THE FILM MADNESS OF FRADKIN-STEIN

Once Upon a Time in a Television Galaxy Far-Far Away from today. There was live television, and the 30th Century was on my 17th inch television screen, in glorious black and white.

Edward “Ed” William Kemmer was born on October 29, 1920, possibly 1921, in Reading, Pennsylvania. His father was Aaron F. Kemmer, his mother was Lillian Chrisman, who was he widow of Lloyd J. Mest., and had two children by Lloyd, Lloyd Jr., and June West.

During the Second World War, Ed Kemmer flew a P-51 Mustang, and on a mission over France:

Kemmer was shot down, and became a “Prisoner of War (POW)” at “Stalag Luft III”, a Luftwaffe prisoner of war camp located in Sagan, Lower Silesia, Poland.

The camp was made famous in the novel by former prisoner, Paul Brickhill, “The Great Escape”. Although, Ed Kemmer, did escape from “Stalag Luft III”. “The Great Escape” took place in March 1944, and he wasn’t shot down until June 17, 1944. Like several other of the “POW’s”, Kemmer’s one man escape failed, and he was returned to spend a total of 11-months as a “POW”.

While in “Stalag Luft III”, Ed Kemmer played the “Bass” in the “POW”S” band. Also, he took his first acting lessons during this period from “POW” John Casson. Who was the son of British actor Sir Lewis Casson and Dame Sybil Thorndyke. We also know, that Ed had the role of “Hildy Johnson” in the camp’s version of the Ben Hecht and Charles McArthur, 1928 Broadway play, “The Front Page”.

After the war had ended, Ed Kemmer used the “GI Bill” to enter the “Pasadena Playhouse”, in Pasadena, California, to study acting and stage production.

“SPACE PATROL” had been created by Second World War Naval Aviator William “Mike” Moser. In a March 1952 interview with “Time Magazine”, Moser recalled that he got the idea for “Space Patrol”, while flying over the Pacific Ocean. He had seen what little imaginative programing existed for children on television at the start of the Eisenhower Era. So, he decided to create a television program in the style of the “Flash Gordon” and “Buck Rodgers”, “Universal Pictures” serials of his own childhood.

Prior to being seen across the United States, “Space Patrol’s” original format was 15-minutes, shown only on Los Angeles television station “KECA-TV”. Which in 1954, became “KABC-TV, Channel 7″, now owned by the “Walt Disney Company”.

“Space Patrol”, would became 900-15-minute-programs. There never was a complete script. The actors had to ad-lib much of each program’s dialogue. Apparently, Glen (Glenn) Denning, portraying “Kit Corry, Commander and Chief of the “Space Patrol”, couldn’t ad-lib as fast as the other cast members. The decision was made to replace him, in the lead character on Moser’s program.

One never knows when, and if, you’re going to get that big acting break.

Ed Kemmer now replaced Denning, portraying the new lead character, “Buzz Corry”, introduced for continuity, as “Kit’s younger brother“.

It is believed that the character of “Kit Corry” only appeared in 25 programs. Although that number is actually a guess, because no records seem to exist other than that there was 900-15-minute-programs staring on March 9, 1950.

The 900-program number was determined by counting the days of broadcasting between the first 15-minute program and the first 30-minute program. As to who appeared on any broadcast day, that information also appears lost, and the 25-day number remains for Denning.

According to the “American Broadcasting Company (ABC)” on December 30, 1950, the first Nation Wide Broadcast of “Space Patrol”, took place across the “ABC Network”. This was also the first Broadcast in the 30-minute format, and records started to be kept and copies of formal scripts for each program.

Season One, Episode One, was “Treachery On Mars“, Saturday, December 30, 1950. and Ed Kemmer portrayed “Buzz Corry, Commander and Chief of the Space Patrol”.

Fans of “Star Trek”, may be surprised about the source for Gene Roddenberry’s opening words, about, “Space the Final Frontier”. As fans of “Space Patrol”, including Roddenberry, who is on record that this childhood show was his inspiration for his series.

