315 Days Till Halloween
On This Date
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Jack the Ripper murders his fifth, and widely believed, final victim, Mary Kelly.
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Claude Rains, star of The Invisible Man (1933), The Wolf Man (1941) and The Phantom of the Opera (1943) is born in London.
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The first sighting of the Mothman is reported by four witnesses in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. The witnesses described it as a 7' tall humanoid creature with red eyes and wings.
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Universal Pictures releases Frankenstein, starring Boris Karloff.
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Captain Blackbeard (Edward Teach) is killed in a bloody battle with British lieutenant Robert Maynard's crew. Blackbeard dies from five gun shots and 20 slices from bladed weapons. His head is removed and hung from Maynard's bowsprit as he sailed into Chesapeake Bay, Virginia to collect the reward.
The Most Popular Halloween Song of All Time
Bobby “Boris” Pickett co-wrote (with Leonard L. Capizzi) and recorded “Monster Mash” in 1962. The song quickly went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of October 20 - 27 of that year (despite being banned in the UK because the BBC felt it was “too morbid” for the airwaves). The song was recorded in less than an hour with session players including Leon Russell on piano and The Blossoms backup singers (led by Darlene Love) who at one point sneaked in the line “Ooh, tennis shoe, wah-ooh” during the song’s bridge. The song has re-entered the Hot 100 several times over the years after it’s initial release, and hopefully it’s not the last time we’ll see it there.
Nosferatu (1922) - A Classic Movie Lives Thanks to a Single Copy
The Nosferatu producers were literally sued into oblivion by the Stoker estate. All copies were destroyed by court order, but like every great vampire tale… one survived!
The Addams Family TV Series Auditions (1964)
Rare photos of unknown actors and actresses in costume vying for parts in an iconic TV series. Did producers make the right choices?
You Can Tour a Replica Munsters Mansion
This Waxahachie, Texas couple has spent the last 20 years recreating Munster Mansion down to the last detail. Now you can tour it and even participate in a murder mystery (costume required).
Trick or Treat (1952): The Making of Disney’s Classic Halloween Short
Watching this classic Donald Duck tale has been a Halloween tradition for generations of fans young and old. Many people will agree that this is Disney at its best.
(Animated Short) Edward Gorey Tells a Story: The Dracula Set Design
Famed pen & ink artist Edward Gorey designed backdrops for the 1974 Broadway production of Dracula. The show opened with stunning visuals, earning him a Tony Award - in costuming?
Monstro Bizarro: Lyle Blackburn’s Immersive Cryptozoology Podcast
Bigfoot, Mothman, and swamp monsters: fact or fiction? Either way, they make great stories and Lyle knows how to tell ‘em.
Christopher Lee Witnessed the Last Public Execution by Guillotine
The future Dracula star stood in the French crowd as the blade came down on mass murderer Eugen Weidmann’s neck in a scene so disturbing that public beheadings were immediately outlawed.
John Cz’s Cast Iron Pumpkin Molds From the 1930s
Madison, Ohio farmer John Cz spent four years experimenting with metal molds to perfect a technique that grew pumpkins with eerie faces.
H.H. Holmes and the Murder Castle of Chicago (1893)
A hotel built to hold and hide his victims in a basement that became a human slaughterhouse. This is the famed “Devil in the White City.”
The Fisk Metallic Burial Case (aka The Iron Mummy)
This airtight cast iron coffin from the 1800s let the young remain beautiful even in death (with a glass window for your admirers). Of course, if you died old you’ll just look old forever.
Harry Houdini’s Diary Will Soon Be Published
Harry Houdini’s first diary covering his travels and performances between 1897 to 1899 will soon be published with notes and rare photos from major collections including the David Copperfield archives.
Events & Attractions
The Poe Museum began over a century ago when an Edgar Allan Poe collector and researcher named James Howard Whitty and a group of literary enthusiasts met in Poe’s hometown of Richmond, Virginia to create the state’s first monument to a writer.
Recommended Sites
Butch Patrick Presents The Munsters
The official site of Butch Patrick. Offers memorabilia personally signed by Butch and provides contact information to book Dragula and the Munsters Koach.
Keep tabs on the Ghostbusters universe with daily news stories, merch releases, merch releases, and more merch releases.
Hosted by Dr. Kate Cherrell, Burials and Beyond features a growing collection of macabre tales of the dead and doomed.
Visit some of the world’s most haunted castles, crypts, and cemeteries in far away lands where the ghost tales are as old as the hills.
“All Hallows Geek puts the ‘Eek’ in geek. We're shining the light on the darker side of pop culture and celebrating the spirit of Halloween year-round.”
“All things Halloween with daily content covering horror movies, news, photos, reviews, interviews, and more!”
