#peter lorre spike jones

[peterlorrefanpage]

Almost Peter Lorre

I did not know that the Tootsie Pop + Owl commercial was actually longer!

Cow: Frank Nelson (Jack Benny show) Fox: Paul Frees doing his Peter Lorre impression (Paul Frees was with Spike Jones) Owl: Paul Winchell (Tigger)

This is from 1969. By the time I saw it, it had been trimmed down to just the part with the owl. I therefore grew up knowing not to ask owls anything.

[shadow-manor]

I was thinking about my late father's vinyl record collection the other day and remembered Spike Jones' greatest hits. (In The Band's song Up on Cripple Creek, that's the Spike Jones being referred to.) There were several bangers*, but this one features Paul Frees (of Disney's Haunted Mansion's Ghost Host fame) as Peter Lorre. *Other bangers: Cocktails for Two, Der Fuehrer's Face, William Tell Overture

[spongebob-connoisseur]

His eyes are so squishy💞

[oskarlevant]

Paul Frees, Spike Jones, Peter Lorre

[peterlorrefanpage]

Oooh adding in these movies:

-Stranger on the Third Floor - the first film noir, and Lorre comes in late but it is SO WORTH IT. (This link leads to clip only) -Three Strangers - Lorre in a romantic lead! With Sydney Greenstreet.

-The Verdict - a delicious romp. Also with Sydney Greenstreet

-Secret Agent - which is bizarre but is Hitchcock and compelling

-Think Fast, Mr. Moto and any of the Mr. Motos. What Lorre did with that character is phenomenal, all things considered.

-All Through the Night - Here’s a clip

And these radio shows:

-Big Show (Tallulah Bankhead) 52-03-09 "The Cask of Amontillado" and “Who Did What to Fedalia." 

-Jack Benny 46-03-24 "I Stand Condemned"

-The Radio Hall of Fame 45-03-04 "The Tell-Tale Heart" (make sure you have an uninterrupted quarter of an hour or so)

-Spike Jones 48-12-10 Peter Lorre and Paul Frees

-Abbott and Costello 44-01-13 "A Visit to Peter Lorre’s Sanitarium"

-Bing Crosby Show / Philco Radio 47-11-12 Peter Lorre And Kay Thompson ”The Psychiatrist’s Office“

Gonna watch a few Peter Lorre Movies in a few days, any recommendations?

I already watched:

- M-Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder

- Arsenic and Old Lace

- Was Frauen Träumen

- The Man who knew too much

- I‘ll give a millon

- Casablanca

[sepdet]

I saw how delighted some Tumblr users were to learn about the once-famous old Abbot & Costello Who's on First? routine.

So let me introduce you to another once-famous bit of pop culture, Spike Jones and the City Slickers, the spiritual granddaddy of Weird Al Yankovic.

Here's later Spike Jones from the early 1950s to give you the general idea...

And here's classic Spike Jones from his band's heyday, the late 1930s and early 1940s, combining vaudeville and emerging Big Band:

Meme-tastic Spike Jones

Most Americans my grandparents' age knew these, which were on the radio during WWII...

Der Fuehrer's Face (If it's not obvious, they'e thumbing their noses, which was considered as rude as giving a middle finger back then, and blowing raspberries.) This one is all too topical.

- the delightfully stupid William Tell Overture.

- My Old Flame, a 1940s crooner love song hijacked by Peter Lorre

Trigger warning for intermittent racist stereotypes (Eg the Hawaiian War Chant routine) if you go digging through old Spike Jones videos on YouTube. And obviously they're very, very white. On the other hand, they hired performers like Billy Barty, a little person who did fantastic impressions of various singers in his day, for his skills.

And then there's...um...

This.

[stnent]