All heard the following opening words on “Treachery On Mars”, and on every one of the 209-episodes that followed.

“Space Patrol
ABC presents high adventure in the vast reaches of space
Missions of daring in the name of Interplanetary Justice
Travel into the future with Buzz Corey
Commander and Chief of the Space Patrol“

Note: for one 30-minute episode, “The Pirate’s Escape”, Season 14, Episode 3, on January 16, 1954, Glen Denning, billed as Glenn Denning, returned as “Commander Kit Corry”

Added to “Buzz Corry’s” spaceship team on the “Terra”, were other regular cast members from th 15-minute formate.

Comedian, Lyn Osborn, portrayed “Cadet Happy”. Although Lyn had portrayed the role with Glen Denning, “Treachery On Mars”, is still listed as Lyn Osborn’s first “Space Patrol Episode”

Osborn, except for not being a “POW”, sounded almost like a clone for Kemmer and the two became close friends.

In 1943, 17-years-old, Clois Lyn Osborn, had joined the United States Navy. He trained on, and flew in Grumman TBF Avengers as both an aerial gunner and radio operator.

After the Second World War, he enrolled in the Pasadena Playhouse, on the “GI Bill,” and would perform in 15 different productions at the playhouse.

15-days prior to graduating, Lyn  Osborn was informed that he had been chosen for the role of “Cadet Happy”, on a new television show. Documenting that there are missing episodes of “Space Patrol” from before the “Official: Season One, Episode One”, the actor is credited with.

My article is “Lyn Osborn of Television’s ‘Space Patrol’: Followed By Obscurity and a Sad Passing” found at:

https://www.bewaretheblog.com/2023/07/lyn-osborn-of-televisions-space-patrol.html

Above, Lyn Osborn with Glen Denning, below Lyn with Ed Kemmer.

Look for Lyn Osborn in supporting roles in both 1957’s, “The Amazing Colossal Man”, and “Invasion of the Saucer Men.

Once again, predating “Star Trek”, “Space Patrol” had strong women’s roles, in the 30th Century. Which went against the norm in films and television of the Eisenhower Era, except, seemingly, in science fiction, in films like 1951′, “The Thing from Another World”, and 1954’s, “THEM”.

Virgina Hewitt portrayed “Carol Carlisle”. Although Hewitt’s career covered 1948 into 1972, she only had 10-film roles. Hewitt’s character of “Carol Carlisle” had two important roles. She is portrayed as a major theoretical scientist and a astrophysicist, but “Carol” is also the daughter of the “Secretary General of the United Planets”, portrayed by Paul Cavanagh, 2nd picture below.

Nina Bara portrayed “Tonga”. When the audience first meets “Tonga”, she is a major villain in the series. However, she is converted and becomes a member of “Buzz Corry’s” crew on the space ship the “Terra”. Fans of cult science fiction will find Nina Bara portraying “Alpha” in the even lower budgeted remake of the 1953, 3-D, “Cat-Women from the Moon”, 1957’s, “Missile to the Moon”.

Ken Mayer portrayed “Major Robbie Robertson, Chief of Space Patrol Security”. This may sound somewhat familiar, but after servicing during the Second World War in Army Intelligence. Mayer used the “GI Bill” and attended and acted at the Pasadena Playhouse. After “Space Patrol”, Mayer became a familiar face on television, his major source of acting. In all, with non-television appearances in 1962’s, “Jack the Giant Killer”, 1967’s, “Dick Tracy”, and 1970’s, “Little Big Man”, his career span 119 different roles.

Above, the crew of “Terra”. Back row, Ed Kemmer and Ken Mayer. Front row, Virginia Hewitt, Lyn Osborn, and Nina Bara.

