For years.The fans of Abbott & Costello wanted to find out how their most famous film parody of horror movies"Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein!"came about.A few books have come to light in recent years:"Movie Comedy Teams"by Leonard Maltin,"The Abbott & Costello Book"By Jim Mullholland and:"Abbott & Costello In Hollywood!"by Ron Palumbo & Bob Furnemack.Now..As a companion to These three manuscripts is the paperback edition of the film's script.Film historian Phil Riley has found an early draft of the script that shows us all scenes and dialogue that never appeared in the final release print:"Oh Oh! And Up Pops The Devil","You're not going to leave me with all of this work"."You're not suppose to throw away all of that fat wasite".etc in terms of the film's dialogue.There is one scene that was never used in the film and sadly.It prohibieted Poor Lou from using his improvational skills as a true movie clown.The scene has "Dracula"(Bela Lugosi)using his hyponotic powers to lure poor"Wilber Brown"(Costello)back into the castle for the brain transplaint.Lou keeps trying to run away.But the power of the evil vampire's spell is so strong that he is constantly being pulled back into the castle via the cave entrance.He finds a rock and sits there."Dracula"(Bela) by now is getting madder than hell! And he says to "Wilber"(Lou)"I Said Come Back!"."Wilber Brown"sits on the rock and says"'No! I'm sitting right here and I'm not going back!".Until both Lou and the rock are zipped back into the cave and into the evil clutches of "Dracula"(Bele Lugosi) and "Dr.Sandra Morney"(Lenore Aubert).The book also shows some photos from the film and some wonderful behind the scenes candid pictures from the cast members,the film's director(Charlie Barton),The film's producer(Bob Arthur)and Dialogue Director(Norman Abbott..Bud's newphew)and the members of the Abbott & Costello families.There are also some thoughts about the making of the film from the team's family members and the true story of how this classic parody was conceived and filmed by the book's author:Mr.Riley.For fans of horror movies and for fans of classic comedy movies.This is one book to have in your collection.Bravo Phil! Kevin S.Butler.

This is a great treasure for Abbott and Costello fans as well as Chaney, Lugosi, or Universal fans. The pictures alone are worth the price of the book. The script is still titled "The Brain of Frankenstein" and includes deleted scenes which further add to the story. As someone who has seen the film many times the added info gives new insights as to the characters performances.

Classic horror film stars meet legendery comic duo make for great film and great book. behind the scenes info with rare photographs and insight into the relationships with all protagonist's. Also critic's reviews and posters and billboards from the orginal time of film's release.

Forrest J. Ackerman may go down in history as one of the most influential men of the 20th Century, and the 21st, given the vast number of adolescent boys for whom he has served as role model, inspiration, catalyst, and friend.

Forry, a distinguished literary agent and editor of science fiction in his own right, is even better known to baby boomer males as the editor of the only truly influential "monster magazine" ever published, known affectionately to millions as FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND. Editor of 200 issues of the legendary magazine, Forry, who never sat on a pedestal but always kept his young fans squarely in the magazine's focus, managed to influence quite profoundly several generations of boys. His readers have included the elite of several entertainment industries, from books to motion pictures, many growing up to join the professional ranks of the same industries. The people behind films like STAR WARS and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS were youthful readers, from Dennis Muren to Phil Tippett, as were movie directors like John Carpenter and John Landis. Forry counts other equally remarkable icons like Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen among his close personal friends. He travels in heady company, and his books are rich as a result.

Given all this, a walk through the genre of science fiction with Forry Ackerman, who has been agent to many fine science fiction writers and publisher of many anthologies and popular magazines such as SPACEMEN, is a little piece of heaven indeed. Forry's famous "Ackermansion" is perhaps the largest collection of sci-fi materials in the world. He knows his stuff, and he writes about it entertainingly and with intimate familiarity. A noted raconteur, Mr. Ackerman deserves all the attention and notoriety his books get, and I can heartily recommend time spent in these pages as a reader's treat and a visual delight.

