Table Of ContentI Talked
with a Zombie
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I Talked
with a Zombie
Interviews with 23 Veterans
of Horror and Sci-Fi Films
and Television
TOM WEAVER
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London
OTHER WORKS BY TOM WEAVER AND FROM McFARLAND
Earth vs. the Sci-Fi Filmmakers (2005) Double Feature Creature Attack
(1994/1995; paperback 2003)
Eye on Science Fiction(2003; paperback 2007)
Poverty Row HORRORS!
Science Fiction Confidential(2002)
(1993; paperback 1999)
I Was a Monster Movie Maker(2001)
Science Fiction Stars and Horror Heroes
John Carradine(1999; paperback 2008) (1991; paperback 2006)
Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Flashbacks Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror
(1998; paperback 2004) Movie Makers (1988; paperback 2006)
It Came from Horrorwood Return of the B Science Fiction and Horror Heroes
(1996; paperback 2004) (1988/1991; paperback 2000)
Universal Horrors (and Michael Brunas and John Brunas; 2d ed., 2007)
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA
Weaver, Tom, 1958–
I talked with a zombie : interviews with 23 veterans of horror and
sci-fi films and television / Tom Weaver.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-7864-4118-1
illustrated case binding : 50# alkaline paper
1. Horror films—History and criticism. 2. Horror television
programs—History and criticism. 3. Science fiction films—History
and criticism. 4. Science fiction television programs—History and
criticism. 5. Motion picture producers and directors—Interviews.
6. Motion picture actors and actresses—Interviews. 7. Television
picture producers and directors—Interviews. 8. Television
actors and actresses—Interviews. I. Title.
PN1995.9.H6W35 2009 791.43'6164—dc22 2008035960
British Library cataloguing data are available
©2009 Tom Weaver. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
On the cover: Leggy Tarantella (Tandra Quinn)—and her
leggier friend—await visitors to the Mesa of Lost Women, 1953.
Design by Marty Baumann (www.martybaumann.com).
Manufactured in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
To
Jeanne Bates
Phil Brown
Alan Caillou
Ben Chapman
Robert Clarke
Robert Cornthwaite
Hazel Court
Richard E. Cunha
Arnold Drake
John Fiedler
Gary Gray
Tod Griffin
Val Guest
Betsy Jones-Moreland
Carolyn Kearney
Phyllis Kirk
Bernard L. Kowalski
Kay Linaker
Teala Loring
Paul Marco
Michael Pate
Mala Powers
Kasey Rogers
Herbert Rudley
Hans J. Salter
Herbert L. Strock
Frankie Thomas
Burt Topper
George Wallace
Mel Welles
Robert Wise
Jane Wyatt
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A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
As always, a huge “Thank you!” shout-out to the incomparable Marty Baumann, the
Astounding B Monster himself, designer of this book’s cover. Check out his website www.
bmonster.com to see more of his amazing artistry.
Thanks, too, to the many other colleagues who make these interview books of mine
possible: Ron Adams, John Antosiewicz, Mike Barnum, Ted Bohus (Chiller Theatre maga-
zine), John and Michael Brunas, Bob Burns, Jim Clatterbaugh (Monsters from the Vaultmag-
azine), Kevin Clement (Chiller Theatremagazine), David Colton, Glenn Damato, Joe Dante,
Richard Devon, Yolande Donlan, Mike Elmo, Kerry Gammill, Arthur Gardner, Jimmy
George, Mike Gingold (Fangoria magazine), Bruce Goldstein, the late Alex Gordon, the
late Val Guest, Arch Hall, Jr., Richard Heft, Jan Henderson, Sandy and Georgia Horvath,
Whitey Hughes, Joe Indusi, Kent Jones, Joe Kane (VideoScopemagazine), Richard Kiel, Bob
King (Classic Images and Films of the Golden Age magazines), Ruta Lee, the Lincoln Center
Performing Arts Library’s Dynamic Duo of Christine Karatnytsky and Christopher Frith,
Tim and Donna Lucas (Video Watchdog magazine), Dave McDonnell (Starlog magazine),
Scott MacQueen, Boyd Magers (Western Clippingsmagazine), Leonard Maltin, Greg Mank,
Mark Martucci, Burr Middleton, Kenny Miller, JohnMorgan, Barry Murphy (proofreader
extraordinaire), Ray Nielsen, Robert Nott, Mark Phillips, the Photofest gang, Paul Picerni,
Oconee and Jeannie Provost, Fred Rappaport, Fred Olen Ray, Alan Rode, Robert Rotter
(“Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen” website), Mary Ray Runser, Dan Scapperotti, Rich
Scrivani, Tigger, Tony Timpone (Fangoria magazine), Terry Tousey, the late Jon Weaver,
Stephen B. Whatley, the whole gang at the Classic Horror Film Board (http://monsterkid
classichorrorforum.yuku.com) and Lucy Chase Williams.
