It’s Time for Our Annual Meeting- “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein”-Tonight!

Tonight on MeTV, we bring back one of our most requested films-that our viewers demand to see, at least annually! Starring Universal’s perennial top comedy team- who had lost some of their box office power- this film teamed them up with some of Universal’s classic monsters, who had also been declining in popularity- at least with the studio heads. This film proved to be an amazing comeback for them all-with two of the classic monsters played by the men who established them as horror legends- Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr.- plus big Glenn Strange as the Frankenstein Monster! Bud Abbott and Lou Costello preside over the monster mayhem of what is often referred to as perhaps the best horror comedy of all time- "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein"!

We begin by meeting two railroad baggage clerks, Chick and Wilbur, struggling to unload their latest shipments and, as usual, causing most of their own problems-stemming from Wilbur doing most of the work. Wilbur’s latest girlfriend, a stunning woman named Sandra, drops by to visit- with Chick dumbfounded as to why this beauty, who is obviously way out of Wilbur’s league, is attracted to his little pal. The phone in the place never seems to stop ringing- and when Wilbur answers the latest call, it’s long distance from London! On the line is someone the boys are not familiar with (but we most certainly are)- it’s Larry Talbot, the man cursed to become a werewolf when the moon is full! Unfortunately, he is calling just as the full moon rises over England, and Talbot transforms into his man-beast persona before he can deliver a desperate warning to the boys.

As if things at the station are not hectic enough, Mr. McDougal, a grouchy customer, arrives to harass the boys, demanding that they drop everything (NEVER say that to Costello!) to deliver a couple boxes from their latest shipment to his “house of horrors” exhibition. These items he feels will be a sensational attraction for his business- supposedly the authentic coffin of Count Dracula, and –the body of the REAL Frankenstein Monster– are, unbeknownst to him, entirely TOO real! Know-it-all Chick isn’t buying that story, but, regardless, promises he and Wilbur will make the delivery- that evening.

Of course, it happens to be a dark and stormy night as the boys work the late shift to bring the items to McDougal’s “House of Horrors”- the perfect setting for the nervous Wilbur to learn –to his dismay- that the display pieces are indeed authentic! True to form with these two guys, he cannot convince Chick that they are dealing with the real deals- Chick thinks it’s all in Wilbur’s tiny and superstitious mind. Count Dracula, meanwhile, rises from his coffin (or, his “bunk”, as Lou refers to it) and, upon freeing the Monster from his crate, leads their escape from the museum- leaving Wilbur in a trance, Chick aggravated, and the new “House of Horrors” attractions gone! Arriving after the fact, the furious McDougal thinks the baggage handlers have stolen his valuable exhibits and wants them put in jail!

The next stop for Dracula and the Monster is a castle sanctuary on an island, in which the laboratory notes of the original Dr. Frankenstein are in the hands of a renowned surgeon. Shockingly, that surgeon is none other than Wilbur’s beautiful girlfriend- Sandra! We learn the real reason for her interest in the chubby fellow- she plans to transplant his easily-manipulated brain into the Monster- thus making the powerful creature easier to command, and the perfect pawn for Count Dracula!

Back on the mainland, Wilbur and Chick have been jailed- but are soon bailed out by a woman. They assume it was Sandra- until a pretty blonde stranger named Joan shows up, and reveals that she posted the bail! Little do the boys realize that Joan is working undercover with McDougal’s insurance company, investigating the supposed theft of his property in hopes of recovering the missing display items.

Meanwhile, coincidence of coincidences- the boys run into Larry Talbot, who has just arrived from England, and taken the apartment across the hall from theirs. Talbot must enlist the boys to aid him in finding the two evil creatures of legend, before Dracula carries out his scheme to control the powerful Monster for his evil schemes!

Wilbur, now with two lovelies both apparently wanting to spend time with him, decides to have Joan AND Sandra join him for a big masquerade ball, leaving Chick as a fourth wheel, hoping to make time with at least one of the ladies. They head to the island castle to pick up Sandra- and while waiting for the girls to finish powdering their noses, answer the castle phone -a habit Wilbur needs to break, because it’s Talbot on the line once more, claiming the Monster and Dracula must be in the very castle they are in! The boys decide to search the place, stumbling onto a hidden lower chamber where Wilbur again encounters the monsters- and just like at McDougal’s, can't convince Chick that he's actually found them! When they return to the main level, the girls are ready to go- and Sandra introduces them to her associate, Dr. Leighos- who appears to be the spitting (or biting?) image of Count Dracula! He encourages his visitors and co-workers to go have a good time at the masquerade ball- using his hypnotic powers to convince the now-reluctant Sandra to continue their plan, even though she feels it is too dangerous after having spotted Joan snooping around the Frankenstein papers. (Yes, this is the scene where, contrary to the vampire lore we have learned from these movies, we see Drac’s reflection in a mirror!)

The costume ball seems to be a must-attend event for everyone in the area- that includes nasty Mr. McDougal; Doctor Leighos dressed in a spot-on Dracula “costume”; and the always “less than festive” Larry Talbot. The party degenerates into a frantic catastrophe that puts Chick and Wilbur in peril- leading the group back to the island castle, where Sandra prepares her supposed “boyfriend” for the brain transplant- with the Frankenstein Monster restored to full and dangerous power – and the rising full moon having the usual effect on Talbot, pitting Wolf Man against vampire- and the Monster on the loose in pursuit of Wilbur and Chick in a hectic and hilarious conclusion!

This classic Universal picture not only started Abbott and Costello’s comeback, but the trend of Bud and Lou meeting other Universal horrors. We’ll give you some background on the production, introduce key cast members- and bring on the Sven schtick to complete this favorite feature!

"Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" runs tonight on MeTV at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central- and, if you're unsure of the channel or time of the broadcast where you are, please consult your local listings or www.metv.com . Remember to join the legion of Sven viewers on Twitter who live-Tweet during the show (no matter what time zone you view us in) - using the hashtag #svengoolie. In Chicago, viewers get a special screening of Boris Karloff in “The Haunted Stranger” (due to last Saturday’s MeTV feature not being available to us in this month). This bonus feature begins at 11 am on our main local station- CW26.

Thank you all for helping make our MeTV “Svengoolie’s Halloween BOO-nanza” a big success! Thanks also for the amazing attendance at our limited slate of appearances during October- last weekend, at the Volo Museum, our signing went about 90 minutes longer than planned due to the incredible turnout!

It is a little too early for radio stations to be playing Christmas music- but it is NOT too early to order holiday gifts from our Sven/MeTV store-including this year’s Sven holiday knit sweater! Avoid having the gifts you desire being sold out by ordering now!

Jon us tonight for the gift that keeps on giving- the thrills and laughs every time we show it- on MeTV!