In early television, shows likes “Space Patrol” was a means of putting food on the table for struggling new actors. Some “Guest Stars” on episodes of the program were:

Lee Van Cleef in 4-episodes with three different characters. My article is “LEE VAN CLEEF: A Mixture of ‘B’ and ‘Spaghetti’ Westerns with a Side of Science Fiction and Just a Taste of Drama” found at:

https://www.bewaretheblog.com/2021/09/lee-van-cleef-mixture-of-b-and.html

Marvin Miller was the major villain “Mr. Proteus”. That role predated his work as “Michael Anthony”, on the television series “The Millionaire”. My article is “Marvin Miller: The Actor Who Voiced ‘Robby the Robot’, Japanese Science Fiction and More” found at:

https://www.bewaretheblog.com/2020/11/marvin-miller-actor-who-voiced-robby.html

Robert Shayne portrayed “Groata”. My article is “Robert Shayne: Superman’s ‘Inspector Henderson’, and ‘B Minus’ Science Fiction and Horror” found at:

https://www.bewaretheblog.com/2022/06/robert-shayne-supermans-detective.html

Glenn Strange portrayed “Captain Jonas”. Strange was known as a “B” Western henchman and the fourth “Universal Pictures” “Frankenstein Monster”. My article is “GLENN STRANGE: The Monster Sings” found at:

https://www.bewaretheblog.com/2022/07/glenn-strange-monster-sings.html

Six Other Recognizable Names are:

William Schallert, Dabbs Geer, Lyle Talbot, Jimmy Boyd, Sally Fraser, and Kerwin Mathews.

The norm at this time was to broadcast live from New York City and use a “Kinescope” copy for the two other time zones. However, “Space Patrol” became the first live program to televise from the West Coast. To be precise, from “Universal Pictures”, in North Hollywood, California.

The sound stage used for the production was the largest on the lot. It had been used for Lon Chaney, Senior’s, 1925, “Phantom of the Opera”.

“Space Patrol”, with the same cast, was also on radio from October 2, 1952 through March 19, 1955, for 129-episodes.

The following is a look at the “Space Patrol” merchandise that was available for young fans to purchase. I mean to get their parents to purchase for them. This list is modified from my article “Boldly Going Before Kirk and Spock: 1950’s TV Science Fiction”. Which is an overview of all the youth aimed science fiction programing of the 1950’s and found at:

https://www.bewaretheblog.com/2015/12/boldly-going-before-kirk-and-spock.html

Here is the package young viewers and I received when we joined “The Space Patrol”.

Speaking about Marketing. The cereal company Ralston-Purina really got into the act. The first pictures are of the Ralston-Purina Space Patrol rocket that went across the country and would have members of the cast to meet and greet fans.

How about other premiums from Ralston-Purina?

How about those toys your parents could buy you?

You could get the official “Space Patrol” helmet and ray gun.

There was also a model of the “Terra”.

“Space Patrol” was one of the first children’s television programs to come out with a watch.

Want to speak to other Patrol members?

Even with sentiment still running against Japan and the Japanese from World War Two. Japanese toy makers found a new market with the television show “Space Patrol”.

Can’t forgot those 10 cent comic books.

You can tell why being me in the 1950’s was fun and thisis only a sampling of the toys for this program. There were also records to purchase.

Now, if you think the show was only seen in the United States. Think again, as this ad from the U.K. for program merchandise clearly shows:

The following link will take my reader to “THE DERELICT SPACE STATION” featuring villain, Lee Van Cliff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q4-_sGY9Rw

Once “Space Patrol” ended, Ed Kemmer found himself on five different television programs, in five different episodes. His first motion picture followed that 5th program’s episode, “Doctor on Wheels”, December 13, 1955, on the dramatic anthology television series, “Cavalcade of America”.

Ed Kemmer’s first motion picture was the film-noir, crime drama, set in prison, 1956’s, “BEHIND THE HIGH WALL”. In the motion picture, he had 8th-billing as “Charlie Rains”.

