’t think he ever came out and said ‘get rid of ’em’ but he did allow them to enlarge his show from -a half hour to an hour, and that made it more difficult for us to stay on.” {source: Boris Karloff-More Than A Monster The Authorized Biography by Stephen Jacobs}

The series was developed by Executive Producer Hubbell Robinson program director and then executive vice president at CBS who was responsible for dramatic shows like Studio One & Playhouse 90 and produced Arsenic and Old Lace (tv movie ’69) with Lillian Gish & Helen Hayes. Boy oh boy would I like to get my hands on a copy of that!

In 1959 he left CBS to start his own production company, Hubbell Robinson Productions. Robinson had said “Our only formula is to have no formula at all,” endeavoring that each week’s episode would not be like the week before, bringing viewers one-hour feature pictures that were “consciously and deliberately striving for excellence. {…}Each plot will be unique, unusual.” –Robinson {source: Boris Karloff-More Than A Monster The Authorized Biography by Stephen Jacobs}

Also on board were producers William Frye, Fletcher Markle & Maxwell Shane (The Mummy’s Hand ’40, Fear in the Night ’47) who added their vision of a superior mystery & horror anthology for MCA’s Revue Studios which would conform to the trend of anthology series’ featuring a host to introduce each week’s story.

The format had somewhat ambivalent themes, leaving the show’s narrative straddling both genres of crime melodrama and tales of the macabre. But… either of these atmospheres created by some of the best writers, directors, and players delivered a highly intoxicating blend of both, remaining a powerful anthology with unique dramatic flare.

Karloff loved the title for the show, “It’s an arresting title. And it does not tie you to one type of show. You can have suspense and excitement, without getting into violence {…} There will be none of the horror cliches on this programme {…} we will deal with normal people involved in unusual situations.”

Boris Karloff was very critical of horror for the sake of horror, during Thriller’s run,“We’re in an era of insensate violence. Today it’s shock, so-called horror and revulsion. I think the idea is to excite and terrify rather than entertain. The story is muck for the sake of muck. The over emphasis of violence on screen and tv has reached the point of being utterly absurd… That’s one thing you won’t find on Thriller-violence for the sake of violence, shock for the sake of shock.”{source:Boris Karloff-More Than A Monster The Authorized Biography by Stephen Jacobs}

Not only was there an unmistakable atmosphere to each of Thriller’s episodes, the stories themselves were lensed in a unique way that was very ahead of its time. The actors brought a serious attitude to their characters and the plot development and didn’t treat them as merely short pulp stories as fodder for the tv masses. This was an intelligent show, and the presence of Boris Karloff added a charming and cerebral primacy to the show’s narration. It was like being tucked in by your remarkable grandfather who loved to tell a good spooky tale to you right before bedtime. I’ve said this plenty, I wish Boris Karloff had been my grandfather. Everyone who has ever worked with Karloff had nothing but glowing praise for the great and gentle man. He exuded a quiet grace and was the consummate professional taking every part seriously and extremely generous with his time even as he suffered from his physical limitations. Karloff had been getting on in years and his grand stature was riddled with arthritis causing his legs to bow.

Actress Audrey Dalton said, “Just the perfect gentleman. A terribly British, wonderful wonderful man.” Actor Ed Nelson who was dying to work with Karloff said, “He was a very gentle man” Douglas Benton had said, “Boris Karloff-God, what a lovely man.”

While filming The Prediction the scene at the end when he must lie down in the pool of rainy water and die, Karloff asked director John Brahm “Is this the best way for the camera?” who said, “Yes, it is but good lord you don’t have to lie there and have gutter water coursing up your britches like that!”  Karloff replied, “Oh yes I do! This is my work. I insist.” {source: Boris Karloff-More Than A Monster The Authorized Biography by Stephen Jacobs}

Every installment of the show offered us a chance to see Karloff as he enters the Thriller stage as a sage Fabulist delivering us the evening’s program with a refined articulation of philosophy and captivating storytelling encapsulated in a compelling little prologue, often infused with its own brand of dark humor.