"Forrest J Ackerman's World of Science Fiction" is the Ackerman book fans have been waiting years to get their hands on. "WofSF" is filled with great pictures and insightful comments covering everything from major authors to films and television. A major portion of the tome is devoted to an overview of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" both in print and cinema. My only disappointment after reading "WofSF" was the lack of horror and fantasy film coverage. Much to my delight, I've discovered Forry plans two follow-up books: Forrest J Ackerman's "World of Fantasy" and "World of Horror." I can't wait.

What more can I say. Nothing else is adequate

This book not only delves into the Twilight Zone disaster but also examines the history of stunts-gone-wrong in Hollywood. It also examines the background of John Landis which reveals much about his motivations.

Harry Cohn willed Columbia Pictures to become a major Hollywood studio, arising Phoenix like out of the muck of "Poverty Row" mediocrity in the Thirties by producing some of the Silver Screen's great triumphs. Columbia films won 52 Academy Awards during King Cohn's reign including Best Picture Oscars for IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, ALL THE KING'S MEN, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, ON THE WATERFRONT and BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI.

Cohn, a transplanted New Yorker born to immigrant parents, was the quinessential Runyonesque character--crude, commanding, ruthless but possessing a "heart of gold" beneath the tough veneer. He was the inspiration for Willie Stark in ALL THE KING'S MEN and Harry Brock in BORN YESTERDAY. Cohn played the role of mogul as tough guy to the hilt.

Veteran entertainment journalist, biographer and Hollywood observor Bob Thomas recreates the man and his times with a lively anecdotal prose style and an insider's eye that discerns between the real and the hype.

Cohn has long endured a bad rap hung on him by the "creative community" that passed through Columbia's portals and over which he often rode roughshod. Frank Capra, Howard Hawks, Leo McCarey, George Stevens, Barbara Stanwyck, Jean Arthur, Rita Hayworth, Kim Novak, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Glen Ford and many, many others bemoaned Cohn's crassness, tyrannical interference and bullying ways but did their best work under his "oppressive," "untutored" and "uncouth" dominion.

Columbia, under Cohn's supervision and control, invented the screwball comedy, perhaps the American cinema's most significant contribution during The Great Depression, and remained the pre-eminent producer of this genre until the outbreak of World War II.

Cohn understood and felt a kindredness with his plebian audience that many of his patrician "creative" employees did not. Thomas' excellent biography goes a long way toward rehabilitating the "Ogre of Gower Gulch" with those who believed Cohn to be the undeserving and unappreciative beneficiary of Frank Capra's genius.

This updated version of Bob Thomas's biography of Columbia studio chief Harry Cohn is very enjoyable reading. Since its original publication, anonymous sources have come forward and new facts and anecdotes have been incorporated. The brusque, outspoken Cohn appears to have been only concerned with Columbia's most important productions, and Thomas's text reflects this bias. If you're looking for details about Columbia's bread-and-butter product, including its popular "B" pictures, westerns, short subjects, serials, and cartoons, you won't find anything here, and even some of the studio's "A" pictures receive only passing mention. Thomas keeps the spotlight on the colorful Cohn, with some incredible stories and quotes. A great read for movie buffs.

"I am the king here. Whoever eats my bread sings my song". (Harry Cohn).

"I don't have ulcers - I give them". (Harry Cohn).

"I kiss the feet of talent". (Harry Cohn).

This is a marvellous and outstanding book that everyone with an interest in Hollywood should read. Once started it is hard to put down! Harry Cohn was the notorious head of Columbia Pictures from 1924 until his death in 1958. It is a remarkable story of the former song plugger who became the feared chief executive of Columbia Pictures during the "Golden Years of Hollywood". Harry Cohn was a very reclusive man who seldom gave interviews so Bob Thomas has done an exceptional job in putting together this account of Cohn's life. He put in hours of efficient research for this book and spoke with many people who knew Cohn and the stars and directors who worked for him.

