The Epic Saga Behind FRANKENSTEIN: THE TRUE STORY: Rondo Award Winner / Expanded Edition

by Sam Irvin, Anne Rice (Foreword), Guillermo del Toro (Introduction)

The True Story was a 2-part miniseries on NBC-TV in 1973, made by Universal Pictures. Directed by Jack Smight ( Midway ), the all-star cast included James Mason, Leonard Whiting, Michael Sarrazin, David McCallum, Jane Seymour, Agnes Moorehead, Tom Baker, Sir Ralph Richardson and Sir John Gielgud.

Investigative journalist Sam Irvin's tell-all behind the making of this groundbreaking production has many facets. It is an eye-opening exposé on the movie industry of the early 1970s with an emphasis on Universal Pictures and the horror genre. But the chronicle also reveals a hidden agenda – fueled by the astonishing courage of a revolutionary group of LGBTQ+ artists spearheaded by producer Hunt Stromberg Jr. and his screenwriters Christopher Isherwood ( The Berlin Stories – the basis for Cabaret ) and his lover, artist Don Bachardy. This self-proclaimed "Lavender Hill Mob" actively plotted to sneak as much queer subtext into the film as possible, without censors catching on to their scheme. How the hell did they get away with it?! Prepare to catch your jaw before it drops to the floor.

Also included in this book is a comprehensive biography of the film’s flamboyant producer Hunt Stromberg Jr. Not to name drop or anything, but... Stromberg discovered Vampira, hired Boris Karloff to voice the Grinch, produced a play with Bela Lugosi, teamed Vincent Price with Peter Lorre, was friends with both Lon Chaney Jr. and Sr., met Elsa Lanchester when she was filming Bride of Frankenstein , and cast Yvonne De Carlo as Lily Munster. He developed The Twilight Zone , supervised Alfred Hitchcock Presents , greenlit Lost in Space , settled The Wild Wild West , beautified Frankenstein’s Creature, got stomped by King Kong, and was cursed by the Mummy. He helped launch the careers of Carol Burnett and Clint Eastwood, escorted Mae West, got Liberace to perform at his parties, had a James Bond supervillain named after him, fired Judy Garland, and was snubbed by Queen Elizabeth (twice). And that’s just for starters. You will read fascinating letters he received from Lugosi, Hitchcock, Carl Laemmle Jr., John Boorman, Julie Christie, and more!

Hardcover (8.25 x 11 inches)!
400 sumptuous color pages!
160,000 words!
1,250 eye-popping images!

Foreword by Anne Rice.

Afterword by Guillermo del Toro.

Interviews with Leonard Whiting, Jane Seymour, David McCallum, Nicola Pagett, Margaret Leighton, Michael Wilding, Co-screenwriter Don Bachardy, Universal Pictures President Sid Sheinberg, and Dame Angela Lansbury!

Artwork Mark Maddox (cover artist), Graham Humphreys, Daniel Horne, Frederick Cooper, Dan Gallagher, Paul Garner, Brux aka David Brooks, Paul Watts, Bruce Timm, Don Bachardy, Robert Risko, Mel Odom, Greg Staples, Dave Matsuoka, Adrian Salmon, Ron Hezekiah, Oscar Calibos, and Stefano Junior.

With lush graphic design by Steve Kirkham, this book is the massively expanded version of Sam Irvin’s coverage of The True Story in his own Bizarre fanzine No. 3 (1974); in Richard Klemensen’s Little Shoppe of Horrors magazine No. 38 (2017) for which Irvin won the Rondo Award for Best Article; and in the extras for Shout! Factory’s Blu-ray of the movie (2020) for which Irvin won the Rondo Award for Best Audio Commentary.

Author Sam Irvin started his career as Brian De Palma's assistant on Dressed to Kill . He has directed over 50 films, including Elvira's Haunted Hills; co-executive produced the Oscar winning Gods and Monsters; served as the historical consultant for the Tony Award winning Liza's at the Palace . He has won 5 Rondo Awards, including Writer of the Year for his coming-of-age memoir I Was a Teenage Monster Hunter! His other books include the acclaimed biography Kay From Funny Face to Eloise (Simon & Schuster) .

406 pages, Hardcover

Published September 5, 2023

About the author

Author of "Kay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise" (Simon & Schuster), published November 2, 2010. Sam Irvin is a veteran director, producer and screenwriter for movies and television. After beginning his career as the assistant to Brian De Palma, Irvin has directed a dozen movies including "Guilty as Charged" (Rod Steiger, Lauren Hutton, and Heather Graham), "Out There" (Bill Campbell and Billy Bob Thornton), "Elviras Haunted Hills" (Elvira, Mistress of the Dark), and "Fat Rose and Squeaky" (Louise Fletcher and Cicely Tyson). He wrote and directed "Kiss of a Stranger" (Mariel Hemingway, Dyan Cannon, and David Carradine). He also directed episodes of Comedy Centrals "Strip Mall" (Julie Brown and Cindy Williams), as well as three full seasons of the premium cable TV series "Dantes Cove" (for which he also co-wrote the theme song, "Dying to be with You"). Irvins other credits include co-executive producing Bill Condons Academy Award- winning motion picture, "Gods and Monsters" (Sir Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser, and Lynn Redgrave), and co-producing Greg Berlantis "The Broken Hearts Club" (Timothy Olyphant, Dean Cain, and Zach Braff). While writing his book, "Kay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise" (Simon & Schuster), Irvin served as a historical consultant for the Tony Award-winning Broadway show, "Lizas at the Palace," and produced the 3-CD compilation, "Think Pink! A Kay Thompson Party" (Sepia Records). He resides in Los Angeles."

Reviews

[Scott Delgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've never seen "Frankenstein: The True Story," stop reading this and go watch it. Then read this book. The book will make you love the movie, and it will make you want to instantly re-watch it. There is a ton of information in here as well as many photographs and interviews. It's truly a passion project by its author. Sam Irvin (the author) has a way of expressing his love and enthusiasm for this now 50 year-old television movie that he makes the reader enthusiastic for the movie. It really is an interesting read with lots of history, not just about the film.

[BigGMonsterMan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. I can’t imagine the time this amount of research would have taken to tell such a backstory.
I loved it when it was first on television in 1973. Sam’s book has shone a new light on it and all that was involved in getting the movie produced in such a way to make me love it even more. It is such a palatable behind-the-scenes story; each paragraph is a story in itself! (Especially some of the 'juicier' details...) I’m love this book and can’t wait to watch FRANKENSTEIN: THE TRUE STORY again with fresh (enlightened) eyes.

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nerdy Enjoyment

I was drawn to the book because I enjoyed the movie years ago. I found the opening chapters about development, production, and aftermath lots of fun. The interviews I found repetetive and proof that most actors move on after a project is over. Still, the pictures make the journey pretty enjoyable.