Next, Ed Kemmer was on televison’s “Science Fiction Theatre”, in “The Throwback”, August 24, 1956. He portrayed “Joe Castle, Jr”, the episode’s title character. The story has geneticist “Professor Norman Hughes”, portrayed by Peter Hansen, surprised that “Joe, Junior” seems to have the physical traits of his 400-year-old ancestor. “Professor Hughes” fears his subject may die the same way as his ancestor and looks to stop that same death. Portraying “Joe Castle, Sr.” is Tristram Coffin, 1949’s, “King of the Rocket Men”, and, 1955’s, “The Creature with the Atom Brain”.

The majority of Ed Kemmer’s 99-different roles would be “Guest Starring” on television shows. Five more of those followed “Science Fiction Theatre”, then came a forgotten 7th-billing role, in a forgotten Howard Duff “B” Western, 1957’s, “Sierra Stranger”. Which would be followed by a more interesting musical motion picture.

Back in 1956, what is considered the “First Rock and Roll Musical Motion Picture” opened to extreme success from its target teen, pre-teen, like myself, audience. The motion picture was “ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK”, the title playing off of “Bill Haley and the Comets” song of that name. That was the theme for 1955’s, “Blackboard Jungle”, starring Glenn Ford and Anne Francis.

So, on March 18, 1957, at the “KTLA-TV” studios in Hollywood, somebody thought to do the same for Calypso music. Music that was being heard on radio, by singers such as Harry Belafaonte, the “Banana Boat Song (Day-O)”, and “Shake Shake Shake Senora”, and other lesser known Calypso artists. The movie was entitled “CALYPSO JOE”, and it was released on June 9, 1957, packed with several known Calypso performers.

Looking at the above poster, and comparing it to the “Rock Around the Clock” poster. The “Calypso Joe” poster, like the earlier film to rock and roll, was designed to appeal to those who enjoy Calypso music. There was plenty of that in the film. However, we are looking at the story that supposedly tied all that Calypso together.

Herb Jeffries was a popular African-American actor and singer, but mostly for jazz with his strong baritone voice. However, he had been at his peak during the late 1930’s through the 1940’s. Jeffries portrayed the title character of “Calypso Joe”.

Angie Dickinson portrayed “Julie, a Fight Attendant”. Dickinson had just been seen in director Samuel “Sam” Fuller’s, 1957, “China Gate”, co-starring with Gene Barry and Nat ‘King’ Cole”. She would follow this feature with appearances on different television programs. Her stardom came the following year in Howard Hawks’s, 1958, “Rio Bravo”, starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, and Ricky Nelson.

Ed Kemmer, billed as Edward Kemmer, portrayed “Lee Darling”. Kemmer followed the musical with a “Guest Role” on televisions “Whirlybirds“, that starred Kenneth Tobey, Craig Hill, and Nancy Hale.

Above left to right, Herb Jeffries, Angie Dickinson, and Edward Kemmer.

Stephen Bekassy portrayed “Rico Vargas”. This movie was a break for the actor from just appearing on television programs. His first film role had been in his native Hungary in 1930.

The plot was even thinner than the one for “Rock Around the Clock”. Airline stewardess “Julie” is in love with television star “Lee”. Into her life comes South American millionaire “Rico”. It is up to “Calypso Joe” to smuggle “Lee” onto the plane that the Calypso bands are going on tour in with Stewardess “Julie”. Thereby, permitting “Lee” to change “Julie’s” mind about “Rico”. The movie was a box office failure, like two other films that also attempted to do the same as rock and roll with Calypso music.

Ed Kemmer next found himself in another musical, 1957’s, “Panama Sal”. His co-star, portraying “Sal Regan” aka: “Panama Sal” was Elena Verdugo. She had been “llonka” in 1944’s, “House of Frankenstein”, and “Nina Coudreau”, in the “Inner Sanctum Mystery”, 1945’s, “The Frozen Ghost”, but it was portraying receptionist, “Consuelo Lopez”, on televisions “Marcus Welby, M.D.”, from 1969-1976, that she is known for, and for Ed Kemmer. After “Calypso Joe”, it was another five television appearances until the first of two Cult Science Fiction motion pictures.

GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN premiered in Carthage,Texas, on January 3, 1958

Before I go any further, I want to point out the catchy, misleading tag line:

“IT came from another world“

With all the outer space science fiction movies of the Eisenhower Era. That tag line implied a creature from outer space to many. Which is what the producer’s wanted to lure potential viewers into the movie theater.

For an interesting take on that same tag line. I turn to producer and director Joe Dante, 1978’s, “Piranha”, “The Howling”, and of course, “The Gremlin’s” series. On the website: “Trailers from Hell”: https://trailersfromhell.com/giant-from-the-unknown/

Dante wrote:

The ads for “Giant’ quote ‘It came from another world’ and today it really does, the vanished world of black-and-white double features that I for one really miss”.

Again, before I go further into this lower budget, low budget feature. I want to point out that the Make-Artist was Jack P. Pierce. Who had given the world Boris Karloff as both the “Frankenstein Monster”, and “The Mummy”, Lon Chaney, Jr. as “The Wolf Man”, and Claude Rains as “The Phantom of the Opera”. Around 1948, Jack P. Pierce was fired from “Universal Pictures” by the new owners and replaced with the Westmore Brothers. My article is “Jack P. Pierce the Man Who Created Monsters”, found at:

https://www.bewaretheblog.com/2015/06/jack-p-pierce-man-who-created-monsters.html

The original story and screenplay were by two writers:

Frank Hart Taussig, whose only other screenplay was for the 1953 “Jungle Adventure”, “Perils of the Jungle”. The movie starred animal trainer, performer, and circus owner, Clyde Beatty. Taussig was also an “uncredited townsman” in this feature.

The second writer was Ralph Brooke. This was his first of only five screenplays, his next was 1961’s, “Bloodlust”, a ripoff of “The Most Dangerous Game”. He was also an actor with twenty films and had an uncredited role in this picture.

The motion picture was directed by Richard E. Cunha. This was his second of six motion picture as a director. The feature just before this picture was 1958’s, “She Demons”. While, Cunha’s next two films were both in 1958, “Missile to the Moon”, and “Frankenstein’s Daughter”.

Richard Cunha was also the cinematographer on this picture.

Ed Kemmer, billed as Edward Kemmer, portrayed “Wayne Brooks”. Kemmer had just been in his second of three unrelated 1957 episodes of televisions “Men of Annapolis”, “Mr. Number Five”. He followed this picture with a June 14, 1958 episode of televisions “How to Marry a Millionaire”, “The Fourth Girl”.

Sally Fraser portrayed “Janet Cleveland”. Fraser had also just been seen in an episode of “Men of Annapolis”, “Mr. Number Five”, and followed this movie with “Ronnie Finds a Friend an Apartment”, January 13, 1958, on “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show”.

Above, Sally Fraser and Ed Kemmer

Bob Steele portrayed “Sheriff Parker”. “B” Cowboy star, from the late 1930’a into the early 1970’s, had just been seen in Randolph Scott’s, 1957, “Decision at Sundown”, and followed this film with 1958’s, crime movie, “The Bonnie Parker Story”.

Morris Ankrum portrayed “Dr. Frederick Cleveland”. Ankrum was just seen in “Scream of Silence”, the January 2, 1958, episode of television’s “Climax!” He followed this picture with “The Sea Sled”, February 8, 1958, on televisions “Sea Hunt”. My article is “MORRIS ANKRUM THE FACE OF 1950’S SCIENCE FICTION/HORROR MOVIES” at:

https://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/02/morris-ankrum-face-of-classic-1950s.html

Above, Morris Ankrum and Bob Steele

Buddy Baer portrayed “Vargas – Diablo Giant”. Buddy was a major boxer who had two shots to take down Champion Joe Louis. His older brother was heavyweight champion and actor, Max Baer, and he was the uncle of television’s “The Beverly Hillbillies”, Max Baer, Junior. Buddy had just been seen in “The Lone Woman”, December 26, 1957, on television’s “Playhouse 90”, with Kathryn Grayson, Scott Brady, Vincent Price, Jack Lord, Raymond Burr, and Harry Carey, Jr. He followed this movie portraying “Atlas”, in “Three in One”, April 7, 1958, on televisions “The Adventures of Superman”.

