Happy Halloween 2025

Here at A Shroud of Thoughts, you can expect no tricks from us on Halloween, only treats. Of course, those treats come in the form of vintage pin-ups. I know many of you are anxious to see them, so here is this year's batch.

First up is Julie London with a jack o' lantern.

Here is popular model Dusty Anderson dressed up as a cat.

Here's a bewitching Morgan Fairchild.

Okay, I admit I find this more disturbing than cute. It's Olga San Juan and was apparently part of the promotion of the theatrical short "The Little Witch" (1945)

The gorgeous Suzanne Pleshette with a jack o' lantern.

And here's Vera Ellen with a rather large pumpkin.

And, of course, I have to have a picture of leggy, lovely Ann Miller every Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Phantom of the Paradise (1974): The Cult Horror Rock Musical That Premiered on Halloween

"This film is the story of that search, of that sound, of the man who made it, the girl who sang it... and the monster who stole it." (opening narration by Rod Serling from Phantom of the Paradise). 

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux has been adapted numerous times and inspired several movies. Among the movies it inspired was Brian De Palma's rock musical comedy Phantom of the Paradise (1974), which also drew upon the 16th-Century legend of Johann Faust and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Phantom of the Paradise was not a success upon its release in 1974, but in the years since then it has grown in popularity to the point that it can truly be considered a cult classic. 

Phantom of the Paradise starred William Finley as Winslow Leach, a singer and songwriter whose cantata based on the Faust legend is stolen by legendary music producer Swan (Paul Williams), who intends to use it to open his new rock palace The Paradise. After being disfigured by a record press in an attempt to stop Swan from selling his work, Winslow takes up residence in The Paradise in order to sabotage the opening of the new rock palace and get revenge on Swan. 

The inspiration for Phantom of the Paradise came to Brian De Palma in 1969 when he heard a Muzak version of a Beatles song (either "A Day in the Life" or "I Want to Hold Your Hand" depending upon the account) in an elevator. He realized that corporate America could take something beautiful and original and reduce it to nothing but elevator music. Further inspiration was taken from Brian De Palma's experiences with the mainstream studios. 

Phantom of the Paradise started out as Phantom of the Filmore, "The Filmore" being the name of rock promoter Bill Graham's venue in San Francisco, which was followed by another in New York City.. Brian De Palma sold an early version of the screenplay to Martin Ransohoff, the head of Filmways. He bought it back from Mr. Ransohoff when it became clear that the studio executive had no real plans to make it into a movie. It would be producer Edward R. Pressman who would buy both the screenplays for Phantom of the Filmore and Sisters (Brian De Palma's 1972 horror movie). Edward R. Pressman would go on to produce movies from Wall Street (1987) to The Crow (1994).

Brian De Palma and Edward R. Pressman decided to go forward with Sisters (1972) first, as it would not be as difficult to shoot. Sisters (1972) was distributed by American International Pictures (AIP) and proved to be both a hit with critics and audiences. AIP greenlit Phantom of the Filmore, but wanted to make drastic budget cuts. There was no way that Messrs. De Palma and Pressman could make the movie for the budget AIP wanted. They then spent two years pitching the film to backers and studios. They eventually raised a  $750,000 budget. 

As a rock musical Phantom of the Paradise would need someone to compose its score. Brian De Palma had originally wanted a major rock group, like The Who or The Rolling Stones, to write the film's score. Of course, such bands were pretty much in accessible to an independent filmmaker. Ultimately, Paul Williams was chosen to write the movie's score. Paul Williams had started his career as a gag writer for comedian Mort Sahl. He later appeared in the movies The Loved One (1965) and The Chase (1966). He began his career as a songwriter in the late Sixties and had written the hits "Rainy Days and Mondays" for The Carpenters and "An Old Fashioned Love Song" for Three Dog Night. Brian De Palma and Paul Williams struck a deal whereby he would write the score for less money than usual if he was cast in the movie. Initially, they planned for Paul Williams to play Winslow, but Paul Williams was not confident that he could act wearing a mask. It would be decided that he should play Swan instead.

One hurdle for the movie is that its title would have to be changed from Phantom of the Filmore. Promoter Bill Graham refused to let Brian De Palma use the name 'The Filmore." The film's title then went from Phantom of the Filmore to simply Phantom and then Phantom of the Paradise. 

Shooting on Phantom of the Paradise began in the winter of 1973. The interiors of The Paradise were actually an abandoned theatre in Dallas, the Majestic Theatre. It was donated to the City of Dallas in 1975 and has since been restored. The Paradise's exterior was the City Center in New York City. The building that would stand in for the exterior of Swan's mansion, Swanage, is also located in Dallas. It was the old Dallas County Court House, built in 1892 and replaced by a new courthouse in 1966. The interiors of Swanage were filmed at a mansion in Beverly Hills, the Greystone Mansion which has appeared in movies from Forever Amber (1947) to The Loved One (1965). The exterior of the headquarters of Death Records was originally the General Petroleum Building. It would later be vacated in 1994. In 2003, it was converted into apartments and remains open as Pegasus Apartments. Scenes involving Swan's recording studio were filmed at an actual recording studio, the Record Plant in New York City.

As to the record press in which Winslow Leach was disfigured,  it was actually an injection-molding press at Pressman Toys. Precautions were taken to prevent the press from disfiguring actor William Finley in reality. Foam pads were fitted on the press, and chocks were placed in the press's centre to keep it from closing all the way. Even so, William Finley expressed some concern and it turned out his concerns were justified. The press crushed the chocks and kept going, so that William Finley had to be pulled out of the press before he was injured. 

Phantom of the Paradise (1974) would have yet another problem once shooting was completed. The name of Swan's fictional record label had to be changed completely. It was originally called "Swan Song Records." Unfortunately, it was in 1974 that Led Zeppelin launched their own label, also called "Swan Song Records." Led Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant threatened legal action if the name of the label in the movie was not changed. All references to Swan Song Records were then changed to Death Records through optical printing or simply taken out of the movie entirely. This increased the budget for Phantom of the Paradise to $1.1 million. 

Phantom of the Paradise (1974) was an independent production, and so the film needed a distributor. Edward R. Pressman then screened Phantom of the Paradise for the Hollywood studios, so that they could take bids on the film. 20th Century Fox made the highest bid, at $2 million and a percentage of its profits. 20th Century Fox would also be the studio that would distribute another cult rock horror musical, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). 

Phantom of the Paradise (1974) opened at the National Theatre in Los Angeles, and the Trans-Lux East Theater in New York City, on Halloween, October 31, 1974.  It opened elsewhere on November 1, 1974. Upon its release, Phantom of the Paradise (1974) did not fare particularly well with the critics.  Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave Phantom of the Paradise (1974) only two stars and wrote, "The problem with all of the kidding is that what's up on the screen is childish; it has meaning only because it points to something else." Vincent Canby in The New York Times wrote, "Mr. De Palma is a very funny man, as he has shown in marvelously eccentric comedies such as Greetings" and Hi, Mom, and even in his more conventional films, Get to Know Your Local Rabbit and Sisters. Compared with even the least of these, Phantom of the Paradise is an elaborate disaster, full of the kind of facetious humor you might find on bumper stickers and cocktail coasters. The movie spends much too much time just laying out the plot, which is fatal to parody of any sort." Phantom of the Paradise did get some positive reviews. Kevin Thomas of The Los Angeles Times liked the film over all, stating that it was "delightfully outrageous" and praised its ending as "a truly stunning and ingenious finale." None other than Pauline Kael also gave Phantom of the Paradise a good review, writing, "Though you may anticipate a plot turn, it's impossible to guess what the next scene will look like or what its rhythm will be.."

