The Encore Theatre was a cute art house on Melrose Avenue, right across the street from Paramount Studios and Western Costume. Don Reed and I first visited the theater in 1966 for a screening of Fellini's "Juliet of the Spirits" and you couldn't help but love this neighborhood theatre that had been around for decades. Cinemascope would never breach the walls of this vintage theatre.
The lobby was ringed with arty bits, sculptures by local artists and manning the counter was the elderly but ever lovable Milton Kaiser, bastion of Hollywood history and collector of classic films. He was a great old guy and knew everything about Hollywood. He had a marvelously subdued sense of humor too. One night an irate customer complained about the size of the screen to which Milton nonchalantly replied "Sit closer".
Visiting the theater was always like coming home and Milton and I would sit and chat for hours about one movie after another but it was not to last. One night alas, while take nightly deposits to the bank, Milton was beaten to a pulp. I visited him in the hospital and he was an absolute mess. It was never the same at theater and not long after, he passed away.
Jerry Neely, Bob Short and Bill Malone who constructed his own Robby. Prior to a screening of "Forbidden Planet" at the Encore, Bob Short tried Robby on for size and walked into the theater!
THE WITCHCRAFT AND SORCERY CONVENTION
Bill Crawford began Visionary Publishing back in the '30s becoming owner of Fantasy Publishing 10 years later. Specializing in magazines like "Marvel Tales" and "Unusual Stories" with a few hardcovers for good measure. He was also a supporter of "The Count Dracula Society" and came to many of the meetings. Still, in his '70s it was a surprise he would undertake his own convention which lasted a number of years. He passed in 1984.
Bob Short, Sandy & Bill Mills
Katwen & Lora Trimble
Always a Dealer
TRICKS & TREATS
Any fan of Famous Monsters will recognize Bob Burns (or "Mad Mummy" to the cognoscenti). Bob has been in print for years, on TV for a few of them and even on film! But certainly "The Bob Burns Halloween Extravaganzas" have put himself (and Burbank) on the map! By the time I caught up with Bob and his merry band of creative cohorts, they were well into their next Halloween production based on "Forbidden Planet". Hell, Bill Malone had the robot, Robert Alvarez had the monster suit from Night Gallery's Pickman's Model and most had Forbidden Planet costumes gleaned from the MGM Rummage Sale.
But the trick was always bringing it together and making it work; that's where Bob excelled. Thanks to the talents of Mike Minor,Tom Scherman and Al Jermanis, there was apparently nothing they couldn't create.
The set was built ; cast was assembled and Halloween usually arrived with a light drizzle and a line of spectators a block long! Photo from L.A. Times .
Bob offers Robby sweets
Behind the Scenes
Monsters Got Rhythm, Yeh!
<Robert Alvarez, Jim Mathenia, Robby, mmmm. . .Bill Malone, ? , Charlie Dugdale.
My meager job was wiggling a carnivorous plant, alternating with crowd control; but hell, I was the newbie of the bunch.
Official Shockumentary of Bob's Halloween shows HERE. The monsters are so close, you can almost smell them!
WRAPPING UP '73
There was still time for a few things to happen before 1974 showed it's head Probably the most important newsy bit from '74, was Forry Ackerman pulling up stakes from the Sherbourne address and moving to Glendower. His moving notice postcard is .
Artists & Models Ball with Gypsy Boots on Percussion