To get to the first appearance of “Vargas – Diablo Giant”, the audience has to wait through over two thirds of the screenplay.

The audience learns there’s been livestock mutilations in Pine Ridge, California. Along with a recent murder near “Devil’s Crag” and locals believe this is all supernatural. Native American “Indian Joe”, portrayed by Billy Dix, confirms to “Sheriff Parker” the town’s fear of a tribel curse and the Sheriff banishes him from the town and the surrounding area.

Above, Bob Steele and Billy Dix

The Sheriff is also wary of local geologist, “Wayne Brooks”. Adding to the mix is the arrival of “Professor Cleveland” and his daughter, “Janet Clevland”. The Professor wants to carry out archeological digs at “Devil’s Crag”, and “Sheriff Parker” warns him about what is happening at that location. That night over dinner with geologist “Wayne Brooks”, an ex-student of the professor, “Wayne” offers to show him his collection of local artifacts. Dinner is completed, and the three go to “Brooks’s” laboratory to look at the artifacts and “Janet” sees an interesting box. “Janet” opens it, and sees a live small lizard. “Wayne” tells her that he found the lizard inside a rock in a state of suspended animation. While this is happening, “Indian Joe” is watching the three through a window.

Later that evening, after “Wayne” and “Janet” return to his home after a movie. “Professor Cleveland” shows the two a cross he pieced together from some of the fragments found by “Brooks”. The Professor theorizes that at some point, years in the past, Spanish Conquistador’s visited the area Pine Ridge now stands upon.

The following morning, “Wayne” drives “Professor Cleveland” and “Janet” to t”Devil’s Crag”, being followed at a distance by “Sheriff Parker”. The Sheriff pulls his car up by “Brooks’s”, reminds “Wayne”, as he tells the other two that the “Devil’s Crag” is a “Danger Area”. However, “Professor Cleveland” brings out a research permit from the “Director of Public Lands” giving him authorization to work the area. Adding that they’re armed and can easily defend themselves. “Sheriff Parker” is not convinced, but leaves the three to set up their camp.

The next day, “Indian Joe” fires a rifle at “Wayne Brooks”, but only claims he was hunting rabbits. “Indian Joe”, next asks “Wayne”, if they’re there to rob Indian graves? “Wayne” assures “Joe”, that with “Professor Cleveland”, they’re only looking for Spanish artifacts. “Indian Joe” agrees to hunt in another place, but warns both men that the “Devil’s Crag” is PURE EVIL!

Based upon his geological study of the area, returning to their camp, “Wayne” informs “Professor Cleveland” that the geology of the “Devil’s Crag” is physically changing. He suspects a recent electrical storm by have contributed to the physical changes he’s observing. They break out metal detectors and start searching the area, but their initial search reveals nothing.

Next, by chance, “Janet’s” metal detector picks up something. “Wayne”, “Professor Cleveland”, and “Janet”, start excavating the spot. The three find Spanish artifacts, suits of armor, weapons and bones.

Later, “Wayne Brooks” notices a rock formation similar to the one the living lizard was entombed in. He continues to dig and finds the handle of a giant axe in perfect condition. He tells the other two about a local legend of a “Giant Spanish Conquistador” known as “The Diablo Giant”. Unfortunately, an electrical storm had come up, forcing “Wayne” to leave the area, before he could have searched it better.

The audience has finally reached the entrance of “The Giant from the Unknown”. Who by now is not really “Unknown” to them.

After “Wayne” had left the area during the electrical storm, from the sites “Detritus (particles of rocks derived from pre-existing rock that has gone under weather conditions and erosion) rises “Vargas-The Diablo Giant”.

The following morning “Wayne” and “Professor Cleveland” find an indentation in the ground where “Vargas” laid in suspended animation. The also notice that all the large body armor they excavated is missing. The two theorize that like the lizard, “Vargas” has come back to life.