If anything, audiences in 1974 seemed to like Phantom of the Paradise (1974) even less than critics. According to the Phantom of the Paradise (1974) fan site The Swan Archives, on the opening day Brian De Palma stopped by a New York City theatre only to find the theatre empty. At most theatres in the United States, Phantom of the Paradise (1974) closed after only a week. According to Variety at the time, after only two months it had grossed only $250,000 in the major markets. 

While Phantom of the Paradise (1974) bombed nearly everywhere it played, an exception was Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada. It opened there on Boxing Day, December 26, 1974. In Winnipeg, it played continuously in theatres for four and a half months. Afterwards, it would continue to run in Winnipeg theatres with a few interruptions for over a year, clear into 1976. The film's soundtrack album also proved to be a hit in Winnipeg. It sold over 20,000 copies in the city and was ultimately certified gold in Canada because of it. Phantom of the Paradise (1974) continued to be phenomenally popular in Winnipeg, and the film would come back to theatres there from time to time. In 2005, the first Phantompalooza, an event to celebrate Phantom of the Paradise (1974), was held in Winnipeg. Further events celebrating Phantom of the Paradise (1974) have been held in Winnipeg, the latest being another Phantompalooza held last year on the occasion of the film's 50th anniversary.

A soundtrack album, Phantom of the Paradise - Original Soundtrack Recording, was released by A&M Records in conjunction with the film. The soundtrack album is missing two songs from the movie, ""Never Thought I'd Get to Meet the Devil," which only appears briefly in the film, and "Faust" (1st Reprise)," Like the movie, the soundtrack did not sell particularly well in 1974, with the notable exception of Winnipeg. In 1977, Paul Williams was a guest on the short-lived variety show The Brady Bunch Hour, where he performed "The Hell of It" from Phantom of the Paradise (1974). 

20th Century Fox would try to get its money back where Phantom of the Paradise (1974) was concerned. It was in October 1976 that 20th Century Fox would pair Phantom of the Paradise (1974) with The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) on a double bill. Like Phantom of the Paradise (1974), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) also bombed upon its initial release. Like The Rocky Horror Picture Show(1975), Phantom of the Paradise (1975) would find success as a midnight movie.  In the early 1980s, Phantom of the Paradise (1974) began popping up on television schedules. Between the midnight movie circuit and airings on television, many began to realize what Winnipeg had known all along, that Phantom of the Paradise (1974) was a very special film. Quite simply, it developed a cult following.

Phantom of the Paradise (1974) was released on VHS in 1993 and on DVD in 2001. It was in 2014 that Shout Entertainment released it on Blu-ray.

Phantom of the Paradise (1974) would have a lasting impact on Daft Punk, the French electronic duo who performed in silver helmets. The two of them have seen the movie more than 20 times. Japanese illustrator and character designer Yasushi Nirasawa was also influenced by Phantom of the Paradise (1974). The image of the Phantom himself recurs in this work, and the character Owl Imagin, who Yasushi Nirasawa designed for  Kamen Rider Den-O, was inspired by the Phantom as well. The villain Griffith's helmet in the manga Berserk was inspired by the Phantom's helmet It has been argued that Phantom of the Paradise (1974) paved the way for The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), as well as other rock musicals, such as Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008). It has influenced other films in other ways as well. An electrocution scene in the movie Romeo's Distress (2017) drew inspiration from an electrocution scene in Phantom of the Paradise (1974). In 2006, a 50-minute documentary on the making of Phantom of the Paradise (1974), titled Paradise Regained: Brian de Palma's 'Phantom of the Paradise, was released. 

Since its release in 1974, Phantom of the Paradise (1974) has grown considerably in popularity. Not only has the film developed a cult following, but even respect from several critics. At Rotten Tomatoes, it is certified fresh with a Tomatometer rating of 82%. Critics at Large ranked it at no. 25 on its list of neglected gems. In 2013, Den of Geek proclaimed it Brian De Palma's best film ever. I know many other people who also think so, including myself. Phantom of the Paradise (1974), a film that bombed upon its initial release, has become a cult classic.

Trick 'r Treat (2007): The Halloween Cult Film That Wouldn't Stay Buried

When people are asked about their favourite movies that specifically touch upon Halloween, they will generally name such older movies as Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), Halloween (1978), and The Crow (1994). Among the more recent films that many film buffs might name is Trick 'r Treat (2007). Trick 'r Treat (2007) made the film festival circuit in 2007 and 2008, but was initially denied a proper theatrical release. It was released on DVD in 2009, whereupon it developed a cult following.

Trick 'r Treat (2007) owes a good deal to the classic portmanteau horror movie Dead of Night (1944) and Amicus Productions' many horror anthologies, although its structure is much more akin to Robert Altman's Short Cuts (1993). Trick 'r Treat is set in the fictional city of Warren Valley, Ohio, which celebrates Halloween more so than perhaps any other small town in the United States. Trick 'r Treat (2007) features five, interwoven stories. One story centres on a woman named Emma (Leslie Bibb), who comes home with her husband from celebrating Halloween. While he loves the holiday, she hates it. Another story centres on school principal Steven Wilkins (Dylan Baker), who has some most unusual ways of celebrating Halloween. A third story features Laurie (Anna Paquin), who prefers a traditional Halloween to her older sister and her friends' idea of dates and drinks. Yet another story includes a group of youngsters who visit a deserted quarry to remember an urban legend known as the "Halloween School Bus Massacre." A final story centres on Kreeg (Brian Cox), an old man who absolutely hates Halloween and trick-or-treaters. Common to all of the stories is Sam (Quinn Lord), who appears to be a small child dressed in a burlap sack mask and an orange footie pyjama for a costume. In some of the stories, Sam merely observes what is going on. In yet others, he is an active participant. Here I must stress that there is much more to the stories than I have included here. Part of the fun of Trick 'r Treat (2007) is not knowing what will happen next.

Trick 'r Treat (2007) was the brainchild of Michael Dougherty, who had written the screenplays for X2 (2003), Urban Legends: Bloody Mary (2005), and Superman Returns (2006). It was while he was at New York University in 1996 that he wrote and directed the animated short "Season's Greetings." The short featured the first appearance of Sam, who plays a central role in Trick 'r Treat (2007). "Season's Greetings" was released in 1996.

It was "Season's Greetings" (1996) that led to the feature-length screenplay that would become Trick 'r Treat (2007). Michael Dougherty pitched the screenplay to various production companies for years before director/producer Bryan Singer consented to produce the movie. He gave it a budget of $12 million and also set up a deal with Warner Bros. to distribute the film. 

For the most part, there would be very few changes to Michael Dougherty's screenplay from the original version to the one that finally made it to the screen. It was in a 2023 Q&A with Collider for  Scary Perri’s Horror Series at Landmark Theatres that Michael Dougherty revealed that the "School Bus Massacre" replaced another story in which some kids lure a girl to a graveyard only to find out that she is actually dead. He decided to replace the story because it had been done before and relatively recently at that. Another story was changed more subtly so that the nature of some of the characters was more obvious.

Although set in the fictional city of Warren Valley, Ohio, Trick 'r Treat was filmed in British Columbia. Much of the film was shot in Ladner in Delta, British Columbia, itself a suburb of Vancouver. Ladner has frequently stood in for small Midwestern towns in the United States, including on such shows as Smallville and The X-Files and such movies as Along Came the Spider (2001) and Deck the Halls (2006). Much of Trick 'r Treat (2007) was also shot in Vancouver, with interiors shot at North Shore Studios in North Vancouver. 

Trick 'r Treat (2007) began production in November 2006, with photography wrapping in January 2007. The film was set for an October 2007 release date. Unfortunately, Warner Bros. dropped Trick 'r Treat from their release schedule without providing any explanation whatsoever. Trick 'r Treat (2007) then premiered at Harry Knowles' Butt-Numb-A-Thon film festival in Austin, Texas, on December 9, 2007. It would be screened at several different film festivals including the Sitges Film Festival on October 7, 2008, the 2008 Screamfest Horror Film Festival on October 10, 2008, and the Fantasia International Film Festival in 2009. On October 13, 2008, Fangoria sponsored a free screening in New York City. Trick 'r Treat (2007) won awards at many of the festivals and elsewhere, including a Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award for Best Film and the Audience Award for Screamfest.