I’ll be wrapped around your finger… literally! A site with hundreds of articles and photos of antique jewelry and trinkets that let mourners wear the dead.
Recent Releases
Nosferatu 7” Ultimate Count Orlok by NECA
Release date: December 2023
The 1922 vampire film Nosferatu is considered an influential masterpiece of the silent era, and over 100 years later it still holds a place in the imaginations of horror fans everywhere. NECA’s Ultimate Count Orlok action figure presents the eerie count in sensational style, with details and accessories carefully sourced from the film. This gothic figure is fully articulated and includes three interchangeable heads, a variety of different hands, a hat, five keys on a chain, quill pen, ink pot, replica letter, and bottle. Comes in a display-friendly window box.
Universal Monsters 7” Ultimate Creature From the Black Lagoon
Release Date: July 24, 2023
The debut of Universal’s 1954 film The Creature from the Black Lagoon took audiences deep into the Amazon! This 7” scale Ultimate action figure depicts the mysterious and terrifying Creature in extraordinary detail. It comes with three extra pairs of hands, and three interchangeable head sculpts. Display-friendly window box packaging with opening front flap.
Available Now
Universal Monsters Super Soapies
The delightful combination of monster movie nostalgia and 60s kitsch that is Super Soapies just got that much better, with the new wave of full color Universal Monsters Super Soapies! Modeled after the novelty bubble bath bottles of the 1960s, each Universal Monsters Super Soapies bottle stands 10” and holds 15 oz of soapy solution for blowing bubbles using the wand attached to the screw-off top.
Mad Monster Party? Color Corrected Bluray (2023)
Filmed in the revolutionary stop-motion process, “Animagic”, this beloved cult classic is presented in an all-new colour-corrected master from the original 35mm vault materials. From the studios of Rankin/Bass (creators of the timeless kid’s classics Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman) comes this frighteningly funny Holiday monster bash!
Spider Baby Soundtrack Vinyl LP
Rob Zombie and Waxwork are thrilled to announce the debut vinyl release of “Rob Zombie Presents SPIDER BABY” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Ronald Stein. Directed by Jack Hill and starring Lon Chaney Jr. and Sid Haig, Spider Baby is a 1967 American Horror film. The film was originally released to near obscurity but has achieved a cult following for its originality, dark humor, and twisted storyline!
The Legend of Boggy Creek - 50th Anniversary Release
The 50th Anniversary Edition has been remastered in 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) and is fully HDR Encoded for the best viewing experience. As another listening option, audio is now available in Dolby 5.1 Surround. Each disc includes new never-before-scenes and other bonus features.
Classic horror and vintage Halloween masks are the perfect nostalgic combination! Super7's Retro Halloween Masks are made of high quality plastic with an elastic headband all in classic window box packaging that will remind you of spooky trick-or-treating fun!
The Simpsons ReAction Figures Wave 3 - Treehouse of Horrors
These terrifying creatures are Super7’s latest additions to The Simpsons ReAction Figures lineup! Grim Reaper Homer, Inside-Out Bart, Skeleton Marge, and Kang-Dole are here to haunt your ReAction collection! These were some of the greatest Treehouse hits as well as some of the most interesting versions of the characters, including Skeleton Marge with a cat in her chest.
Coming Soon
London After Midnight 7” Lon Chaney by NECA
Release date: February 2024
Despite all copies being destroyed in a vault fire, the 1927 silent horror film London After Midnight has remained a cult classic! Lon Chaney plays a dual role as Professor Edward Burke and the Man in the Beaver Hat in a tale of murder and inevitable justice. This Ultimate action figure from the classic silver-screen movie is highly articulated and comes with lantern, removable hat, extra hands, three interchangeable heads, and attachable winged cape. The 7” scale figure comes in collector-friendly window box packaging with opening flap.
Glow In the Dark “The Mummy” by Atlantis Models
Release date: February 28, 2024
Limited release of the Mummy. Comes from the original Aurora Tooling. Molded in mummy white with separate tree of glow parts. Get yours today! One to build and one to keep on the shelf!
PREORDERING NOW
Release Schedule
2/2024 - London After Midnight 7” Lon Chaney by NECA
2/28/2024 - Glow in the Dark Mummy by Atlantis Models
Recommended Sites
Licensed movie and horror-related costumes, toys, and collectibles for the avid (or rabid) pop-culture fan.
Creator and distributor of some of the collecting community’s favorite film and pop culture action figure lines (and more!).
Excellent site regularly updated with photos and historical information about vintage Halloween memorabilia.
The company that helped define the Halloween “look” is still around and creating new and reproduction vintage decorations for all our Halloween decorating needs!