That night, “Vargas” kills local teenager “Anne Brown“, portrayed by Jolene Brand, but “Sheriff Parker” arrests “Wayne Brooks” for the murder. One of “Wayne’s” artifacts was found clutched in “Anne’s” hand leading to his arrest.

Next, another person is murdered and with “Wayne” with the Sheriff at the time, he is released, as a third murder takes place. At the “Devil’s Crag” “Janet” is resting in her jeep, and falls asleep as “Vargas” appears.

As unbelievable as it seems to “Sheriff Parker”, he concludes that “Wayne” and “Professor Cleveland” are telling the truth about “Vargas” having come to life after being in a state of suspended animation. The locals join the Sheriff in a search for the “Diablo Giant”,

Meanwhile, “Wayne” finds “Vargas” and “Janet” on the top of a dam. While getting “Janet” to safety, “Brooks” is able to cause the “Diablo Giant” to fall over the dam’s edge into the raging waters of a deep lake in a volcanic crater. End of story!

Three appearances, on three different television drama’s, led to the second of those two Cult Science Fiction movies, made by a classic cult producer. My article is “Growing Up on a Diet of ‘Mr. B.I.G. (BERT I GORDON): Giants, Little People and Grasshoppers” found at:

https://www.bewaretheblog.com/2018/12/growing-up-on-diet-of-mr-big-bert-i.html

The following is modified from the above linked article:

THE EARTH VS THE SPIDER released in September 1958

The movie has two alternate titles, “The Earth vs Spider”, was the original title the picture was shot under, and the shorter, “The Spider”, was the actual release name in most of North America. When I first saw the movie in Los Angeles, at its initial release, it was billed as “The Spider”, in all of its advertising. However, the on-screen title was still “Earth vs the Spider”, because of the costs to change all the prints to the shorter title.

The reason for the change in title, was that the original, 1958, “The Fly”, was released two months earlier, and had become such a big hit. The publicity minded Bert I. Gordon wanted to play off that short insect tile, and his film’s title was quickly shortened to “The Spider”.

One could also say, that Bert I. Gordon was remaking “Universal Studio’s”, 1955 movie “Tarantula”, but with rock and roll music thrown in for good measure. To further his target pre-teen and teen audience’s interest, but although the giant spider scenes look similar in both movies. The plot at least is different.

Below a scene from “The Earth vs the Spider”.

Below a scene from “Tarantula”.

The screenplay was co-written by Lazlo Gorog. Gorog had written the screenplay’s for 1956’s “The Mole People”, and 1957’s “The Land Unknown”, but worked extensively on television.

The other screenplay writer was George Worthing Yates, the creator of the story and writer of the screenplay, for the science fiction classic, 1954’s, “THEM!”. My article is “George Worthing Yates: Screenplays from 1927’s, “LIGHTNING LARIATS to 1962’s “KING KONG VS GODZILLA” at:

https://www.bewaretheblog.com/2021/01/george-worthing-yates-screenplays-from.html

Ed Kemmer portrayed “Professor Art Kingman”. Kemmer had just been seen in “The Gatling Gun”, August 27, 1958, on televisions “Tombstone Territory”. He followed this movie with “The Ghost”, and episode of televisions “Sugarfoot”, on October 28, 1958.

June Kenney portrayed “Carol Flynn”. Kenny had just been in Bert I. Gordon’s 1958, “Attack of the Puppet People”. She followed this feature film with “Baby Face”, a 1958 episode of televisions “Whirlybirds”.

Eugene Persson billed as Gene Persson, portrayed “Mike Simpson”. Persson had just been seen in 1958’s “The Party Crashers”, and followed this picture with “The Scholarship”, October 9, 1958, on televisions “The Ed Wynn Show”.

Above June Kenney and Eugene Persson.

Sally Fraser portrayed “Mrs. Helen Kingman”. Fraser had just been seen in the sequel to Bert I. Gordon’s, 1957, “The Amazing Colossal Man”, 1958’s, “War of the Colossal Beast”. She followed this feature film with “The Thirteenth Juror”, on the long forgotten television series, “Target”, November 7, 1958.

