At times during our Weekly Chats we will note an actor who figured in a "monster" or horror movie. The two obvious persons are Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Who are others that come to your mind? Another one stares us in the face, but I'll leave that one up for grabs! Some may be considered as "trivia," but still he or she participated in a film in the horror or monster genre. The list could prove to be surprisingly long!

Happy hunting...

Sincerely,
Rush Glick

Immediately, Lon Chaney Jr. comes to mind :thinking_face:

Yes, Lou, Lon Chaney, Jr. is one for sure! Interestingly, he was in a film with Mantan Moreland (our Birmingham Brown)! Any takers? Also, one quite prominent "monster" still lurks, waiting to be "exposed" in the light of a full moon! Twice he was in "LONDON"...

How about Warner Oland as a werewolf in "Werewolf of London" and as Charlie Chan himself in "Charlie Chan in London"?

I just happened to think, Ray Milland played a monster of sorts in THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES and THE INCREDIBLE TWO-HEADED TRANSPLANT (I think that's the title) and he was the hero in CHARLIE CHAN IN LONDON!

Lionel Atwill and George Zucco played mad scientists in monster movies as well - they of course, were "red-herrings" in one or two CHAN films, too!

John Carradine and Peter Lorre also played monsters and were in the MOTO films - which I always considered to be kind of related to the CHAN films!

As for actresses that appeared in CHAN films, but also appeared in monster movies, that will be a little tougher. I can think of one, though - Mary Gordon ("Mrs. Hudson" in THE SHERLOCK HOLMES series with Rathbone and Bruce) had a small scene in BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. I'm sure we can find more!

Although not actually "monster movies", Warner Oland also starred in three Fu Manchu movies before playing Charlie Chan. He was diabolical and a sinister villain for sure.

Yes, John, Warner Oland DID portray a diabolical villain in those to be sure! And, as happens with some regularity in "monster" movies, Warner Oland's "monstrous" Fu Manchu was the product of an outside force or forces, in this case, events bringing life-changing tragedy into his life.

-Rush

Dear Leonard,

Great list, thank you! And I find it to be an extra treat whenever I see a "monster" or horror picture and see one of our Chan actors appear!

And I'll add a film, "Spider Baby," that had BOTH Lon Chaney, Jr. AND Mantan Moreland! Sadly, Mr. Moreland "exited" all too quickly!

Sincerely,
Rush

madge bellamy in white zombie 1932 with bela lugosi

YES!!!

Does anyone get the show SVENGOOLIE at: https://svengoolie.com/? He comes on Saturdays, 7PM EST/7PM CT. He always relates which actors in his Sci-fy/Horror film starred in other shows. (But, of course, not in a C.C. film :).

Yes, Lou!

I am a regular Svengoolie viewer. In fact, over the past year I have been having texting "chats" similar to what we do on Monday nights here at our CCF Home with an old (aren't we all!) high school friend with whom I have recently reconnected! We comment on the films as well as Svengoolie's bits over the course of the two hours.

Anyway, this past week's movie, "The Invisible Man," just happened to have another Chan actor, who has also been in other horror films, E.E. Clive, who was Detective Sergeant Thacker in "Charlie Chan in London."





Of course, it is always fun to find a Chan actor in a horror movie...or any film!

Sincerely,
Rush