Halloween window painting takes 3rd prize, October 24th, 1962 (photo by Carl W. Eysenbach)–While Ginny Bawman ponders where to put the Mystery Machine, she loses her footing and mistakenly grabs for the painted tree branch. Luckily, a passing shopper cushions her fall.
Las Vegas, October 30th, 1949: Sisters Pat and Francis are aghast to discover they have a third sister who doesn't share their fashion sense.
From Cleveland Press, October 31st, 1950 (photo by Glenn Zahn)–Joey and Janey Skittles are paralyzed with uncertainty as to what to eat first: Left Twix or Right Twix; sadly not realizing that their hard earned 2.5% savings account dividends would be swallowed up by the Great Recession in the future, making the flimsy Twix marketing conceit pale in comparison.
In 1962, Timmy falls asleep and is suddenly surrounded by angry pumpkins looking to scoop his stuffing out and stick a candle in his head for a change.
Long time pressbook collector and contributor to Zombos' Closet, Tony Rivers once again goes to the jungle and returns with Jungle Woman.
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You may find this hard to believe, but there was a time when gas stations had attendants, dressed in snappy uniforms, eager to wash your windows, check your oil, and pump your gas. I know, I know. Sounds like a fantasy, right?
10/19/62 — Detroit: When station attendent Walt Sifford painted a Halloween scene, complete with cornstalk, on his gas station window, he never thought his work was realistic enough to become a pheasant trap. But it wasn't long before a pheasant came crashing into the window. Sifford is shown with the pheasant, who was only stunned. Sifford plans to free the bird in a real cornfield when the bird fully recovers.
I know the feeling. Bummer. And I don't believe the copy on the back of the photo. Not mind? Really? Impossible.
Here's the four-page pressbook for Caltiki, the Immortal Monster. Mario Bava reportedly had a hand in the direction of this horror movie, but whoever is to blame, the end result is a mess only a tad less horrifying than Caltiki. Of course, I didn't notice the slipshod editing at the time, but the monster is quite impressively gloppy and scary. Hard to say if this movie was a rushed attempt at cashing in on The Blob, starring Steve McQueen, but I can tell you it scared me so much as a child I had nightmares for a week. And of course, came back for more 😉 The story is still very good, just the execution could have been much, much better.
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This Halloween press photo from Cleveland Press is circa 1952. Pure Americana: two boys admiring a shoe store window Halloween painting. You gotta love those rolled up jeans.
Sure, today you can go to Party City, Spirit Halloween, Halloween Scene, and Walmart and Target and so on and on, to find costumes galore. Way back when you rolled your own. Not saying this one was a good or bad choice for Halloween trick or treating, but you rolled your own back then. It definitely gives me the willies. Just add a rubber knife or axe and a new slasher is born!
This little miss being readied for Halloween with "trick or treat" for a worthwhile cause, collecting pennies for the United Nations children's fund. Her bright costume features a lamb's head made from a paper bag and crepe paper.
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Here' the Mexican lobby card for The Empire of Dracula (El Imperio De Dracula, 1967). The sexuality of the vampire began with Bram Stoker's seminal work, then materialized in cinema with Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee's portrayals, and was beaten to death with a stake by various horror movies ever since.
Spotted this on eBay. Mattel's Bats in Your Belfry is one of the quintessential games monsterkids played with, and lament not having held on to. Here's a description for newbies from a Hake's auction.
Main portion of game consists of 15" tall molded plastic castle w/spring-loaded launchpad that would toss any of the 24 included plastic "Vampire Bats" into the sky. Object of the game was to drop one of the two included heavy metal balls into castle to activate spring-loaded mechanism and catch as many bats as possible w/the two provided plastic skeleton hand scoops. Castle has exterior pegs to hold bats and comes w/eight "Diet Tokens," plastic discs w/monster face on one side and either "Vampire Bats" or "Giant Bats" text on reverse. Game is for up to four players and comes w/four pegged racks to place your bats on.
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