Above, Sally Fraser and Eugene “Gene” Persson.

The Basic Story:

“Jack Flynn”, portrayed by Merritt Stone, is driving down the same dark highway he has driven for years. Occasionally, “Jack” glances at the bracelet he bought his daughter, “Carol”, for her birthday. When suddenly, his truck hits a silk thread that is stretched across the highway.

When her father is long past due home. “Carol” asks her boyfriend “Mike”, to take her to look for her father. Whom “Carol” is worried may have been hurt in an accident.

However, the “Teens” discover his wrecked truck, but no father. “Carol” also finds her father’s birthday gift. There’s a cave near the wreck, and the two decide to enter it, thinking “Carol’s” father may have gone into the cave for shelter. Instead, they find a giant spider web, that looks suspiciously like rope, and the spider.

Returning to town, “Mike” and “Carol” can’t convince “Sheriff Cage”, portrayed by Gene Roth, that there’s a giant spider, and go to  “Professor Kingman” for help. Now, with the sheriff, he four return to the cave and find “Carol’s” father completely drained of blood and the bones of another person.

The spider attacks, and the four are just able to escape. Unknown to “Carol” she has dropped the bracelet from her father in the cave. “Sheriff Cage” and “Professor Kingman” decide to use DDT on the spider, and get an exterminator to load up a large tanker truck and return to the cave.

They spray the spider with the DDT, and kill it, or so they believe. Next, as any sensible person would do, “Professor Kingman”, has the body of the giant spider taken to the High School Gym. Where locals and newspaper reporters and view it.

There’s going to be a big school dance, and the, adult looking, members of a high school teen band, go to the gym to rehearse.

As the teenage band rehearses, the spider, who was only stunned, apparently doesn’t appreciate rock and roll, and is snapped back to life. Next, the spider gets out of the high school gym, and starts to run a muck in the small town.

The spider eventually returns to its cave and the “Sheriff” and “Kingman” seal the entrance with dynamite. Only to discover that “Carol” and “Mike” went into the cave to locate the bracelet she lost from her father.

In the end the Teens are rescued, and the spider electrocuted by “Professor Kingman” and “Mike Simpson”.

Except for 4-motion pictures, Ed Kemmer finished his acting career with 58-Television Guest Appearances ending in 1983.

However, he did appear in one classic television program that I want to end my sketch of his acting career with:

On October 11, 1963, television audiences heard:

“Portrait of a frightened man: Mr. Robert Wilson, thirty-seven, husband, father and salesman on sick leave. Mr. Wilson has just been discharged from a sanatorium where he spent the last six months recovering from a nervous breakdown, the onset of which took place on an evening not dissimilar to this one, on an airliner very much like the one in which Mr. Wilson is about to be flown home—the difference being that, on that evening half a year ago, Mr. Wilson’s flight was terminated by the onslaught of his mental breakdown. Tonight, he’s traveling all the way to his appointed destination, which, contrary to Mr. Wilson’s plan, happens to be in the darkest corner of the Twilight Zone.”

This was the “TWILIGHT ZONE” episode, “NIGHTMARE AT 20,000 FEET”.

On its surface, this is just one classic episode of Rod Serling’s series written by Richard Mason. Who wrote the original novels and screenplays for 1954’s, “I Am Legend (Four movie versions), 1957’s, “The Incredible Shrinking Man”, and 1973’s “The Legend of Hell House”.

However, THIS IS THE ONLY STORY where, “Buzz Corry” of “The Space Patrol” meets “Captain James ‘Jim’ Tiberius Kirk”, of “Star Trek”.

Above left to right, Christine White portraying “Julie Wilson”, Ed Kemmer portraying “The Flight Engineer”, and William Shatner portraying “Bob Wilson”.

ED KEMMER passed away on November 9, 2004, but I see him still on missions of daring in the name of Interplanetary Justice