Harry Cohn's brother Jack was the first to go into the film business but Harry soon joined him. Jack was based in New York dealing with the business and financial side and Harry was in charge of film production in Hollywood. There was no love lost between the two brothers and they were constantly arguing with each other. Columbia could not compete on an equal footing with the other major studios such as MGM, Paramount, Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox and initially made cheap westerns and second features to begin with but Cohn was ambitious and wanted to produce more prestigious films. His luck changed when he had the enormous good fortune to persuade director Frank Capra to join Columbia who made a series of first rate quality films for the studio. The Capra films were box office successes (and Oscar winners) and brought in the much needed dollars to expand the studio and purchase important screenplays, and hire other talented writers and directors etc. The name of Columbia then became recognised and its films obtained a wider audience.

Columbia did not have a large roster of stars under contract like the major studios so they had to discover new talent and develop their own stars. One of Harry Cohn's discoveries was a dancer named Margarita Cansino - he cast her in a few Columbia features and loaned her out to other studios and then the big build up started. Cohn decided her name should be changed so she became Rita Hayworth and went on to become one of Columbia's top stars.

Columbia's biggest box office success in the 40's was the biographical musical "The Jolson Story". This was not an easy film to get off the ground as the New York office were convinced that Jolson was a "has been" whose career was finished and that the American public would not be interested to see a film about his life. Another problem was the casting - James Cagney and Danny Thomas both turned down the leading role and other actors were considered including Jose Ferrer and Richard Conte. Jolson desperately wanted to play himself in the film but in his 60's was obviously too old. The eventual casting of Larry Parks in the role of Jolson was a masterstroke - he was absolutely brilliant - in fact we can't now imagine anyone else doing it as he is so identified with the two Jolson films.

In 1949 Marilyn Monroe was signed to a contract at Columbia for $175 a week. She appeared in a B picture called "Ladies of the Chorus" but when her six months contract was up Harry Cohn ordered her to be dropped - "She can't act", he said. Some of his associates at Columbia never allowed Cohn to forget he had dismissed Marilyn Monroe who as we all know went on to become a major Hollywood star!!

Harry Cohn was responsible for creating another star at Columbia when he signed Kim Novak to a contract. He tried her out in small budget pictures such as "Pushover", "Phffft", and "Five Against the House". Cohn was not initially impressed by her acting but she did well enough in these films for him to agree to cast her in a major production with top stars - "Picnic" - featuring William Holden, Rosalind Russell and Cliff Robertson. "Picnic" established Kim Novak as a star and she went on to make several other successful films.

The 50's brought even more success to Columbia with films such as "Born Yesterday" (1950) which won the Best Actress Oscar for Judy Holliday. Even more popular was "From Here to Eternity" (1953) which won the Best Picture Oscar and seven other awards. ("Eternity" became the biggest money maker in Columbia's history and Harry Cohn was very proud of the film). "Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957) was another Columbia success winning the Best Picture award and six other Oscars.

To sum up "King Cohn" is a marvellous book, full of interesting anecdotes about the stars and "behind the scenes" information what it was like to be in charge of a busy Hollywood studio and with such a fantastic character as Harry Cohn running things there are many wonderful stories to tell. Harry Cohn had the reputation of being something of a monster and tyrant at the studio but this book reveals that he did many kind acts often helping out his employees and stars when they were in financial trouble (sometimes giving them substantial amounts of money) and visiting friends who were in hospital. He enjoyed his image as a tough boss and did not want these stories to be publicised. "King Cohn" is a fascinating read. Buy it - you will enjoy every chapter!

Ackerman has select 65 stories in a single volume : it looks like too much. And, in fact, it is !!!

There are some stories of a single page that could be forgotten forever, due to its very strange humour. But others look like stars and you think : were have him discovered this ?

I can not say that this is a perfect anthology because some stories are written to a determined context that is very hard to believe or imagine.

Anyway, if you have spare time everyday, do not miss this one, there are good stories to read in 10 minutes or less.

Paulo Sunao

I expected much from this book but I found it was not as good as "Outrageous Conduct" which also dealt with the Twilight Zone disaster. "Special Effects" was a bit too scholarly and did not provide enough information on the participants.