It's Classic Cretins and Creatures Tonight- When "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein"!

We’ve had so many viewers asking when we were going to show it- and, tonight, you get your wish! We’re showing what may be the most requested film in our library-that our viewers demand to see at least annually! While Universal’s perennial top comedy team- 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 in the opinion of the studio heads). Two of the classic monsters are played by the men who established them as horror legends- Bela Lugosi as Dracula and Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot, the Wolf Man- with the Monster portrayed by Glenn Strange- for the comedic and creepy encounter “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein”!

Just about everybody knows the story, but allow me to explain it one more time-we meet railroad baggage clerks Chick and Wilbur who are hard at work -well, one of them is- when Wilbur’s girlfriend, a stunning woman named Sandra, drops by to visit. Chick is dumbfounded as to why this beauty is attracted to his little pal! When the phone rings, he barks at Wilbur to answer it- it’s a long distance call from London- from a stranger named Larry Talbot, with a desperate warning for the boys. Unfortunately, before he can deliver it, the full moon transforms him into a werewolf!

Just then, Mr. McDougal, a grouchy customer, arrives demanding that the boys deliver a couple boxes from their latest shipment to his “house of horrors” exhibition. He laughingly brags that they supposedly contain the authentic coffin of Count Dracula, and –the body of the REAL Frankenstein Monster! Chick is not buying that story, but, regardless, promises he and Wilbur will make the delivery- that evening.

Wouldn’t you now that 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”?! It is the perfect setting for the nervous Wilbur to learn –to his dismay- that the display pieces are indeed authentic! Count Dracula 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. 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 her real reason for interest in the chubby fellow-not as a romantic partner, but as a subject for her goal.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 by McDougal- but are soon bailed out by a woman who they assumed was Sandra. A pretty blonde stranger named Joan shows up at their apartment, 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, the boys run into Larry Talbot, who has just arrived from England and enlists 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 evil intent!

The boys and Joan head to the island castle to pick up Sandra to attend a costume ball- and, at the urging of Talbot, search the place, stumbling onto a hidden lower chamber where Wilbur again encounters the monsters- but he has no way to convince Chick that he's actually found them! When they return to the main level, Sandra introduces them to her associate, Dr. Leighos- who appears to be the spitting (or biting?) image of Count Dracula!

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 suspiciously 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- with the revived Monster on the loose in pursuit of Wilbur and Chick in a hectic and hilarious conclusion!

We’ll go over the impressive cast list of this film, and present a vintage version of our drawing game “Too Drawn Out”- plus, interviews with some fans you probably know from TV shows, one for being “King of Hell” and one for being a hellish nemesis of Smallville’s Clark Kent-some anniversary greetings from various celebrity friends- and a song and a classic Thanksgiving bit!

“Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” returns to our airwaves tonight at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central time. Yes, there is still live-Tweeting going on during the show on Twitter/X – MeTV asks that you use the hashtag #svengoolie in your Tweets. This morning, local Chicago area viewers get another chance to witness the return of Vincent Price’s evil organist when “Dr. Phibes Rises Again” on WCIU- the U- at 11 am.

You may have seen above, there is a big sale happening now in the MeTV Mall as everyone starts their holiday shopping. Use promo code METVHOLIDAY and get 20% off everything, which includes the 2024 Svengoolie Holiday Sweater, all of our great 45th Anniversary items, and even the Super7 Glow in the Dark Svengoolie action figure. See the site for details, and start your shopping now while supplies of these products last! And remember, NO PERSONAL CHECKS!

We had a great time at the Ed Debevic’s retro diner birthday celebration last week in Chicago- so many fans dropped by to meet me and have dinner while being entertained by the talented wait staff. There is the possibility that we might return there in the future!

And-speaking of returns- make sure you tune in to MeTV tonight- for the return of what may be our most-requested horror comedy!