This week’s mystery movie is the 1941 Monogram film King of the Zombies, with Dick Purcell, Joan Woodbury, Mantan Moreland, Henry Victor, John Archer, Patricia Stacey, Guy Usher, Marguerite Whitten, Leigh Whipper, Madame Sul-Te-Wan and Lawrence Criner.
Screenplay by Edmond Kelson.
Musical score and direction by Edward Kay.
Photographed by Mack Sengler.
Production manager Mack Wright.
Edited by Richard Currier.
Settings by Dave Milson.
Sound by William Fox and Glen Rominger.
Art direction by Charles Clague.
Produced by Lindsley Parsons.
Directed by Jean Yarbrough.
Further information on King of the Zombies is available from the AFI Catalog.
King of the Zombies is available from Critics’ Choice Video.
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I thought a Halloween theme would be appropriate for October (though no dressing up like the Black Dahlia!) and dug up King of the Zombies. The plot is the familiar one about people being marooned on an island, but with a voodoo/Nazi spy plot twist.
I don’t imagine The New York Times reviewed the film, but let’s see.
No, The Times somehow passed on this film. Instead, here’s Monogram’s pressbook for the film:
For Monday, we have a mysterious ceremony. Hint: No vampires, gorillas or amusement parks appear in this week’s mystery movie.
Update: This is Henry Victor (masked) and Dick Purcell in the background.
For Tuesday, we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Leigh Whipper.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (mystery movie, mysterious evil priest and another mysterious guest appearing later this week) and Mike Hawks (mystery movie).
Note to Sylvia: You’re on the right track, but no current or former inmates of Mystery Movie Jail appear in this picture.
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mysterious woman.
Update: This is Madame Sul-Te-Wan.
Brain Trust roll call: Sylvia (mystery movie, Monday’s mysterious evil priest and Tuesday’s mystery fellow), Stacia (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guest), L.C. (mystery movie and mysterious cast), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery guest), B.J. Merholz (Tuesday’s mystery guest), and Anne Papineau (Tuesday’s mystery guest).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have two people of mystery.
Update: This is Mantan Moreland and Marguerite Whitten.
Brain Trust roll call: Megan and Thom (mystery movie and Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mysterious guests), Anne Papineau (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Sylvia (Wednesday’s mysterious woman), Stacia (Wednesday’s mystery woman) and Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mysterious woman).
For Friday, we have some mysterious gents.
Update: This is Guy Usher, left, and John Archer.
And a mysterious ensemble.
Update: This is, from left, John Archer, Dick Purcell, Joan Woodbury, Henry Victor and Patricia Stacy.
Brain Trust roll call: Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests), Sylvia (Thursday’s mysterious guests and peering into the future for Friday’s enigmatic folks) and Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery guests).
A masked Henry Victor, Hercules in the immortal “Freaks,” further cements his place in fright movie history in “King of the Zombies.” I enjoy anything with Madame Sul-Te-Wan.
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KING OF THE ZOMBIES.
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Boy there are a LOT of voodoo – zombie movies. But maybe this film is not in that category at all.
Is one of the cast members someone who was recently released from mystery movie jail?
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King of the Zombies 1941
Monday – I think ‘masked guy’ is Henry Victor with the zombie folks he’s created
Tuesday – Leigh Whipper (what a career this guy had)
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Tuesday is Leigh Whipper! He was in a recent Movieland Mystery Photo, I think. Oh, wait, it was UNDERCURRENT which was the movie over a year ago, time moves too fast for me apparently.
So this is KING OF THE ZOMBIES which I have never seen but the description seems to explain why one of the guys in the background on Monday looks like an RAF pilot.
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King of the Zombies (1941) w/Dick Purcell, Joan Woodbury, John Archer, Mantan Moreland, Henry Victor, Leigh Whipper, Patricia Stacey, Guy Usher, Madame Sul-Te-Wan,
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Leigh Whipper.
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Leigh Whipper
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Leigh Whipper on Tuesday.
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Today’s guest is Madame Sul-Te-Wan.
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Our movie is King of the Zombies with Leigh Whipper.
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On Wednesday, Madame Sul-Te-Wan, who appeared in “Birth of a Nation,” “Intolerance,” “Hold Your Man,” “Sullivan’s Travels” …
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Hmmm.. I didn’t make the brain trust list, so I’ll resend my Tuesday rundown as a backup
King of the Zombies 1941
Mon – Henry Victor and his army of zombie folks
Tues – Leigh Whipper
……..
For Wed – Madame Sul Te Wan
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Wednesday is Madame Sul-Te-Wan, I believe.
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Madame Sul Tewan.
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Thursday’s man of mystery is Eddie “Rochester” Anderson.
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A good guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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Sam McDaniel in Son of Dracula?
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An excellent guess, but there are no mysterious vampires in our mystery film.
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If that is Nina Mae McKinney then she is in some perilous dark waters.
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An excellent guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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Mantan Moreland and Marguerite Whitten.
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Thursday – Mantan Moreland and Marguerite Whitten
Leaving John Archer, Dick Purcell, Joan Woodbury and Patricia Stacey
Maybe a full reveal of Henry Victor
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Our man Mantan Moreland and Marguerite Whitten.
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I had a nice visit with Madame Sul-Te-Wan in her late life and enjoyed an illuminating chat about her life in movies. I am disappointed in myself for not recognizing her earler in the week.
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John Archer, Dick Purcell, Joan Woodbury, Henry Victor, Guy Usher and Patricia Stacey.
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Friday
Image 1 – Guy Usher and John Archer
Image 2 – John Archer, Dick Purcell, Joan Woodbury,full reveal of Henry Victor, and Patricia Stacey
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