When I first started blogging on The Last Drive-In, I chose to focus on one of my most beloved memories, a thing of nostalgia for me, and what I consider to be one of the greatest television programs that contained not only the classic crime mystery drama but Gothic horrors based on some of the most prolific writers of these genres back then, such as Cornell Woolrich (Rear Window ’54), Robert Bloch and August Derleth. That’s why I’m so thrilled to be talking about the show for this wonderful Blogathon!

When The Twisted Image, the series’ first episode aired on Sept.13 1960 it was not received well by critics. Considered to be gruesome fare showing a child being kidnapped by George Grizzard’s psychotic Merle Jenkins. Breaking the creator’s code of denying horror and shock for its own sake. After just six episodes NBC threatened to cancel the series and replaced Fletcher Markle with William Frye (Four Star Playhouse & General Electric Theatre). In a conversation with director Arthur Hiller, mentions working well with cinematographer Lionel Lindon on not only setting up shots for the scenes but how he was able to articulate with the camera what was going on with the story, always managing to bring to life Hiller’s vision. Lindon has some extraordinary accomplishments to his credit. (Destination Moon 1950, Quicksand 1950, The Scarlet Hour 1956, I Want to Live! 1958, The Young Savages 1961, The Manchurian Candidate 1962, Grand Prix 1966, Around the World in 80 Days 1956, in television here are a few… 87th Precinct, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Kraft Suspense Theatre, The Munsters)

William Frye asked Douglas Benton to come on board as story editor, with an eye on depicting stories of both crime and horror. Maxwell Shane would envision the stories that embraced a crime narrative and William Frye would handle the horror. Benton felt the network while not able to articulate it clearly was expecting more pure horror. He also wanted to add more of a Gothic horror feel to the features, something he felt was lacking in the initial episodes that had more of a contemporary film noir vibe.

Now they had to find stories that would fit the attitude they were looking for in the show. Doug Benton contacted his friends, writer Charles Beaumont (The Intruder ’62, Masque of the Red Death ’64) and Richard Matheson (The Incredible Shrinking Man, I am Legend, Duel ) who sadly died on June 23rd of this year, writing too many iconic tales to mention here.

Although Beaumont was busy with other commitments he gave Douglas Benton a very good idea. Just having cleaned out his garage, he sold a slew of Weird Tales Magazines to historian and collector Forrest J. Ackerman. Beaumont told Benton, “These stories are exactly what you need for Thriller.”

While Ackerman refused to sell his collection he did agree to lease them to Benton and delivered a box of the wonderfully creepy and macabre stories inhabited within the pages of that popular magazine. Now they only had to track down the writers and obtain the rights to these stories!

Many of the stories were taken from Weird Tales and scripted by that magazine’s contributors such as Robert Bloch (author of the novel Psycho) who wrote one of my favorite episodes The Cheaters as well as adapting his story, The Weird Tailor and The Hungry Glass based on his short story The Hungry House. Other contributing writers were the prolific Richard Matheson, Barré Lyndon, and August Derleth. Pigeons From Hell is yet another provocative story adapted from Weird Tales Magazine. This episode was directed by John Newland of One Step Beyond ’59-61 a television series consisting of half-hour episodes that were purported to be based on true paranormal events.

Thriller drew much of its artist edge because of the directors who contributed their stylistic observations of the storytelling like the ever-versatile Ida Lupino. Karloff adored Lupino and considered her one of his favorites. Doug Benton recalls Lupino being quite a good storyteller herself.