Trick 'r Treat (2007) proved popular at film festivals, so much so that many festival goers tried to persuade Warner Bros. to give it a proper theatrical release. One would have thought Warner Bros. would have acquiesced to the film's supporters, but instead of giving the movie a theatrical release, the studio released it directly to DVD and Blu-ray on October 9, 2009.

Since then Trick 'r Treat (2007) has only grown in popularity and become a cult movie. The movie has produced a good deal of merchandise, including Halloween costumes, t-shirts, a Sam plush toy, keychains, coffee mugs, and much more. DC and Wildstorm have also produced various Trick 'r Treat (2007) comic books, including the 2009 adaptation of the movie, and then Trick 'r Treat: Days of the Dead, inspired by the movie, in 2015.  Another comic, Trick 'r Treat: Witching Hour, came out last year. It was in 2022, fifteen years after it had been meant to be released, that Trick 'r Treat (2007) finally received a nationwide theatrical release. The movie was shown in theatres again this year, 2025, on October 14 and October 16. Trick 'r Treat (2007) has been available on streaming for many years, and is available on services from HBO Max to Philo.

As to why Trick 'r Treat (2007) developed a cult following, there may well be many different reasons. It may well be that, unlike many 21st Century horror movies, it is rooted in the history of the genre. As mentioned earlier, it owes a good deal to Dead of Night and Amicus's anthology movies and E.C. Comics. It also shows influence from the classic Universal monster movies, the Hammer horrors, and even the classic horror movies Val Lewton made for RKO. 

Beyond having roots deep in horror cinema, it can be argued that Trick 'r Treat (2007) is the quintessential Halloween movie, more so even than Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), Halloween (1978), or The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). Trick 'r Treat (2007) is largely a celebration of the traditions of Halloween, from those going back to ancient times to those that date only from the Twentieth Century. It's as Emma's husband Henry (Tahmoh Penikett) tells her, "You know, there are rules, you should be more careful. You might upset someone." Indeed, in Trick 'r Treat (2007) it is those people who flaunt the rules of Halloween who find themselves punished. Trick 'r Treat (2007) also looks at what Halloween means for different people. For children, it is a fun time to go trick-or-treating. For teenagers, it is a time for scary stories and pranks. For many adults, it is a time to party. Yet other adults, like Emma and Kreeg, simply hate the holiday. Trick 'r Treat (2007) may not cover every Halloween tradition or every viewpoint on Halloween, but it comes very close.

Trick 'r Treat (2007) may not have been around long enough for many to consider it to be a classic, but I have to think it is on its way. It is a well-done film that is at turns frightening and funny, and that takes a reverent look at one of the most popular holidays. 

Yet More Vintage Halloween Ads

It seems like every year I wind up making at least one post devoted to vintage Halloween ads. I have to confess that I primarily use such posts as stopgap measure when I am working on posts that take several hours to complete. This year I two different movie posts that are taking a while to complete. Regardless, people do seem to like my vintage Halloween ad posts and I have to confess I enjoy them as well. Anyway, here are some more vintage ads for this year.

A lot of people think of Halloween as having become popular after World War II. This ad from Jello is proof that this is not the case. Halloween was well established in the United States in the early 20th Century. This ad is from the 1920s.

Quite naturally, people think of candy when they think of Halloween, but a number of products over the years have used the holiday in their advertising. This is a 1954 Coca-Cola ad.

Of course, candy has been advertised at Halloween for years. Here is an ad or M&Ms.

Yet more proof that Halloween wasn't exclusively thought of as a children's holiday, a 1952 ad for Schlitz beer. 

Halloween was still being used in ads for alcohol in the Eighties. Here is a 1982 ad for Ronirico Rum. 

Finally, this 1968 ad for Hunt's catsup is proof that Halloween can be used to advertise anything.

Candy Corn: Beloved Halloween Tradition or Most Hated Candy of Them All

Candy corn is one of those candies most associated with Halloween. It may also be the divisive candy associated with the holiday. It often tops the list of the most hated Halloween candy of them all, but then there are yet others who love candy corn. One thing is for certain, candy corn has been around for around 140 years and it has long been associated with Halloween.

Candy corn dates back to the 1880s. It was of a number of agriculturally-themed candies that candy makers marketed to rural areas of the United States. Not only was there candy corn, but candies in the shape of chestnuts, clover, and yet others. Candy corn was invented by George Renninger, who was employed by the Wunderlere Candy Company. The company had been founded in 1871 in Philadelphia by Philip Wunderlere, a German immigrant. It was in 1888 that the Wunderlere Candy Company began manufacturing a product originally called "Chicken Feed." 

Other companies would follow suit in making candy corn. It would be Goelitz Confectionary Company that would popularize candy corn after they started manufacturing it in 1898. The Goelitz Confectionary Company would be renamed the Jelly Belly Candy Company after its most famous candy in 2001. Brach's began manufacturing candy corn in the 1920s and eventually became the largest producer of the product. Indiana-based Zachary Confections began making candy corn in 1950. 

While candy corn had existed since the 1880s, it would not be until the 1950s that it would become associated with autumn and  Halloween. Much of the reason for this was the growth in the popularity of tick-or-treating. The custom originated in Canada in the late 1920s and then during the 1930s spread throughout the United States. By the 1950s, trick-or-treating was well-established and candy had become the treat of choice. The orange and yellow colours of candy corn are strongly associated with autumn and, for that matter, corn itself is naturally associated with the harvest.

Despite its long history, candy corn has often been cited as the least favourite Halloween candy of Americans. In a 2019 survey by CandyStore.com, candy corn topped the list of a survey of the worst Halloween candy. A survey by Shiney Smiles Veneers found that 36% of Americans hate candy corn, more than any other candy. A 2023 study by Navigator Research found that while candy corn was found favourable by most Americans (42% favourable versus 32% unfavourable), it was also cited as the least favourite candy in open-ended questions.

Regardless of how many people might love candy corn or how many people might hate it, the candy has become a part of Halloween tradition, with many Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials feeling nostalgic for it. Chances seem good that it will continue to be produced and consumed for many more years.  

A Halloween Tribute to June Lockhart

June Lockhart died on October 23, 2025, at the age of 100. For that reason, earlier today I eulogized her. She has always been one of my favourites, so I could do no less. At the same time, it is a tradition here of A Shroud of Thoughts for me to make seven Halloween-themed posts leading up to the holiday. I thought I would then leave you with a very brief post. It is a Halloween-themed promotional photo of Lassie, Jon Provost, and June Lockhart. I wish I knew when it was taken, but I have no information on the photo at all. Suffice it to say, it had to have been taken from 1957 to 1964 (the years that Jon Provost and June Lockhart were on the show). 

The Late Great June Lockhart

There are those people who can live to 100 and it still feels as if they died young. A case in point is legendary June Lockhart, She turned 100 years old on June 25, 2025. Sadly, she died on October 23, 2025. And while she did reach 100, it still feels as if she died too soon. It's not simply a case that June Lockhart was one of the last remaining actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood. It's not even a case that she appeared in such movies as A Christmas Carol (1938), All This and Heaven Too (1940), and Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), and starred on such TV shows as Lassie, Lost in Space, and Petticoat Junction. It's that June Lockhart was beloved by classic film buffs and classic television buffs for her talent, known for her grace, her strength, and her kindness.