And an extra-special “Thanks!” to Preston Neal Jones, who provided the interview with
Hans J. Salter, Universal’s resident musical genius during the studio’s monster movie hey-
day.
Abridged versions of the interviews featured in this book originally appeared in the fol-
lowing ’zines:
Richard Alden: “Richard Alden: Inside The Sadist!,” The Phantom of the Movies’ VideoScope
#54, 2005
Eric Braeden: “The Amazing Dr. Forbin,” Starlog #344, April 2006
Ann Carter:“Amy and Her Friends: The Ann Carter Interview,” Video Watchdog#137, March
2008
Robert Colbert: “Rendezvous with Yesterday,” Starlog #352, January 2007, and “Timely
Destinations,” Starlog #359, October 2007
vii
viii Acknowledgments
Robert Conrad: “The Night of the Wild Stuntmen,” Starlog #349, October 2006
James Darren: “Tunnel Vision,” Starlog #359, October 2007
Maury Dexter: “The Little Studio of Horrors,” Chiller Theatre #22, 2005
Pat Fielder:“Married to the Macabre,” Starlog#355, May 2007, and “Pat Fielder,” Western
Clippings #81, January-February 2008
Richard Gordon: “Sven-Garlic!,” Monsters from the Vault #19, 2004
Ron Harper: “Under Ape Rule,” Starlog #345, May 2006
Charles Herbert: “So You Wanna Be a Kid Actor...?,” Classic Images #371, May 2006
Jimmy Lydon: “Rocky Jones ... Space Ranger,” Films of the Golden Age #50, Fall 2007
Lee Meriwether:“4D First Time,” Chiller Theatre#22, 2005, “Catwoman in Conversation,”
Starlog #343, March 2006, and “Timely Destinations,” Starlog #359, October 2007
Laurie Mitchell: “Queen of Outer Space,” Starlog #346, June 2006
Tandra Quinn: “Dance of the Spider Woman,” Starlog #365, May 2008
William Reynolds: “Reynolds Rap,” Starlog #359, October 2007
Betta St. John: “Dancing with Lions,” Starlog #347, July 2006
Hans J. Salter: “The Ghost of Hans J. Salter” by Preston Neal Jones, Cinefantastique Vol-
ume 7, Number 2, 1978
Jay Sayer: “The Saga of a Corman Stock Player,” Cult Movies #41, 2005
Olive Sturgess: “Working with the Bad Boys,” Films of the Golden Age #47, Winter 2006-
07
Frankie Thomas-Al Markim-Jan Merlin:“Spacemen’s Luck,” Starlog#331, February 2005,
and “Spacemen’s Pluck,” Starlog #332, March 2005
T C
ABLE OF ONTENTS
Acknowledgments vii
Richard Alden 1
Eric Braeden 10
Ann Carter 26
Robert Colbert 49
Robert Conrad on The Wild Wild West 69
James Darren on The Time Tunnel 78
Maury Dexter 90
Pat Fielder 121
Richard Gordon on Svengali (1954) 139
Ron Harper on Planet of the Apes 146
Charles Herbert 159
Jimmy Lydon on Rocky Jones, Space Ranger 171
Lee Meriwether on 4D Man and Batman 181
Laurie Mitchell 198
Tandra Quinn 212
William Reynolds 232
Betta St. John 250
Hans J. Salter (Interview by Preston Neal Jones) 269
Jay Sayer 285
Olive Sturgess 304
Frankie Thomas, Al Markim and Jan Merlin on Tom Corbett, Space Cadet 317
Index 343
ix