Other notable directors included Robert Florey, (The Outer Limits, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and The Twilight Zone assistant director on Murders In The Rue Morgue 1946 & The Beast With 5 Fingers. There was John Brahm (The Lodger 1944 and Hangover Square ’45. Arthur Hiller, Lazlo Benedek, (The Wild One ’53) Herschel Daugherty, Paul Henreid, Douglas Heyes (Kitten with a Whip ’64), and Jules Bricken. All of whom had a unique visual perspective that created an overall unique vibe with creepy landscapes and theatrical lighting that fit the noir, suspense, and Gothic horror canons marvelously.

So much of the overall tone of the series combined elements of film noir and classical horror. The shadowy gray-toned and stark black cinematography created so much of the atmospherics for many memorable episodes in the series.

Jerry Goldsmith, Morton Stevens & Pete Rugolo wrote some of the most vivid and beautiful melodies for the series. Thriller’s musical compositions seemed to be sculpted perfectly for each particular episode underscoring the haunting and poignant quality of each story in such an evocative way. The music always felt symbiotic with the narrative and was nothing short of stunning. These are evocative melodies that tear at your heart and fit the mood of each episode, adding yet another vivid dimension to the atmospherics.

Thriller was so ahead of its time in terms of the serious and artful risk-taking of the various directors on board, the incredibly spellbinding storytelling and dialogue, inspired set & art design, experimental cinematography, dramatic performances, and evocative musical scoring.

Together the confluence of all these elements contributed to a show that often pushed the boundaries of what you might expect from a 1960s television series. Its moody, compelling, and haunting quality, has not been duplicated in any other anthology series. Somehow Thriller seemed to encapsulate its own Gothic methodology and mythos.

The sets had a uniquely eerie landscape and their own vitally uncanny, bizarre, and shadowy environment or starkly dramatic mise-en-scene. Not unlike the way  Val Lewton seemed to create his own unique cycle of supernaturally themed shadow plays for RKO.

Karloff starred in five episodes: The Prediction, The Premature Burial, The Last of the Somervilles, Dialogues With Death, and The Incredible Doctor Markesan.

In the first season’s episode The Prediction which aired on Nov. 22 1960 and featured Boris Karloff as a principal character, he plays Clayton Mace a phoney stage mentalist who suddenly discovers that he truly can predict events with tragic results.

The final season had the majority of Karloff’s appearances as a featured character in the story. The Premature Burial aired on Oct. 2nd, 1961 where Karloff plays Dr. Thorne a doctor who discovers the grisly truth behind his cataleptic friend’s death. On Nov. 6, 1961, The Last of the Summervilles aired, Karloff once again plays Dr. Albert Farnham in a story about family greed, deception, and murder.

In Dialogues with Death which aired on Dec. 4th, 1962 Karloff inhabits two roles. First that of Pop Jenkins in Friend of The Dead a morgue attendant who comforts the recently deceased by talking with them. In Welcome Home, he appears as the eccentric Colonel Jackson Beauregard Finchess a Southern Gentleman who lives in an antebellum mausoleum with his equally quirky sister Emily who believes she can converse with the dead (Estelle Windwood). Karloff and Estelle Winwood had worked together 40 years prior on Broadway with Bela Lugosi in 1922’s ‘The Red Poppy’ Windwood died at the age of 101 in 1984.

Finally, Karloff goes a bit back to his Gothic horror roots and plays the lead role in The Incredible Doktor Markesan which aired on Feb. 26, 1962. Here he plays a mysterious doctor who can raise the dead. Doug Benton stepped into the producer’s chair for this story and ironically Karloff worked for the only time with director Robert Florey since he was replaced by James Whale for Universal’s Frankenstein ’31.

The show still evokes chills, and fondness for the incredible performances by so many memorable actors, which can still cause a gestalt response in me even after having watched these episodes a hundred times over. Boris Karloff was pleased the show did not feature famous actors. “Isn’t it wonderful to use actors instead of stars?”

