This Week in Fright Film History May 14 - 20, 2017

Margaret Hamilton was an American film character actress best known for her role as Miss Almira Gulch and the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939) and 13 Ghost (1960). She died in her sleep following a heart attack on May 16, 1985, in Salisbury, Connecticut.

She-Wolf of London (1946)  released by Universal Studios on May 17, 1946. The film was directed by Jean Yarbrough and starring Don Porter and June Lockhart, best known for her role on the TV series Lost in Space.

The Black Cat (1934) which was the first of eight movies to pair actors Béla Lugosi and Boris Karloff was released on May 18, 1934. The film was retitled for its British release to "The House of Doom" because in Britain, black cats are seen as lucky. Black cats are sometimes given in token form to British brides on their wedding day. The Black Cat (1934) was Universal Pictures' biggest box office hit of the year.

 

Fright Night II with William Ragsdale, Roddy McDowall and Traci Lind was released on May 19th 1988. Soon after the film’s release, Roddy McDowall and Fright Night creator Tom Holland were scheduled to meet with Live Entertainment chairman Jose Menendez to discuss the possibility of making a third film, but the plans were cancelled when Menendez was murdered by his two sons.