June Lockhart was born on June 25, 1925, in New York City. Her parents were legends themselves, Canadian-American actor Gene Lockhart and his English-American wife Kathleen Lockhart. She was only 8 years old when she appeared in a pantomime scene in Peter Ibbetson at the Metropolitan Opera House. She also studied ballet there.

It was in 1934 that the family moved to California and Gene Lockhart signed with MGM. He was an early supporter of the Screen Actors Guild. June Lockhart attended the Westlake School for Girls in Beverly Hills. She stayed at the school during the week and spent the weekends with her parents. June Lockhart made her film debut in 1938 in MGM's version of A Christmas Carol, playing Belinda Cratchit, the daughter of Bob and Mrs. Cratchit (who were played by her parents, Gene and Kathleen Lockhart). In 1940, she appeared in a small role in All This and Heaven Too.

June Lockhart had significant roles in films in the 1940s. She played Lucille Ballard, the girl from the East initially resented by Esther and Rose Smith (Judy Garland and Lucille Bremer) in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944). In Sergeant York (1941), she played Alvin York's sister Rosie. She played the title role in She-Wolf of London (1946). June Lockhart also appeared in the movies Adam Had Four Sons (1941), Miss Annie Rooney (1942), Forever and a Day (1943), The White Cliffs of Dover (1944), Keep Your Powder Dry (1945), Son of Lassie (1945), Easy to Wed (1946), The Yearling (1946), It's a Joke, Son! (1947), Bury Me Dead (1947), and T-Men (1947). She made her film debut on The Ford Theatre Hour in 1949. She appeared on Broadway in For Love or Money in 1947.

It was in 1958 that June Lockhart began playing the role of Ruth Martin on Lassie. She would remain in the role until the format of the show was changed in 1964. She guest starred on the TV shows The Prudential Family Playhouse, Pulitzer Prize Playhouse, Betty Crocker Star Matinee, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Studio One, Hallmark Hall of Fame, Lights Out, Omnibus, Armstrong Circle Theatre, Love Story, The Stranger, Justice, The Elgin Hour, Kraft Television Theatre, The Philco Television Playhouse, The Goodyear Television Playhouse, Appointment with Adventure, Star Tonight, Science Fiction Theatre, The Christophers, Studio 57, The Alcoa Hour, Playhouse 90, Ford Television Theatre, On Trial, Robert Montgomery Presents, The Kaiser Aluminum Hour, Lux Video Theatre, Climax!, Shirley Temple's Storybook, Gunsmoke, Matinee Theatre, Zane Grey Theatre, Have Gun--Will Travel, Decision, Cimarron City, Rawhide, The United States Steel Hour, General Electric Theatre, and The Best of the Post. She appeared in the movie Time Limit (1957). She appeared on Broadway in The Grand Prize.

In the Sixties, she continued to star on Lassie. In 1965, she began playing the role of Maureen Robinson on Lost in Space. Following the end of Lost in Space, June Lockhart began playing Dr. Janet Craig on Petticoat Junction. She guest-starred on the shows Perry Mason, Bewitched, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Branded, Death Valley Days, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Mr. Novak, The Red Skelton Hour, Family Affair, and The Beverly Hillbillies.

In the Seventies, June Lockhart was the voice of Martha Day on the Saturday morning cartoon These Are the Days. She guest starred on the shows The Man and the City; Honeymoon Suite; Love, American Style; The ABC Afternoon Playbreak; Marcus Welby, M.D.; Adam-12; Police Story; Mobile One; Joe Forrester; Ellery Queen; Happy Days; Sword of Justice; The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries; Greatest Heroes of the Bible; and ABC Afternoon Specials. She appeared in the movie Just Tell Me You Love Me (1978).

In the Eighties, June Lockhart appeared in the movies Butterfly (1981), Deadly Games (1982), Strange Invaders (1983), Troll (1986) Rented Lips (1987), The Big Picture (1989), and C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud (1989). She had a recurring role on the soap opera General Hospital.  guest starred on the shows Vega$; Magnum, P.I.; Darkroom; Falcon Crest; Insight; Knots Landing; The Greatest American Hero; Quincy, M.E.; Whiz Kids; Murder, She Wrote; The Colbys; Hotel; Amazing Stories; Wildfire; It's Gary Shandling Show; CBS Schoolbreak Special; The New Lassie; and Room For Romance. She was a guest voice on the animated show Pound Puppies.

In the Nineties, June Lockhart guest-starred on the shows Full House; Nurses; The John Larroquette Show; The Mommies; Babylon 5; Roseanne; Step by Step; 7th Heaven; Fired Up; and Beverly Hills, 90120. She was a guest voice on the animated shows The Critic, Duckman, Private Dick/Family Man, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Johnny Bravo, and Casper. She continued to appear in her recurring role on General Hospital. She appeared in the movies Dead Woman in Lingerie (1991), Sleep with Me (1994), Tis the Season (1994), Lost in Space (1998), Deterrence (1999), and The Thundering 8th (2000).

In the Naughts, June Lockhart guest-starred on the TV shows The Drew Carey Show; Andy Richter Controls the Universe; Las Vegas; Rock Me, Baby; Complete Savages; Grey's Anatomy; and Cold Case. She appeared in the movies One Night at McCool's (2001), Super Capers: The Origins of Ed and the Missing Balloon (2008), and Wesley (2009). In the Teens, she appeared in the movies Zombie Hamlet (2012) and The Remake (2016). She was a voice in the animated feature film Bongee Bear and the Kingdom of Rhythm (2019). Her last role was in 2021 as the voice of Alpha Control in the reboot of Lost in Space.

June Lockhart was an incredible talent. Indeed, she achieved something few actors do, appearing in three different hit television shows. She was farm wife Ruth Martin on Lassie, biochemist and matriarch of the Robinsons on Lost in Space, and Dr. Janet Craig on Petticoat Junction. All three women were remarkable for their eras in terms of their strength and intelligence. Indeed, it is notable that two of them (Maureen and Dr. Craig) held doctorates. Of course, she played other roles beyond these. On the TV show Have Gun--Will Travel she played what I believe to be the one true love of Paladin (Richard Boone), Dr. Phyllis Thackeray. She was the perfect match for Paladin, intelligent, strong-willed, and caring, and not afraid to stand up for what she believed. As noted earlier, in Meet Me in St. Louis, she played Lucille Bremer, who was not only sweet, but also endowed with a good deal of common sense. In the Bewitched episode "Little Pitchers Have Big Fears," she played an overprotective mother, a sharp contrast to her usual maternal roles. In the Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode "The Second Wife," she played a mail-order bride who comes to believe her new husband killed his first wife. 

Beyond her acting, June Lockhart was known for her intelligence, her grace, her charm, and her kindness. She was certainly a progressive woman for her time. She was well-known for her love of rock 'n' roll and was a fan of artists from The Beatles to David Bowie. According to her Lost in Space co-star Bill Mumy, she took him and Angelea Cartwright to the Whisky a Go Go.  She was an advocate for NASA and space exploration in general, and was proud that her role on Lost in Space had inspired many women to go into space exploration. She was an ally of the LGBTQ community, to the point that in a 1970 appearance on The Virginia Graham Show, she confronted host Virginia Graham about her homophobia. June Lockhart said that she had driven Army tanks, flown in hot air balloons, and she went plane gliding. June Lockhart was a remarkable woman and a talented artist. It is no wonder so many people love her. 

"I Put a Spell on You" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Unlike Christmas, there aren't that many songs that were written specifically for Halloween. There's "Monster Mash' by  Bobby "Boris" Pickett and "This is Halloween" from The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), and not may beyond that. Regardless, there are plenty of songs that, due to their subject matter, have become Halloween songs, including "(Don't Fear) the Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult, "Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo, Strange Brew by Cream, and so on. Among the oldest of these songs, at least as far as rock 'n' roll in concerned, "I Put a Spell on You" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins.