Doug Benton- “For the actors, it was a throwback to the old days. Bill Frye always made his people feel like they were working in the biggest feature on the lot-that was another talent he had, making everybody feel like what they were doing was quality work. And it was- for television, it really was.”{source: Boris Karloff-More Than A Monster The Authorized Biography by Stephen Jacobs}

The show features some of MY all-time favorite character actors in memorable roles! Look at this list of incredible players-

THRILLER had an incredible lineup of serious dramatic players. Norma Crane, Leslie Nielsen, Mary Astor, Rip Torn, Patricia Barry, Richard Anderson, Martin Gabel, Cloris Leachman, Fay Bainter, Victor Buono, Audrey Dalton, Alan Caillou, Elisha Cook, Robert Lansing, Mary Tyler Moore, Beverly Garland,Warren Oates, Werner Klemperer, Harry Townes, Jack Weston, Paul Newlan, Ed Nelson, Mildred Dunnock, Phyllis Thaxter,William Shatner, Elizabeth Allen, Guy Stockwell, Susan Oliver, Nehemiah Persoff, Torin Thatcher, Marlo Thomas, Robert Vaughn, John Ireland, Pippa Scott, Jeanette Nolan, Guy Rolfe, Hazel Court, Lloyd Bochner, Brandon DeWilde, Sidney Blackmer, George Macready, Tom Poston, Constance Ford, Elizabeth Montgomery, John Carradine, Edward Andrews, Estelle Windwood, Bruce Dern, Jo Van Fleet, Jane Greer, Richard Long, Ursula Andress, Lillian Bronson, Reta Shaw, Dick York, Howard McNear, Richard Carlson, Nancy Kelly, John Fiedler, Linda Watkins, Martita Hunt, George Grizzard, Robert Middleton, Natalie Schafer, James Griffith, Bethel Leslie, Patricia Medina, Richard Chamberlain, Sarah Marshall, Conrad Nagel, Reggie Nalder, Henry Jones, Russell Johnson, Natalie Trundy, Michael Pate, Philip Carey, Kathleen Crowley, Susan Oliver, J. Pat O’Malley, Judith Evelyn, Tom Helmore, Robert Vaughn, Virginia Gregg, Scott Marlowe, Judson Pratt, Marion Ross, Antoinette Bower, Jocelyn Brando, William Windom, George Kennedy, Abraham Sofaer, Monte Markham, Patricia Breslin, Charles Aidman, Joan Tompkins, Elizabeth Allen, Vladimir Sokoloff, Ken Renard, Bruce Dern, Rosemary Murphy, Walter Burke and so many others!

For the sake of the fabulous festivities surrounding the MeTV Summer of Classic Television Blogathon, I’ll be covering four favorite episodes in brief (even for me) but plan on going more in-depth with them later on down that Thrilling road!

4 episodes in brief–

MASQUERADE air date Oct 30, 1961

Directed by Herschel Daugherty and adapted by Donald S. Sanford from a story by Henry Kuttner

Howard E. Johnson was responsible for the wonderful art direction and Jerry Goldsmith lends his whimsically eerie score with cinematography by Benjamin H. Kline. This is another episode that script editor Douglas Benton produced using the Bate’s Psycho ’60 house from Universal’s lot.

This is one of the most humorous episodes mostly attributed to the tongue-in-cheek performances by John Carradine, Tom Poston, and Elizabeth Montgomery. Poston & Montgomery play Charlie and Rosamond Denham on their second honeymoon down in the deep south temporarily off course from their trailer park, when they stumble onto a horrifying backwoods family living in an old decaying house advertising ‘rest here’ when they pull off the road to avoid a thunderstorm.

The prolific Carradine plays Jed Carta with his usually wonderful droll delivery and Jack Lambert (The Killers ’46)plays his grandson Lem. Dorothy Neumann (The Snake Pit, Sorry, Wrong Number ’48-Otis Campbell’s wife on Andy Griffith Show) plays Ruthie Carta.

