GLENN STRANGE: Classic Horror's Stunt Monster

This is a well-deserved tribute to an old school supporting actor, whom originally came to my attention through avidly watching the much beloved Universal / Frankenstein movies on TV throughout the 1960s, specifically those dating back to the mid-to-latter 1940s. Glenn Strange (1899-1973) had played lots of villains in westerns (along side everyone from John Wayne, to Clayton Moore as "The Lone Ranger"), or big burly henchmen in crime and mystery flicks. Still, he became much more widely known for having played Frankenstein's Monster in the last several '40s monster rally movies to be produced by Universal Studios, which culminated with the classic horror / comedy, "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein". If you're around my age, and you perhaps had a Frankenstein Halloween mask when you were a kid (just as I certainly did), it was most likely a mask designed to represent Glenn Strange's particular incarnation of the monster. During the 1950s, Glenn Strange was again approached by producers from Universal about perhaps playing the iconic monster in "Creature From The Black Lagoon". However, because Mr. Strange had never learned to swim, he turned down the role. Of course, Mr. Strange went on to find lasting fame in other movie and television properties, and ultimately finished his long career with a lengthy stint, playing "Sam" the bar tender on CBS's classic western series, "Gunsmoke". When news broke about the death of longtime co-star Lon Chaney, Jr. (July 12, 1973), there didn't seem to be anyone of significance who was available to help mark the star's passing. Strange's immediate reaction was to remark: "Someone needs to speak for Lon...", and at the very same time as his own unpublicized battle with terminal cancer, Strange eagerly agreed to appear on-camera for a regional news outlet in order to share fond reminiscences about his departed friend. Strange, himself, died a mere two months later, on September 20, 1973. Some of my favorite Glenn Strange film appearances include: "The Mad Monster" (1942) "The Black Raven" (1943) "The Monster Maker" (1944) "House Of Frankenstein" (1944) "House Of Dracula" (1945) "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein" (1948) "Master Minds" (1949) [The Bowery Boys horror / comedy] Original music by G.F. Watkins "Spiderweb" soundtrack / unabridged track All rights reserved, G.F. Watkins (2000) The quote at the end was taken from "The Mad Monster", a film in the public domain.