“Well, Hellllll-lo!” ~Peter von Frankenstein (Donnie Dunagan)
WHAT: Son of Frankenstein (1939) 75th anniversary screening
WHEN: October 30, 2014 at 7:30 PM
WHERE: Pickwick Theatre, Park Ridge, IL
WHO: Donnie Dunagan (“Peter von Frankenstein”) will be our honored guest.
HOW MUCH: General Admission: $7/$5 seniors (60+)/Autographs: $20
WHAT ELSE: We will have a costume contest for children 12 and under. Also, Jay Warren will be performing Halloween “prelude music” on the theatre’s Mighty Wurlitzer theatre organ starting at 7:00 PM.
Wolf von Frankenstein (Basil Rathbone), the son of the late doctor, returns home to an inhospitable reception. The village of Frankenstein, it would appear, is haunted, but it doesn’t take a Sherlock to know it’s more than a ghost. Wolf soon meets the “grave robber” Ygor (Bela Lugosi) and discovers an old terror lying dormant. Consumed by the monster mania of his family’s past, Wolf sets out to restore the comatosed Monster (Boris Karloff) and vindicate his father. Lionel Atwill lends a hand as the suspicious Inspector Krogh. With Josephine Hutchinson and Donnie Dunagan.
Son of Frankenstein (1939) is the last great Frankenstein film from Universal. It’s also the last time Boris Karloff portrayed the Frankenstein monster in the series. It contains what is arguably Bela Lugosi’s finest performance as the broken-necked Ygor. Additionally, the film benefits from the masterful direction of Rowland V. Lee, the bizarre, Expressionistic sets of Jack Otterson, and the atmospheric musical score by Frank Skinner. For all these reasons and more, the film itself is worth coming out for. But our showing will have one added attraction– the presence of the last surviving cast member from the film: Donnie Dunagan.
There are almost no opportunities these days to see a star from Hollywood’s Golden Age of the 1930s, but that will change on October 30 when we welcome Donnie Dunagan to our stage. In addition to playing a third generation Frankenstein (and the last surviving Frankenstein from that universe), Donnie worked for Walt Disney and provided the voice of young “Bambi” in the 1942 animated classic. Ten years after his film career ended, Donnie entered the Marine Corps and became a decorated soldier during the Vietnam War. While serving as a career Marine, however, Donnie remained silent about his earlier career in Hollywood. In 1977, he “retired on wounds,” having attained the rank of Major. In 2004, Donnie reemerged into the public spotlight and has since made numerous personal appearances. Fans everywhere have embraced this once “lost” Hollywood player.
Donnie will be meeting with fans and signing autographs before and after the show. After our costume contest, Donnie will be interviewed onstage by program host Matthew Hoffman. Besides his vivid memories of working on Son of Frankenstein, Donnie has a wealth of knowledge about many stars from Hollywood’s greatest era. This will be a rare opportunity for fans in the Chicagoland area to experience living history from a great storyteller.
As author/historian Tom Weaver introduced him in his excellent Video Watchdog interview from October 2004: “Now meet the real Don Dunagan– career Marine, champion boxer, combat officer, counterintelligence agent, Green Bay Packer, mathematician, physicist and American Mensa Society member…”
Boris Karloff signed this picture to Donnie…
And here is one from Basil Rathbone, Donnie’s onscreen dad…
Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi star in their greatest teaming…
Son of Frankenstein was originally planned to be shot in Technicolor…