The Cartas are a menacing bunch who warn the couple about the local murders and the legend of the Henshaw vampire started with Lem’s ma and pa being found dead, with her with a scream that never quite got out a face the color of white candle wax. The banter between Charlie and Ros is splendid fun to watch all the while this grotesque hillbilly family of thieves and cannibals is planning to kill them just like the other unlucky wayward travelers in the past. The fabulously Old Dark House cliché set design by Julia Heron and John McCarthy Jr. offers troublesome bats, a slaughtered hog being drained of its blood into a rusty bucket in the kitchen, a wheel to sharpen very large knives, bars on the windows, remote cackling from somewhere in the house. While investigating Charlie and Ros discover a deranged woman chained to the wall upstairs.

Masquerade opens with the sarcastic and wisecracking Charlie and Ros sitting inside their car while thunder and lightning prevail and torrential downpour leaks through the roof. They’re parked outside a dilapidated creepy house on the hill. The sign outside says ‘Rest Here Guest House’

Charlie doesn’t want to spend the night in that house, but Ros will perish if she doesn’t get dry and warm.

They run up to the house, soaking wet, Charlie uses the old-fashioned knocker. Ominous shuffling is heard nearing the door with the time-worn lion’s head door knocker.

Charlie and Ros are shocked to see Jed Carta (Carradine) greeting them at the door as lighting flashes behind them illuminating their expressed dismay. The old coot with inquisitive eyes that squint and ferret holds up an old lamp and says “Visitors… won’t you come in”

Adding humor to the scene, the lion’s head knocker falls off the door just as Charlie joked, once Carta closes it behind them. Boris Karloff enters the stage to pick up the artifact and introduce the evening’s spooky story.

Will Charlie and Ros escape their impending fate at the hands of the bloodthirsty Carta family?

PARASITE MANSION air date April 25, 1961

Directed by Herschel Daugherty, adapted by Donald S. Sanford from a story by Mary Elizabeth Counselman and an episode that script editor Douglas Benton produced.

Parasite Mansion opens on a rainy night a lovely young woman in a kerchief is misdirected by a detour off the highway sending her down an isolated road near a mysterious old house framed in by gnarled trees. Suddenly she hears shotgun fire, she screams and wrecks her car becoming unconscious. Out cold at the wheel, we see two faces appear at the passenger side window. Holding a flashlight they peer through the rain-spotted glass.

Pippa Scott plays Marcia Elizabeth Hunter a teacher at an all-girls school (selected girls of quality) on the way to sojourn with her fiance in New Orleans. She wrecks her car after having a shotgun fired at her. While unconscious she’s carried back to a decrepit old house that looks like it once had been a showplace, inhabited by the belligerent Harrod family who is beset by the fear of a horrible ‘secret.’ A family curse that has plagued the Harrods for three generations. The supernatural curse manifests itself in a particularly violent way toward the youngest sister, Lollie (Beverly Washburn.)

James Griffith (The Killing ’56) plays the eldest brother Victor who drinks himself into oblivion out of blind rage and utter frustration with the imposing Harrod legacy he can not defend his young sister Lollie from. Victor sulks around the house with a languid posture, stupefied by years of drowning himself in corn liquor and abject fear.

Tommy Nolan plays the ornery younger brother, Rennie, quick with a shotgun who only wants to keep interlopers away from the house and prevent anyone from taking his sister Lollie away to an institution as they did to his ma.

Jeanette Nolan has been a favorite actress of mine for years now. The always wonderful Jeannette Nolan inhabits the role of crone once again playing Granny a woman who hates the Harrod men and thinks they’re all spineless. Nolan creates the epitome of the forbidding hag, pointing her boney finger, sour expression, and face betrayed by time as sagacious remarks pour like honeyed barbs.

The old hag likes shiny things and calls Marcia “baggage” It appears that Marcia will be a prisoner in the house as Granny doesn’t plan on ever letting her leave for fear she’ll tell the family secret.