Jay Hawkins first wrote the lyrics for "I Put a Spell on You" in 1954 after his girlfriend left. Initially it was meant to be a ballad and was recorded as such in 1955 when he was with Grand Records. That version was not released at the time, although it would be released the Screamin' Jay Hawkins compilation The Whamee 1953–55 in 2006. It was on September 12, 1956, that Jay Hawkins recorded a new version for Okeh Records. According to Screamin' Jay Hawkins, producer Arnold Maxin brought chicken and ribs to the studio, and everyone got drunk. Screamin' Jay Hawkins couldn't even remember making the record.  In the end he went from being ordinary Jay Hawkins to Screamin' Jay Hawkins. 

Although not specifically written for Halloween, "I Put a Spell on You" was released in October 1956. Not only did the title of the song fit the holiday, but so did Screamin' Jay Hawkins's performance., complete with screams, grunts, and moans. "I Put a Spell on You" proved to be somewhat of a controversy, and some moral watchdogs claimed the song was about everything from cannibalism to rape. In th end, some radio stations refused to play it and it only went to no. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Regardless, it would be legendary Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed who would encourage Screamin' Jay Hawkins to entirely lean into the controversial nature of the song when he added the singer to his Rock and Roll Revue. Screamin' Jay Hawkins would emerge from a coffin, wearing a cape. Such theatrics would remain a part of his act for the rest of his career. Quite simply, Screamin' Jay Hawkins was the first shock rocker.

Since then "I Put a Spell on You" has been covered by several artists, including Nina Simone, Alan Price, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown,  Creedence Clearwater Revival, and yet others. It has also become a Halloween standard. 

The Rise and Fall of the Sexy Halloween Costume

Laurie, Maria, Janet, and Danielle in Trick 'r Treat

Sexy Halloween costumes, often referred to by the less polite term "slutty Halloween costumes," are not as popular as they once were. Mass-produced sexy Halloween costumes emerged in the late Nineties and peaked around the years 2008-2011. With the #MeToo movement in 2017, sexy Halloween costumes further declined in popularity, with many people choosing spookier, more traditional costumes. Regardless, sexy Halloween costumes are still popular. In 2024, sales for sexy Halloween costumes were projected to be around 6 billion. Of course, this begs the question of how sexy costumes became part of a holiday known for being spooky or scary.

To understand the phenomenon of the sexy Halloween costume, it would be a good idea to examine Halloween as it has been celebrated through the years. Indeed, to a small degree sex has been a part of Halloween all along. Among the various Halloween traditions were divinatory games centred around marriage. For example, in his poem "Halloween" Robert Burns described how single young people went out hand in hand into the cabbage patch to pull the first stalk they saw. The size and shape of the stalk were thought to be indicative of what his or her future spouse would look like. 

Halloween would be brought to the United States by Scottish immigrants. Initially, a holiday celebrated primarily by those immigrants, the celebration of Halloween began to spread beyond Scottish communities, and by the 1880s many Americans were holding Halloween parties. Of course, costumes were a part of those Halloween parties. In those days, Halloween costumes were home-made and favoured such spooky subjects as ghosts, devils, and witches. 

Of course, with Halloween growing in popularity, it would not be long before Halloween costumes were mass-produced. In the 1920s and 1930s, Collegeville, Halco, and Ben Cooper began manufacturing Halloween costumes for children. These three companies would make on major change in the nature of Halloween costumes by licensing popular characters from comic strips, theatrical cartoons, and radio. Ben Cooper made Halloween costumes based on various Walt Disney properties (including Snow White from the hit movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). Collegeville made a Lone Ranger costume, based on the popular radio show character. Halco made costumes based on the characters from Thimble Theatre, including Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Wimpy. The post-war years would see the most popular Halloween costumes for children shift from traditional costumes as ghosts, witches, and devils to the latest characters from movies and television.

The post-war years would see another shift in the celebration of Halloween. From its introduction to the United States by Scottish immigrants in the 19th Century to the 1930s, Halloween had been a holiday celebrated by both adults and children. Following World War II, the popularity of trick-or-treating led Halloween to increasingly become a holiday for children. It was in the 1970s that more and more adults began celebrating Halloween, By the 1980s, Halloween was once again being marketed to adults, including a notable advertising campaign for Coors Light featuring Elvira. The stage was then set for the emergence of sexy Halloween costumes.

Of course, while the mass production of sexy Halloween costumes would not come about until the close of the 20th Century, to a degree they were nothing new. From the 1920s through the Golden Age of Hollywood, the movie studios regularly published Halloween-themed pin-up pictures of their starlets in skimpy witch, black cat, and devil costumes. And, of course, throughout the 20th Century, people would wear their own home-made French maid, saloon girl, and other thematically sexy Halloween costumes. 

It would be in the 1970s that Halloween really began to develop a sexy side. In 1974, Greenwich Village's Halloween parade began and would soon become an annual neighbourhood party. The gay community in Greenwich Village took the parade, so that it would feature more and more outrageous drag outfits. The Greenwich Village parade would be followed by similar parades in West Hollywood and The Castro in San Francisco. 

Despite this, it would be some time before a sexy aesthetic in Halloween costumes would become mainstream. Largely due to the cycle of slasher movies popular at the time, the trend in costumes for adults tended towards gore.  It was in 2000 that Leg Avenue, originally a company that made tights and leggings, came out with its first Halloween costume, a scant, cat costume complete with ears. Leg Avenue would not be the only company to manufacture sexy Halloween costumes. Forplay, Yandy, 3 Wishes, and yet others would enter the market.

By 20004, the sexy Halloween costume had become enough of a phenomenon that it was acknowledged in the movie Mean Girls (2004), with several of the female characters dressing in sexy Halloween costumes, although the movie's costumes were actually modest compared to some of the costumes actually on the market at the time. In the movie, lead character Cady (Lindsay Lohan) remarks, "In girl world, Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress up like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it." Notably, Cady does not dress as something sexy for Halloween, but something scary instead, because "It's Halloween."

The phenomenon of sexy Halloween costumes was also acknowledged in the cult movie Trick 'r Treat (2007). In the film, characters Danielle, Marie, and Janet dress in sexy Cinderella, Snow White, and Bo-Peep costumes, while Danielle's sister Laurie wears a more traditional and more modest Little Red Riding Hood costume. Even so, Laurie complains that her costume is too small. 

With the popularity of sexy Halloween costumes soaring in the Naughts, the costumes themselves became more and more outrageous, and not simply in the amount of skin they exposed. Companies began coming out with costumes that the vast majority of people would never have thought of as sexy. While many might find the ideas of sexy nurses, sexy witches, or sexy firefighters appealing, I think most people would never dream of Mister Rogers, Chewbacca, or Freddy Krueger as "sexy."

Unfortunately, some sexy Halloween costumes are not only bizarre, but also downright offensive and insensitive. There are sexy Pocahontas costumes, sexy mariachi costumes, sexy geisha costumes, and yet other examples of cultural misappropriation. Arguably worse are costumes that exploit real-life tragedy. For years, sexy Joan of Arc costumes have been on the market, despite the fact that Joan is the patron saint of France and died by being burned at the stake.

Of course, arguably the sexy Halloween costume has always been problematic to a degree. Through the years, there have been many who have argued that sexy Halloween costumes tend to objectify women. Yet others have argued that sexy Halloween costumes often demean professions, such as the myriad sexy nurse and sexy teacher costumes. Others have criticized the costumes for only being built for specific body types. While sexy Halloween costumes have their critics, there are those who see them positively as well. Some have argued that the costumes actually empower women to express their own sexuality in the way they choose. 

Sexy Halloween costumes have long been somewhat controversial. And it does seem that they have been declining in popularity. Whether they will completely disappear is a question only time can tell. Regardless, they have very much become a part of Halloween history. 

