Lon Versus Jack!

While appearing at Eliot Brodsky's terrific MONSTERPALOOZA convention last weekend, I was reminded of one my of my all-time favorite "Sketchy Things" caricatures. Ron Chaney (grandson of Lon Jr.) and his lovely family were there, and my friend Perry Shields performed his one-man show tribute to Jack Pierce, the Universal makeup genius who created the look of the classic monsters. All of this brought to mind the drawing below, which was commisioned several years back by Wonderfest Program Director Dave Conover.

Based on a famous "gag" photo taken on the set of FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN, it jokingly refers to the alleged combative relationship between Lon Jr. and Pierce. It still brings a smile to my face...

Lycanthropy and Me

I have always loved werewolves. The character of Larry Talbot, The Wolf Man, was my first monster, and I've always felt a certain bond with him. Perhaps because he was just a regular guy with extraordinary bad luck. Most cinematic lycanthropes suffer from the same scenario, or at least the best ones do. Here are a few of my favorites, rendered in various mediums...

Oliver Reed from CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF, sketched with charcoal pencil

Lon Chaney Jr. and Elena Verdugo from HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, graphite pencil.

And Chaney again, this time in simple pen and ink.

Even an artist who is pure in heart...

Lon Chaney Jr. As Quasimodo

I recently revisited the 1939 version of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, and started wondering what Lon Chaney, Jr., fresh off OF MICE AND MEN, might have done with the role of Quasimodo. Charles Laughton's performance is truly wonderful, but I think Lon might have brought something quite good to the part as well. The Hunchback is the kind of character that Chaney Jr. was best at - simple, yet very emotional - so it isn't difficult to imagine him doing well in one of the roles that made his father famous. But in case you need a visual, here's one possible vision of that scenario...

A Simple Wolf

This is one of my very favorite pen-and-ink sketches. Very quick, very loose, but totally captures the Wolf Man dynamic. This was before I had the luxury of DVD and screen capture, so I had to pause my VHS cassette of Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man and draw like the devil. It's actually like "life drawing," only with a TV instead of a live model. You've got one minute to capture the gesture! Go!