When Marcia sees how Lollie is menaced by this invisible force she sets out to try and solve the mystery of the Harrod curse. Victor, Rennie, and Lollie are both terrified that they will come and take Lollie away believing that she is insane. Just like Victor’s own mother and his great Aunt Elizabeth who were also both afflicted with stigmata and plagued by the unseen violent spirit.

The story is rife with poltergeists, telekinesis, stigmata, alcoholism, insanity, backwoods vengeance, and a generational family dysfunction like a disease. With art direction by Russell Kimball, and set design by John McCarthy Jr. & William Stevens. Atmospheric framing by John L Russell’s cinematographer and make-up by Jack Barron & Hair by Florence Bush.

MR GEORGE air date May 9, 1961

I love this episode directed by Ida Lupino because of its gentle spirit amidst the backdrop of unbridled greed and grotesque cunning. It stars Gina Gillespie (Young Blanche Hudson Baby Jane?’62) Donald S. Sanford adapted the script from a story by August Derleth.

Priscilla is a young girl who lives with her scheming relatives after she’s left an orphan, attended to by an uncaring trio who plan to kill her for her inheritance since Great Uncle Albert has cut them off. But Priscilla has a special friend, a ghost named Mr. George, the man who was to marry Priscilla’s mother Elizabeth and is sworn to protect her from harm while each of the Leggett cousins tries to off the child in ordinary yet maniacal ways.

The marvelous Virginia Gregg plays Edna Leggett with a vile and cold-blooded sociopathic drive. Howard Freeman plays the calculating brother Jared with a subdued pompousness that makes his character just as distasteful as Edna. And Lillian Bronson is delicious as the dotty and childlike Adelaide Leggett who incessantly attends to her little gold music box bird cage and the bird she calls William who speaks to it. Adelaide is equally murderous when it comes to the self-preservation of their comfortable lifestyle.

Mr.George’s sister Laura (Joan Tompkins) wants to come and take Priscilla away from the cruel and suffocating environment and offer her a loving home. This puts pressure on Edna to do away with the child before she takes great Uncle Albert’s fortune with her.

Jerry Goldsmith’s hauntingly poignant musical motif for Priscilla is just a delicately heartbreaking little melody mixed with his diabolical string work that evokes the devil which emerges as avarice and murderous disregard.

“Only Priscilla stands between us and half a million”-says Edna Leggett

The story opens with pretty little Priscilla in pigtails who puts on her jaunty little hat with ribbons and skips with her bouquet of flowers til she watches from the top of the stairs as her three conniving relatives begin scheming. She runs out to catch the trolley, which takes her to the cemetery. There she talks to Mr. George’s headstone. The inscription reads George Craig Born 1859 Died 1899. She leaves a letter for him asking him to come back. And he does…

THE PURPLE ROOM– air date Oct 25, 1960

Written & Directed by Douglas Heyes and Bud Thackery as director of photography, music by Pete Rugolo, art direction by Howard E Johnson, and set design by Julia Heron & John McCarthy Jr.

After the initial 6 episodes that were not well received, Thriller started to gain momentum with their 7th eerie installment of the series. A memorable ghost story that seems to be one of many people’s favorites.

Starring Rip Torn who plays Duncan Corey, a skeptical man who inherits his brother Everett’s old Gothic mansion Black Oak (the house used in Psycho) in Baton Rouge. There is one condition on Duncan’s inheritance, that he must live in the house for one year before it can be his. However, the Will stipulates that after spending one night he may never want to see the place again. Duncan’s only interest is to dump the place for profit.

Duncan is a superior street-wise sort of guy from New York when he first meets his cousins Oliver and Rachel Judson (Richard Anderson and Patricia Barry)Duncan believes they are trying to scare him away from his inheritance by warning him about the history of the house and its ghosts. If he doesn’t spend the night, the entire estate will go to his cousins.

