The SCI-FI And HORROR MOVIES Of MORRIS ANKRUM 1950-63

 Here's a post I've wanted to do for a long time. As far as I can tell, Morris Ankrum gets the medal for being in the most sci-fi and horror movies in the fifties! Check out this lineup, I've also included the three movies he did in the early sixties. Morris died in 1964 at age 67.

First off, ROCKETSHIP X-M from 1950 was the first sci-fi movie Morris appeared in, he was part of the team on Earth supporting the crew on their ill-fated journey to the Red Planet.

Then, in 1951, Morris stars as the Martian, Ikron, in FLIGHT TO MARS. Those brightly colored suits the Martians wore always tripped me out, what the Hell?!

Morris plays the Secretary of Defense in RED PLANET MARS from 1952. If you haven't seen this strange little flick, check it out when you get the chance.

Morris plays the Army Colonel in INVADERS FROM MARS in 1953, his fourth movie in a row dealing with the deadly red planet. Damn, Mars was a popular subject in the movies of the early fifties!

Then, in 1956, Morris appears as Brig. Gen. Hanley in EARTH vs. THE FLYING SAUCERS, another movie with invaders from Mars. I think Morris was always perfect as a military officer!

In 1957, Morris appears in his first horror movie of the fifties, ZOMBIES OF MORA TAU.

Morris is back to sci-fi in 1957 with KRONOS. He plays Dr. Stern and gets electrocuted big time after discovering the secrets of the possessed Dr. Eliot!

In THE GIANT CLAW from 1957, he plays Lt. Gen. Considine, and helps Jeff Morrow shoot the big old ugly space bird out of the sky!

Also in 1957, Morris appears in Mr. BIG's THE BEGINNING OF THE END as who else, General Hanson. Peter Graves works with him to stop the mutant locusts from taking over the world!

He appeared as Dr. Cleveland in GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN, also from 1958. He gets to try and solve the mystery of why there's a giant roaming the mountains, killing people!

He then has the part of Police Capt. Hancock in the very fun HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER in 1958! I watched this Herman Cohen classic again over the weekend, a great little movie!

  In CURSE OF THE FACELESS MAN from 1958, Morris is the narrator for this little low-budget thriller. Saw this one with my neighbors back in the day.

Morris has the role of President Ulysses S. Grant in FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON in 1958.

He also had the role of Dr. Jordan in the Americanized version of the wild and weird HALF HUMAN in 1958, which also stars Dungeon Hero, John Carradine.

Then, in 1961, Morris has the role of police Capt. Davis in MOST DANGEROUS MAN ALIVE.

In 1962, he appears as The Archbishop in TOWER OF LONDON with Vincent Price.

Our last movie on the list is X: THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES from 1963, Morris plays the uncredited Mr. Bowhead. Wow, what a monstrous list of great sci-fi and horror movies. My man, Morris Ankrum!!

MARIE WINDSOR & MARA CORDAY - Their Horror And Sci-Fi Movies From 1953-66

Here are two gals that were in some classic horror and sci-fi movies, even though they only have seven titles between them. We'll start with Marie Windsor...

Marie was born Marysvale, Utah, she attended Brigham Young University and trained for the stage before she began playing leading roles in B pictures in the late 1940's. Her best work was in the "film noir" category, most notably her role as the manipulative, double-crossing wife of Elisha Cook Jr. in THE KILLING in 1956, which earned her Look Magazine's Best Supporting Actress award.

CAT-WOMEN OF THE MOON hit the screens in 1953, Marie played a strong, adventurist female on a trip to the Moon with a bunch of guys. It was later remade as MISSILE TO THE MOON.

She scored a fun gig in Universal's ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE MUMMY in 1955, she plays the wicked Madame Rontru, and keeps the boys on their toes! Check out that 'Not Suitable For Children' warning on the poster!!

Marie then starred in the nap-inducing, weak sci-fi flick, THE DAY MARS INVADED EARTH in 1963. It's so boring that Eegah!! didn't even remember seeing the freaking thing, and I barely remembered seeing it myself!!

She played Madame Corona in the 1966 slasher movie, CHAMBER OF HORRORS, with Patrick O'Neal as... The Slasher! This was Marie's last movie in horror and scj-fi films...