The Late Great Ace Frehley

Ace Frehley, founding member and lead guitarist of Kiss and a solo artist in his own right, died on October 16, 2025, at the age of 74. The cause was complications from a fall. 

Ace Frehley was born Paul Frehley in The Bronx, New York City on April 27, 1951. He began playing guitar when he was 13. He was influenced by artists from Albert Lee to Jimi Hendrix to The Who. It was while he was in high school that he received the nickname "Ace." 

Ace Frehley played with several different bands early in his career. One band, Molimo, was signed to RCA and released one album in 1971. It was in late 1972 that Ace Frehley answered an ad in The Village Voice for a lead guitarist. He auditioned for Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, who were forming a new band following the dissolution of their old band Wicked Lester. Ace Frehley then became the lead guitarist of the band Kiss. It was Ace Frehley who designed the Kiss logo. The band also decided to perform in make-up, with each member adopting a different persona. Ace Frehley became "Space Ace," also known as "The Spaceman." 

Kiss's self-titled, debut album was released in 1974. Ace Frehley wrote the song "Cold Gin" and co-wrote"Love Theme from Kiss" with the rest of the band. Ace Frehley would write or co-write several different songs on various Kiss albums, including "Parasite," "Comin' Home," and "Strange Ways" on Hotter Than Hell, "Getaway" and "Rock Bottom" on Dressed to Kill, "Flaming Youth" on Destroyer, "Shock Me" on Love Gun, "Hard Times" and "Save Your Love" on Dynasty, "Talk to Me," "Two Sides of the Coin," and "Torpedo Girl" from Unmasked, "Dark Light," "Escape from the Island," and 'Finale" from Music from the Elder.  It was in 1978 that each member of Kiss released a solo album, including Ace Frehley. The album featured a cover of the band Hello's song "New York Groove," which proved to be a hit single for Ace Frehley, going to no.13 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

It was in 1982 that Ace Frehley decided to leave Kiss due to creative differences with the other members of the band. He formed his own band, Frehley's Comet, which would release two album: Frehley's Cometin 1987 and Second Sighting in 1988. He also recorded a solo album, Trouble Walkin', which featured a cover of The Move/ELO song "Do Ya." 

It was in 1996 that Ace Frehley reunited with Kiss and he appeared on the album Psycho Circus. Afterwards, Ace Frehley left Kiss again and resumed his solo career. From 2009 to 2024, he released six solo albums. 

Ace Frehley also appeared as a guest artist on artists' work, including Crazy Joe and the Variable Speed Band's self-titled, debut album, Wendy O. Williams's 1981 album WOW, and  former Kiss bandmate Peter Criss's 1994 album Cat 1, among others. 

Ace Frehley was both a consummate performer and a virtuoso guitarist. His style was aggressive, but at the same time melodic and would have a lasting impact on glam metal. It was Ace Frehley's guitar that largely shaped the sound of Kiss in its early days, and while talented guitarists would follow Mr. Frehley as Kiss's lead guitarist, the band never quite sounded the same after he left. Ace Frehley was also a talented solo artist, producing good quality work from "New York Groove" to "Do Ya." He won't soon be forgotten. 

Godspeed Samantha Eggar

Samantha Eggar, who appeared in such films as The Collector (1965), Walk, Don't Run (1966), and The Brood (1979), died on October 15, 2025, at the age of 86.

Samantha Eggar was born on March 5, 1939, in Hampstead, London. It was not long after she was born that her family moved to Bledlow, Buckinghamshire, where she grew up. Her family was Roman Catholic, and she studied at St Mary's Providence Convent in Woking, Surrey. She was interested in theatre and the arts from a young age, and was offered a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Her mother forbade her from attending Rada, as she didn't want her to become an actress. Instead, she attended the Thanet School of Art. After graduating, she worked as a fashion artist.

It was a cousin who insisted that she attend the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts. She had not even completed her courses at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts when she was offered a part in photographer Cecil Beaton's play Landscape With Figures, in which she made her debut on the West End in 1959. In 1962, she appeared in productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night at the Royal Court Theatre.

In the Sixties, Samantha Eggar had a recurring role on the TV show Rob Roy. It also marked her television debut. She guest starred on the shows Rendezvous, BBC Sunday-Night Play, ITV Television Playhouse, Ghost Squad, ITV Play of the Week, The Saint, and New Release. She made her movie debut in The Wild and the Willing (1962), Doctor and Distress (1963), Dr. Crippen (1963), and Psyche 59 (1964). She received her big break with the movie The Collector (1965), directed by William Wyler and co-starring Terence Stamp. She was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actress for the film. For the remainder of the decade, Samantha Eggar appeared in the film Return of the Ashes (1965), Walk, Don't Run (1966), Doctor Dolittle (1967), The Molly Maguires (1970), The Walking Stick (1970), and The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun (1970).

In the Seventies, she starred in the short-lived show Anna and the King. She guest starred on the shows Love Story, Lucas Tanner, Baretta, Columbo, Starsky and Hutch, Family, Hawaii Five-O, Fantasy Island, Love Boat, and Hagen. She appeared in the movies The Light at the Edge of the World (1971), The Dead Are Alive (1972), A Name for Evil (1973), The Seven Per-Cent Solution (1976), Welcome to Blood City (1977), Why Shoot the Teacher (1977), The Uncanny (1977), The Greatest Battle (1978), The Brood (1979), and The Exterminator (1980).

In the Eighties, she appeared in the movies Demonoid (1981), The Hot Touch (1981), Curtains (1983), and Ragin' Cajun (1990). She appeared on television in The Love Boat; Aloha Paradise; Falcon Crest; Darkroom; Hart to Hart; Murder, She Wrote; Magnum, P.I.; Finder of Lost Loves; Tales of the Unexpected; George Burns Comedy Week; Hotel; Outlaws; Stingray; Alfred Hitchcock Presents; 1st & Ten; The Magical World of Disney; Heartbeat; Matlock; and Star Trek: The Next Generation. She appeared in the mini-series For the Term of His Natural Life.

In the Nineties, Samantha Eggar guest starred on the shows Mann & Machine; L.A, Law; ABC Weekend Specials; and Burke's Law. She had a recurring role on the daytime soap opera All My Children. She was the voice of Guinevere on the animated show The Legend of Prince Valiant. She appeared in the mini-series The Secrets of Lake Success. She appeared in the movies Round Numbers (1992), Dark Horse (1992), Inevitable Grace (1994), The Phantom (1996), and The Astronaut's Wife (1999). She was the voice of Hera in the animated movie Hercules (1997).

In the Naughts, she had a recurring role on the TV show Commander in Chief. She guest starred on the shows She Spies, Cold Case, and Mental. In the Teens, she appeared on the TV show The Nine Lives of Chloe King. She was a guest voice on the animated series Metalocalypse. 

Samantha Eggar was a remarkable actress who played a wide variety of roles. She certainly deserved the Oscar nomination for The Collector, in which she played Miranda Grey, the innocent, but nonetheless defiant art student kidnapped by psychotic Freddie Clegg (Terence Stamp). In Walk, Don't Run, she played a British native living in Tokyo who inadvertently sublets her apartment to an older man (Cary Grant). In The Brood, she played a character as far those she played in The Collector and Walk, Don't Run as one could get. She played  Nola Carveth, a woman with an extreme mental disorder. She also gave good performances in her guest appearances in television shows as well. In "Marcia," an episode of The Saint, she played a starlet threatening her with disfigurement unless she pays up £5000. Samantha Eggar could play a wide variety of roles in a variety of genres, from thrillers to comedy to horror. 