The legend of an ancestor who 100 years prior went mad after accidentally killing her sea captain husband, when he fought an eerie intruder. This creepy story took place in The Purple Room giving it its legendary ghostly atmosphere.

He carries a .38 and is ready for any shenanigans the couple might be planning to frighten him with over the course of that moody and taut night of eerie sights and sounds that seems to mimic the legend as it happened long ago.

The Purple Room starts out in the purple room at Black Oak, as a terrified young woman, Caroline (Joanna Heyes) sits up in her bed calling out to her husband Jeremy. She hears a horrible noise like scraping and dragging coming closer and closer. She fires her gun at the approaching intruder.

One hundred years later, Duncan Corey is being told by lawyer Ridgewater (Alan Napier) that he’s to inherit the Black Oak mansion but the will stipulates that he must live there for one year, after which he can sell the place since it’s prime real estate. The terms- “Should you decide after one night under the roof of Black Oak, that you do not choose to take up residence the Estate will pass to our beloved cousin Rachel Judson and her husband Oliver, who have been my guests, confidants and faithful companions during these years of my life at Black Oak and who cherish it as I do”

Ridgewater warns Corey that he might not want to stay the entire night but the smug young man scoffs at him shrugging off any fear.

Duncan arrives at the house with his cousins. The electricity is off and the only place already made up for sleeping is the purple room. Duncan takes this as a challenge and insists on sleeping there.

Oliver warns Corey about his smugness saying it will provoke whatever supernatural presence dwelling in the house. The cocky Corey shows them his gun.

Oliver tells him that the bed in the purple room belonged to the newlyweds Jeremy Ransom and his bride of 7 days, Caroline. In the middle of the night, she awoke hearing footsteps. Jeremy went downstairs to investigate giving Caroline his pistol to protect herself.

Caroline waited in the terrifying darkness until she heard footsteps that didn’t sound like her husband. They were shuffling, dragging, and groping, coming closer til they reached the doorway. Caroline fired the gun at the form, but when she shined the candle she began screaming in horror when we saw that she had shot Jeremy dead. When the servants found her she was stark raving mad. Jeremy had been stabbed by the prowler, the knife still in his chest, somehow he’d managed to make his way up the stairs.

Duncan shrugs off the story but Olive tells him “This place is all yours- and everything it contains” His cousins leave and he locks the door behind them.

Later on that night, Duncan hears a door close, accompanied by eerie noises. “Ah the old creaking stairs, that’s truly a creative touch… Oh but don’t you have a squeaking door surely you must have a good old squeaking door around the place”

He continues to talk, supposing it’s his scheming cousins who could hear his conversation. After he drinks some brandy he passes out as the liquor has been drugged.

Once downstairs he hears strange footsteps. He is being menaced by noises and suddenly a dagger lands at his feet. Something ominous starts to emerge out of the shadows- a creepy figure in an old-fashioned nightshirt emerges out of the blackness with a knife in its chest. I’ve always loved this scene!

When the ghostly figure keeps getting closer, he fires his gun at it but it just keeps reaching out for Duncan, who grips his chest and collapses on the floor. The figure bends over him listening for a heartbeat then removes his mask revealing that it is Oliver Judson who calls out to Rachel telling her that Duncan has died of a heart attack.

I’ll leave the story here.-

COMING SOON! The Last of the Summervilles, The Premature Burial, The Weird Tailor, Man of Mystery, Fingers of Fear, A Wig for Miss Devore, Dialogues with Death & Trio For Terror!

LINK TO OLDER POSTS –

WHAT BECKONING GHOST?

THE INCREDIBLE DOKTOR MARKESAN

THE STORM

ROSE’S LAST SUMMER

THE REMARKABLE MRS HAWK

THE ORDEAL OF DR CORDELL

THE HOLLOW WATCHER

THE GRIM REAPER

THE CHEATERS

PIGEONS FROM HELL

THE HUNGRY GLASS

It’s been THRILLING!!!!-MonsterGirl