Hey Everyone -

If you're a spook show fan, I wanted to let you know about an interesting project I recently helped with. A non-sports trading card company called Monsterwax recently released a trading card series featuring stories and artwork from vintage spook shows. Kurt Kuersteiner who heads up the company put quite a few years of research into his project, and the results are pretty cool. You can learn about a lot of the guys who toured with these shows like Kara Kum, Jack Baker, Bill Neff, Roy Huston, and others. You can learn more about the cards at http://www.monsterwax.com/spookshow.html . Full disclosure I helped out Kurt a little bit, and he has also helped with my touring project http://spookshowrevival.com - but I don't have any financial interest in the project at all - just a big fan, and happy that he had a great idea and is helping preserve the history of this cool genre.

If this is your thing - check it out!

Very cool!

Looks great Keith

Any Houdini cards in the set? If so, I like to buy them.

Is bubble gum really in each pack? That's a Topps Co. trademark.

Any Houdini cards in the set? If so, I like to buy them.

Is bubble gum really in each pack? That's a Topps Co. trademark.

There are all sorts of goodies included if you buy a box including some autographed cards, some of the original metal printing plates, ticket reproductions, etc.

I haven't seen any Houdini cards - but Houdini died in 1926 and that was pre-spook show era.

As far as gum, yep. They have gum. Not sure what you mean about Topps having a trademark. There have been MANY trading card companies over the years that included gum in their packaging like Donruss and Fleer (to name the big ones).

You can listen to an interesting interview with the creator of the cards at - http://ia700803.us.archive.org/28/items/......de42.mp3

Or read a review in Non Sports Update at http://www.monsterwax.com/SpookShow_Final.pdf

Why is the artwork (almost always) so much better in the past?

Now that is tres sweet!

How true it is that the artwork of yesteryear was always better. Today we try and "replicate" that same art using digital means - and it just doesn't add up. Back then it was all they had!

Been too long, Chuck. We need to catch up soon!

Keith

Is it a complete set? Or do you have to buy several boxes to get everything?

Jerry

Hi Keith,
Am pleased to see Ray-Mond posters on your web. He was my teacher of magic,close friend.

Yes they are very cool

I watched Ed Wood again last night. Then I read the entry on IMDB, some one didn't believe that teenagers in 1955 would act like that just because the movie hadn't started and the monsters were late, yea.
Featured characters in the film were Bella Lugosi, Thor Johnson and Vampira. All spook show regulars in the early fifties.

I had a bunch of the Baker brothers, Neff, Silkini and a couple other names I cannot recall posters that my mother threw out when I went into the army in 1955. Spook shows were a big thing in these parts back in those days. My toes crinkle at the thought of all that stuff my mother threw out, including tons of comic books that would be worth a fortune now days. Lesson, don't throw anything out. D**n!!!!

Jerry,

I am not sure if it is a complete set you have to purchase to get them all or not. I THINK if you buy the "box" you get them all plus some special bonuses. Email Kurt over at Monsterwax.com and he will explain everything.

Keith

Hows that spook show thing coming along. Any chance you'll tour Texas? If you do I'll sit in the balcony and throw wet noodles during the lights out portion.

Hey Spartacus -

The tour is going well - we are only out in the fall thus far (Sept and Oct) and a few other limited engagements - like we just brought the full show to Charlotte, NC to The Mad Monster Party convention (themadmonsterparty.com).

It's not a small show - cast of 5 - big trailer 'o props and scenery, etc. and we are playing some Performing Arts Centers, so we have been keeping to the Midwest primarily. But if you have a venue or two in Texas in mind and we could make contacts and turn it into a multi date booking, no reason we couldn't swing through. Call the office - details @ http://www.spookshowrevival.com

Keith

Great stuff, Keith...I'm impressed!

Any plans to play Wisconsin in the future?

Here's an idea for you. If your making posters for your shows, why don't you offer them through your stores. I've been waiting for someone to duplicate all those old posters from the past but all people are doing is sticking them on mousepads, pillows and t-shirts. People like me love those old posters and there is a huge market from movie buffs. Check out my link in the bizarre thread here at the MC under "spook show posters."
The newly remodeled Plaza theater in El Paso was the go-to place in the 40-50s. We had all the traveling spook shows and the 2000+ seats were always full. The locals really ate that stuff up. And we had several people come thru every year. You would have to do more than one show here. We have about 50,000 troops at the local army base. A recent Broadway show came through, Wicked, and they were sold out for the week they were here and that was a cupola shows a day and thee on weekends.
I remember one show that came through here the guy was traveling in a hearse and the only big thing he did with props was the burning alive casket.
I'm out of touch with booking agents in this area but I will look around. I know there is a bunch in Dallas and lot of big town between here and there. and its that that fr away from the midwest.

If you pass through Central Illinois, The Orpheum in Galesburg is a pretty sweet theater. Never saw a full blown spook show, but as a kid in the 1960's, I spent many Saturdays going to matinee horror fests.

http://www.theorpheum.org/