Godspeed Chris Dreja of The Yardbirds

Chris Dreja, the rhythm guitarist and later bassist of The Yardbirds who became a professional photographer, died on September 25, 2025, at the age of 78. The case was from complications from multiple strokes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chris Dreja was born on November 11, 1946, in Surbiton, Surrey. He grew up in n Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. His father was a Polish immigrant. Chris Dreja was a teenager when he took an interest in rock 'n' roll. His brother Stefan was in the same pre-college art program as original Yardbirds lead guitarist Anthony "Top" Topham. Chris Dreja and Top Topham met and then began playing music together.

Chris Dreja and Top Topham joined a band called the Metropolitan Blues Quartet, which also featured vocalist Keith Relf and bassist Paul Samwell Smith. Over time, the Metropolitan Blues Quartet evolved into The Yardbirds. It was in October 1963 that Top Topham left the band. He was replaced by guitarist Eric Clapton. The Yardbirds served as a back-up band for Sonny Boy Williamson II during a tour in late 1963 and early 1964. It was after this tour that The Yardbirds were signed to the Columbia label. 

The Yardbirds proved to be a success, producing such hits as "For Your Love," "Heart Full of Soul," "Evil Hearted You," "Shape of Things," and others. The band also experienced frequent changes in its lineup. Eric Clapton left The Yardbirds when they decided to go for a more pop-oriented sound. Paul Samwell-Smith tired of touring and became more interested in record production. He then left the band and Chris Dreja then switched from rhythm guitar to bass.

Chris Dreja co-wrote several Yardbirds songs. Along with the other members of the group, he was credited as a writer on their album Yardbirds (also known as Roger the Engineer and Over Under Sideways Down). He also drew the cover for the album. On their album Little Games, he co-wrote the songs "Smile on Me," "Drinking Muddy Water," "Glimpses," and "Stealing Stealing." 

The Yardbirds broke up in 1968, and Chris Dreja became a professional photographer. In fact, he photographed Led Zeppelin for the back cover of their first album. He worked out of a studio in New York City, and he photographed such people as Bob Dylan, The Righteous Brothers, Tina Turner, Andy Warhol, and others. It was in 1983 that he returned to music when he and other former Yardbirds Paul Samwell-Smith, and Jim McCarty formed a Box of Frogs with vocalist John Fiddler. Box of Frogs would release two albums, a self-tilted album in 1984 and Strange Land in 1986. Chris Dreja later performed with The Yardbirds when they were inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. 

It was following their induction into the Hall of Fame that The Yardbirds would begin touring again. The reformed band released a new album, Birdland, in 2003. Chris Dreja continued to play with The Yardbirds until he had a series of strokes in 2012 and 2013. 

For the most part, Chris Dreja would be overshadowed by The Yardbirds' lead guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page, but the band would not have been the same without him. As rhythm guitarist and later bassist, Chris Dreja was the engine that drove the band forward. Both his rhythm guitar and bass playing was very tight, but at the same time powerful. Chris Dreja would set the pace for many rhythm guitarists to come. 

The Late Great John Lodge of The Moody Blues

John Lodge, singer, songwriter, and bassist with The Moody Blues, died on October 10, 2025, at the age of 83. 

John Lodge was born on July 20 1943, in Erdington, Birmingham. He took an interest in music while he was very young, and he received his first Fender bass guitar when he was 16. He was 14 years old when he met future band mate Ray Thomas. The two of them formed their own band, El Riot & The Rebels while they were still in high school. He attended Birmingham College of Advanced Technology, where he studied engineering. He took a year off from music while he did so.

It was in 1966 that John Lodge was contacted by Ray Thomas to replace bassist Clint Warwick. John Lodge would remain a member of The Moody Blues until they stopped touring in 2019. He made his first appearance with The Moody Blues on their classic album Days of Future  Passed. Over the years he would contribute several songs to Moody Blues albums, including "Ride My See-Saw" (from In Search of the Lost Chord), "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" from Seventh Sojourn,  and"Nervous" from Long Distance Voyager. He co-wrote "Gemini Dream," from Long Distance Voyager, with Justin Hayward. Altogether John Lodge played on 15 studio albums with The Moody Blues.

In 1975, Justin Hayward and John Lodge collaborated on the album Blue Jays. He released three solo albums: Natural Avenue (1977), 10,000 Light Years Ago (2015), and Days of Future Passed – My Sojourn (2023). His EP Love Conquers All was released earlier this year. 

The Moody Blues have been one of my favourite bands ever since childhood, and John Lodge was much of the reason for that. He hade a melodic style of playing bass, which was perfectly suited to The Moody Blues' progressive rock/psychedelic rock music. Like the other members of The Moody Blues, he was also a great songwriter. As mentioned above, he wrote some of The Moody Blues' most iconic songs. A musician of immeasurable talent, he was much more than a singer in a rock and roll band.

The Late Great Diane Keaton

I think most movie buffs are just a little bit in love with Diane Keaton. I know that I have had a crush on her ever since I first saw her in the movie Sleeper (1973).  And there should be little wonder that people would be crazy about Miss Keaton. She was beautiful. She was intelligent. She was charming. And she had more talent than several other actors combined. Quite simply, she was one of the greatest actors of the late 20th Century. Sadly, Diane Keaton died on October 11, 2025, at the age of  79. 

Diane Keaton was born Diane Hall on January 5, 1946, in Los Angeles, California. Her mother participated in the "Mrs. Los Angeles" pageant, which took place at the Highland Park Theatre. The event inspired young Diane to become an actress. She attended Santa Ana High School, where she took part in the school's acting club. After graduating from high school, she attended Santa Ana College, where she acted in various plays. Among her classmates was comedian Steve Martin. She moved to New York City, where she studied acting at The Neighborhood Playhouse under Sanford Meisner. There was already an actress registered with the name "Diane Hall" at the Actors' Equity Association, so she used her mother's maiden name "Keaton."

Diane Keaton made her professional acting debut as a replacement in Hair on Broadway in 1968, although reportedly she refused to take off her clothing. She appeared on Broadway in 1969 in Play It Again, Sam. She made her television debut in 1970 in a segment of Love, American Style. The same year she appeared in a segment of Night Gallery. She made her film debut in Lovers and Strangers (1970).

Diane Keaton was a movie star very nearly from the beginning of her career. In the Seventies, she played Kay in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather II (1974). She reprised her role as Linda in the movie adaptation of Play It Again, Sam (1972). She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Annie Hall (1977). She also appeared in the movies Sleeper (1973), Love and Death (1975), I Will...I Will...For Now (1976), Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), Interiors (1978), and Manhattan (1979). On television, she guest-starred on the shows The F.B.I. and Mannix. She appeared in the TV movie Men of Crisis: The Harvey Wallinger Story. 

In the Eighties, Diane Keaton appeared in the movies Reds (1981), Shoot the Moon (1982), The Little Drummer Girl (1984), Mrs. Soffel (1984), Crimes of the Heart (1986), Radio Days (1987), Baby Boom (1987), The Good Mother (1988), The Lemon Sisters (1989), and The Godfather Part III (1990). 

In the Nineties, Diane Keaton appeared in the movies Father of the Bride (1991), Manhattan Murder Mystery (1994), Look Who's Talking Now (1993), Father of the Bride Part II (1995), The First Wives Club (1996), Marvin's Room (1996), The Only Thrill (1997), The Other Sister (1999), and Hanging Up (2000). On television, she appeared in the TV movies Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight (1994) and Northern Lights (1997). She provided her own voice for an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

In the Naughts, Diane Keaton appeared in the movies Town & Country (2001), Plan B (2001), Something's Gotta Give(2003), The Family Stone (2005), Because I Said So (2007), Mama's Boy (2007), Mad Money (2008), Smother (2008), and Morning Glory (2010). On television, she appeared in the TV movies Sister Mary Explains It All; Crossed Over; On Thin Ice; and Surrender, Dorothy.