Carl Kolchak Was Born on Halloween
Kolchak creator Jeff Rice finished writing his manuscript for The Kolchak Papers on October 31, 1970. To mark the occasion, he decided to give his literary character a Halloween birth date (which required literary parents). Thus, Carl (legal name Karel Michail Kolchak) was born on October 31 to Janos and Fanny Kolchak of New York City.
“It’s the attack of Eddie Munster!”
Alan Frog - The Lost Boys (1987)
The Addams Family
John Astin originally auditioned for the part of Lurch on the 1960s TV series The Addams Family before being cast as Gomez Addams.
Ted Cassidy eventually won the part of Lurch after ad-libbing the line “You rang.” His character was originally intended to remain silent.
“Oh, Mrs. Churchill, come over; someone has killed father!”
Lizzie Borden (August 4, 1892)
Sheb Wooley
The iconic “Wilhelm scream” sound effect that’s been used in over 400 movies and TV series including Bewitched, Poltergeist, Monster House, and The X-Files, was voiced by Sheb Wooley, who went on to write and perform the Halloween classic “The Purple People Eater.”
The Munsters
Actress Yvonne De Carlo (Lily Munster) was eight months older than actor Al Lewis (Grandpa Munster), who played her father on The Munsters TV series (1964 - 1966).
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Night Court star John Larroquette met director Tobe Hooper in the early ‘70s when Larroquette was working as a bartender. Hooper asked Larroquette to voice the prologue to a little film he was working on titled The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Larroquette agreed to do the uncredited role. Years later, Larroquette confirmed that Hooper paid him to do the job with marijuana.
Edgar Allan Poe and Jerry Lee Lewis
What could an iconic writer from the 19th century have in common with an iconic musician from the 20th century (besides the fact that they both wrote in rhyme and used three names)?
They both married their 13-year-old cousins.
Spirit Photographers
During the early days of photography, professional photographers discovered ways to capture spirits on film. They became known as “spirit photographers.” These images were, of course, faked using camera tricks that the general public was not aware of yet. Some spirit photographers were able to turn quite a profit selling these ghostly images. But in 1869, a famous spirit photographer named William H. Mumler of Boston was caught and charged with fraud when a spiritualist examined his photos and recognized some of these “ghosts” as living residents in town. Fortunately for Mumler, he was not convicted of a crime due to… lack of evidence.
However, his career as a spirit photographer was dead.
“Atta boy, Luther!”
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1964)
Scooby Doo, Where Are You!
When Joe Ruby and Ken Spears pitched their original idea for a Scooby Doo series, Scooby was named “Too Much” and the show was titled The Mysteries Five. CBS’s head of daytime programming Fred Silverman came up with the name “Scooby Doo” based off the syllables “doo-be-doo-be-doo” in the Frank Sinatra song “Strangers in the Night” and the series was renamed after Scooby’s character.
The Monster . . . . . . . ?
Boris Karloff appeared in 80 films before winning the role of The Monster in Universal Pictures’ Frankenstein (1931). However, he was still considered such an unknown actor that he was not invited to the Frankenstein premier.
Near Dark
Actor Bill Paxton stated that he read the Anne Rice novels Interview with the Vampire and Queen of the Damned during the filming of Near Dark to help him get into character to play the psycho vampire, Severen.
The Silent Talkie
There are technically three versions of the 1931 Universal Pictures movie Dracula. The first version features Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula, which was filmed by director Tod Browning. After Browning’s crew had wrapped production each day, director George Medford shot a Spanish version by night using the same sets with an entirely different cast. Medford’s film was the foreign language version, also titled Dracula. However, in 1931 many theaters across the US and the world were not yet wired for sound and a third, silent version of the movie was made with title cards that could also be swapped out for foreign markets. Unfortunately, the silent version with title cards appears to be a lost film.
It’s All in the Name
According to his early research notes, Bram Stoker’s original title for his 1897 novel Dracula was “The Un-dead,” and Dracula’s name was Count Wampyr. How much of Dracula’s success truly came from a good story and how much came from a truly great name?
A Full Moon on Halloween
According to Farmers’ Almanac, a full moon on Halloween night is a truly rare event indeed, occurring (on average) only three to four times each century. The last full moon to appear on Halloween night was visible in 2020.
The next full moon to appear on Halloween night will not occur till… 2039!
After that, there will only be three more full moons on Halloween night before the end of the 21st century (2058, 2077, and 2096).
However, the sight of the Moon on Halloween night during any phase (even if it’s just a sliver) is still magic! Besides, perhaps some devilish little trick-or-treaters would prefer to have a new moon on Halloween night rather than a full moon to hide their Halloween mischief?
“Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night,
Can become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms and the Autumn moon is bright.”
The Wolf Man (1941)