Here are some swell photos of Marie, the last one is from CAT-WOMEN OF THE MOON.

That's one sexy looking lady from THE KILLING there in the second photo! Now, to Mara...

Mara Corday was born in Santa Monica, California, she was a dancer in the chorus line in "Earl Carroll's Revue" at the showman's theater-restaurant in Hollywood. Modeling led to wider exposure and ultimately to TV roles and bit parts in low-budget movies. As a Universal-International contract player, she was in most every type of B picture that the studio made. She gave up acting in the early sixties to concentrate on her marriage and motherhood, and had 17 tumultuous years as the wife of actor Richard Long.

Mara starred as 'Steve' in the great Universal movie, TARANTULA, in 1955, playing Leo G. Carroll's sexy lab assistant at his house of horrors in the desert!

Then, she starred with Jeff Morrow in the hilarious, THE GIANT CLAW, in 1957. Can you believe that Dell came out with a comic?! Well, there's your proof!..

Lastly, she starred in THE BLACK SCORPION in 1957, what a great movie for a nine year old monster nut to see when it came out, like for me! It really left an impression!

So, we'll finish up with a few photos of Mara posing for us...

Tune in tomorrow when we're back, with even more from... The Dungeon!

OCTAMAN / Filmers Guild - 1976

Welcome to Friday Night Halloween Countdown Drive-In Theater with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. And, as promised, here is our offering of... OCTAMAN!

For those not familiar with this weird little story, it goes like this... A scientific expedition in Mexico discovers several unusual baby octopus specimens that seem to have been spawned by toxic waste in the water. Octopus in a river? Whatever. Anywho, when several of the little critters are captured, their half-man/half-octopus parent gets involved.

The music is by... Who The Hell Knows!

Lettuce then bring in our little Friday Night Dungeon helper and button pusher, what else... Rufus The Gnat!.. Rufus is here to start our Eariffic Soundclip, so... Push the big red 'GO' button there in front of your nose, now, Rufus! Here's... OCTAMAN!

If you can understand these numbers and what they mean, then, good for you! I assumed they were just arbitrary numbers made up by the prop department because they were making a movie. Filmed at the old same place, Bronson Canyon and Griffith Park.

Let's honk and let them know we're here!

It stars Dungeon favorite, Kerwin Mathews, he plays Dr. Rick Torres. Kerwin got his start as Major Caldwell on TV's SPACE PATROL in 1954 in the episode called 'The Escape Of Dr. Proteus.'

Dr. Rick is shown a little mutant octopus found in the water. Then, you get to see what the baby's seeing... Ain't that cute?

Uh oh!!..

This classic puss was designed by George Barr, built by Rick Baker and Doug Beswick and worn by Read Morgan.

Jeff Morrow gets a starring credit for 5 minutes of screen time! Here, he sports a mustache as Dr. Willard, head of the IEI.

Looks a lot like Hedorah!

Dr. Rick learns a bunch of junk from Dr. Willard, then, goes out into the countryside to talk with residents about anything strange they may have recently noticed.

He's shown a page of a weird looking creatures made by a local. Which, I'm pretty sure, are some prelims by Barr.

Number 3, gimme a profile!

This dude's searchin' for worms, when, he looks up and gets Octaman's tentacles raked across his face!

This reminds me of the scene where Tabonga throws the Chief down the hill in FROM HELL IT CAME.

Winnebagos were new and quite a big deal back then!

What a motley crew, that's top billed Pier Angeli there, leading the pack. This would be her last film (filmed in 1971), because, disillusioned with her career, was found dead of a barbiturate overdose in her Beverly Hills home. She was 39 years old.

Looks like they built the costume right onto a pair of cowboy boots!

All I can say is, dude!.. Watch out for them freakin' tentacles!!

TRICK OR TREAT, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!

Here are 3 pics for all the gurlz, 4 hot studs from the seventies!!

This is what it takes to humiliate and then capture an Octaman!

It escapes and they follow it through the forest to this cave. There's no forest near the mouth of any cave at Bronson Canyon, you can see that the branches they cut and brought to the set were all dried up by the time they shot this part!

DRAW!!!..

Oh, right, you don't have a gun... Sorry!

They fill it full of lead, so, it decides to head back into the water...

And, take your cheap, piece-o-crap trinkets with you!