In the Teens, she appeared in the movies Tilda (2011), Darling Companion (2012), The Big Wedding (2013), And So It Goes (2014), 5 Flights Up (2015), Love the Coopers (2015), Hampstead (2017), Book Club (2018), Poms (2019), and Love, Weddings & Other Disasters (2020).  She appeared on television in the mini-series The Young Pope. She provided the voice of Michellee in the animated series Green Eggs and Ham. 

In the 2020s, she appeared in the movies Mack & Rita (2022), Maybe I Do (2023), Book Club: The Next Chapter (2023), Arthur's Whisky (2024), and Summer Camp (2024). 

Diane Keaton also had a directorial career as well as her acting career. She made her directorial debut with the short "What Does Dorrie Want?" (1982). She directed the movies Heaven (1987), Unstrung Heroes (1995), and Hanging Up (2000). On television, she directed episodes of the TV show CBS Schoolbreak Special, China Beach, Twin Peaks, and Pasadena, as well as the TV movie Wildflower. She directed music videos for Belinda Carlisle's songs "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" and "I Get Weak." She also produced several films, among them The Lemon Sisters (1989), Elephant (2003), Smother (2008), and Mack & Rita (2022).

Diane Keaton was a remarkable actress from the very beginning of her career. In the Godfather movies, she played Kay Adams, Michael Corleone's girlfriend and later wife. Kay is a total outsider among the Corleones, a Baptist school teacher among Catholic mobsters. Diane Keaton was impressive in the role. She was also impressive in Looking for Mr. Goodbar, playing a young teacher who spends her nights frequenting bars and seeking sexual encounters with men. It was the same year that she played the title character in Annie Hall, a very different character from Theresa Dunn in Looking for Mr. Goodbar. While Annie lacked confidence and could be awkward, she also displayed a good deal of independence and strength. In Reds, she convincingly played historical figure Louise Bryant, the journalist who sympathetically covered the Bolshevik Revolution. Diane Keaton could play nearly any role she chose and play them very well.

Of course, Diane Keaton was more than just a remarkable actor. She was a remarkable woman as well. I know more than one person who met her in person, and they each said they she was "everything you expected and more." She was known for her advocacy for animals, and one fan on Instagram told how Miss Keaton saw them trying to rescue a stray dog on Sunset Boulevard. Miss Keaton spent two and a half hours helping the fan try to get the dog. According to the president of the Helen Woodward Animal Center, it was not unusual for them to get a call from Diane Keaton about a stray animal on the street. 

In addition to advocating for animals, Diane Keaton also fought for the historic architecture of Los Angeles. She served as a board member of the Los Angeles Conservancy and she was a trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She fought to preserve such landmarks as the Century Plaza Hotel and the Ennis House. She fought hard to save the Ambassador Hotel, and was disappointed when it was demolished anyway. Diane Keaton was a remarkable human being who truly cared for her fellow human beings and other living things.  

Godspeed John Woodvine

John Woodvine, who appeared on such television shows as Danger Man and The Avengers and such movies as The Devils (1971) and American Werewolf in London (1981), died on October 6, 2025, at the age of 96.

John Woodvine was born on July 21, 1929, in South Shields, County Durham. He attended Lord Williams's School in Thame, Oxfordshire. His national service was in the Royal Air Force. Afterwards, he was a clerk for a wool merchant. He studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. In 1954, he joined the Old Vic, at which he appeared in several productions of Shakespeare plays. He made his debut on Broadway in 1956 in King Richard II. In the Fifties, he appeared on Broadway in Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Troilus and Cressida. He made his television debut in 1958 in a guest appearance on the TV show Murder Bag. He appeared on the shows Champion Road, The Terrible Choice, and The Haunted House. 

In the Sixties, John Woodvine had a regular role on the British police series Z Cars. He appeared on such shows as Danger Man, Boyd Q.C., Call Oxbridge 2000, Ghost Squad, Man of the World, Moonstrike, Sergeant Cork, The Plane Makers, The Villains, Crane, Diary of a Young Man, Coronation Street, Theatre 625, R3, Emergecy-Ward 10, The Liars, Pardon the Expression, ITV Play of the Week, Armchair Theatre, The Saint, The Baron, Turn Out the Lights, Conflict, The Further Adventures of the Musketeers, Softly Softly, The Avengers, The Champions, Who-Dun-It, The Wednesday Play, The Dustbinmen Thirty-Minute Theatre, and BBC Play of the Month. He appeared in the mini-series The Caesars. He appeared in the movies Darling (1965) and The Walking Stick (1970).

In the Seventies, he was a regular on the TV series New Scotland Yard. He appeared on the shows Softly, Softly: Task Force, Take Three Girls, Aquarius, The Shadow of the Tower, Churchill's People, Against the Crowd, Shadows, When the Boat Comes In, Hadleigh, Play for Today, Return of the Saint, ITV Playhouse, Doctor Who, BBC2 Playhouse, and The English Programme. He appeared in the mini-series Elizabeth R. and An Unofficial Rose. He appeared in the movies The Devils (1971), Young Winston (1972), and Assault on Agathon (1978).

In the Eighties, John Woodvine was a regular on the TV show Knights of God. He appeared on the TV shows Strangers, Squadron, Studio, Juliet Bravo, Swallows and Amazons Forever!: Cool Club, By the Sword Divided,  The Tripods, All Creatures Great & Small, Lime Street, Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV, The New Statesman, Rockliffe's Babies, Alli n Good Faith, Room at the Bottom, Les Girls, Screenplay,  Chelmsford 123, and The Chief.  He appeared in the mini-series The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Edge of Darkness, The Prisoner of Zenda, Deceptions, The Modern World: Ten Great Writers, Melba,  and A Tale of Two Cities. He appeared in the movies An American Werewolf in London (1981) and Spaghetti House (1982). He appeared on Broadway in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.

In the Nineties, he had a recurring role on the TV show Runaway Bay. He appeared on the shows Jackanory, The War of the Roses, An Actor's Life for Me, Spender, Civvies, Medics, Demob, Screen Two, Finney, Harry, Crown Prosecutor, Performance, Heartbeat, Doctor Finlay, A Perfect State, Peak Practice, and Verdict. He appeared in the mini-series Tell Tale Hearts, A Pinch of Snuff, and Faith. He appeared in the movies Wuthering Heights (1992), Leon the Pig Farmer (1992), The Trial (1993), and  Dragonworld (1994).

In the Naughts, John Woodvine appeared on the shows Midsomer Murders, The Secret, Paradise Heights, The Brief,  Shameless, Distant Shores, Holby City, Doc Martin, The Bill, Casualty, Sold, Never Better, Emmerdale Farm, and Coronation Street. He appeared in the movies Vanity Fair (2004), Miss Potter (2006), The Midnight Drives (2007), Flick (2008), and  Burke & Hare.

In the Teens, he appeared on Midsomer Murders, Doctors, Hebburn, Vera, The Musketeers, and The Crown. He appeared in the mini-series Decline and Fall. His last screen appearance was in the movie Enys Men (2022).

At least in the United Kingdom, John Woodvine may have been best known for playing police officers. After all, he played Inspector Witty on Z Cars and Inspector Kingdom on New Scotland Yard, as well as playing police officers in various guest appearances. Of course, he played much more than cops. In An American Werewolf in London, he played  Dr. J. S. Hirsch, the surgeon who treats David (David Naughton) following an attack by a werewolf. He guest-starred on The Avengers four times, most notably as the sinister Robert Stone in "The Murder Market." He guest-starred on Danger Man three times (once on the half-hour version, twice on the hour-long version). In the episode "Judgement Day," he played a member of a terrorist group. He was the chief villain in the Champions episode "The Search," playing an unreformed Nazi who infiltrates a nuclear submarine along with his men. He played many different roles on many different British TV shows through the years. There should be little surprise as to why he was so prolific. Quite simply, John Woodvine was a very talented, very versatile actor.