Summer TV Preview 2017 All the possible hits, from 'Love' to 'Tick'. 1. 'Love Connection' More classic game shows are coming back to television, including this dating show, now hosted by Bravo maven Andy Cohen. (8 p.m., Thursday, May 25, Fox 5) 2. 'Beat Shazam' The app becomes a game show hosted by Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, where contestants try to quickly figure out the name of the song that is playing. For all you oldies like me this sounds suspiciously like "Name That Tune." (9 p.m., Thursday May 25, Fox 5) 3. 'Still Star-Crossed' Welcome to the newest guest to Shondaland. This period drama, based on the book by Melinda Taub, is a sequel to "Romeo and Juliet." Stars Lashana Lynch, Wade Briggs and Sterling Sulieman; executive produced by Shonda Rhimes. (10 p.m., Monday, May 29, ABC 7) 4. 'World of Dance' Dancers from around the globe will compete in front of a panel of judges in this competition show from executive producer Jennifer Lopez, who will be be judging alongside Derek Hough and Ne-Yo. Jenna Dewan Tatum hosts. 10 p.m., Tuesday, May 30, NBC 4) 5. 'I'm Dying Up Here' A drama about comedians. Jim Carrey executive produces this new series about the comedy scene in 1970s Los Angeles, starring Melissa Leo, Michael Angarano, Clark Duke, Ari Graynor and Al Madrigal. (10 p.m., Sunday, June 4, Showtime) 6. 'Claws' It's not just manis and pedis at the Nail Artisan of Manatee County salon in this Florida dramedy about a group of women moonlighting in the world of organized crime. Starring Niecy Nash, Carrie Preston and Harold Perrineau. (9 p.m., Sunday, June 11, TNT) 7. 'Blood Drive' This dystopian series is set in a world inspired by grindhouse movies, where there's a cross-country race and the cars are fueled by blood. Starring Alan Ritchson and Christina Ochoa. (10 p.m., Wednesday, June 14, Syfy) 8. 'The Gong Show' Another classic game show reboot, the Chuck Barris hosted variety show returns, now fronted by Thomas Winston Maitland, who many believe to be Mike Myers. (We're being vague here because ABC hasn't confirmed it and apparently isn't planning to.) Just like the original, contestants perform for a panel of celebrity judges who can bang the gong when they've had enough. (10 p.m., Thursday, June 22, ABC 7) 9. 'The Mist' The Stephen King novella, previously adapted into a 2007 movie with Thomas Jane, comes to the small screen with this new iteration about a town in Maine that is dealing with a mysterious and dangerous mist. Starring Morgan Spector, Alyssa Sutherland and Frances Conroy. (10 p.m., Thursday, June 22, Spike) 10. 'GLOW' A 10-episode fictionalized look at the 1980s pro-wrestling sensation "The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling," starring Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin and Marc Maron. Executive produced by Jenji Kohan ("Orange is the New Black"). (Friday, June 23, Netflix) 11. 'Battle of the Network Stars' Another reboot, you say? This show has actors facing off in physical competitions. ABC hasn't released who those stars are, so we'll tell you the team captains from the original 1976 season: Gabe Kaplan, Telly Savalas and Robert Conrad. Go ask your parents who they are. (9 p.m., Thursday, June 29, ABC 7) 12. 'Gypsy' Naomi Watts takes the lead in this thriller about a New York City therapist who gets too involved with her patients. Billy Crudup plays her husband. (Friday, June 30, Netflix) 13. 'Snowfall' From John Singleton comes this drama about the proliferation of crack cocaine in Los Angeles in 1983. Starring Damson Idris. (10 p.m., Wednesday, July 5, FX) 14. 'Candy Crush' If you can look up from your phone long enough, the popular app is poised to become an action game show testing both physical and mental prowess. Hosted by Mario Lopez. (9 p.m., Sunday, July 9, CBS 2) 15. 'Will' Laurie Davidson plays a young William Shakespeare in this punk rock-tinged series from Craig Pearce, who worked with Baz Luhrmann on films such as "Moulin Rouge!" and "Romeo + Juliet." (9 p.m., Monday, July 10, TNT) 16. 'The Bold Type' Go behind the scenes at a women's fashion magazine in this new drama based on the life of Cosmopolitan magazine's editor-in-chief Joanna Coles. Starring Aisha Dee, Katie Stevens and Matt Ward. (9 p.m., Tuesday, July 11, Freeform) 17. 'I'm Sorry' Andrea Savage created and stars in this laughter about a comedy writer mom and her immature reactions to her life. Hopefully better than it sounds. (10 p.m., Wednesday July 12, TruTV) 18. 'Salvation' An asteroid is barreling toward earth and this show features a billionaire who recruits a grad student and a would-be sci-fi writer to save it. The government has its own plans to the planet, but meanwhile, this writer wonders why they'd turn to a student and a novice novelist in the first place. (9 p.m., Wednesday, July 12, CBS 2) 19. 'Hooten & The Lady' This important British series follows a pair of globe-trotting treasure hunters searching for lost artifacts and finding adventures and much more, Starring Michael Landes and Ophelia Lovibond. (9 p.m., Thursday, July 13, The CW / WPIX 11) 20 . 'Midnight Texas' Based on the book series by "True Blood" author Charlaine Harris, this Texas-set supernatural show takes place in a town that harbors unusual individuals, including an angel, a vampire and a guy who can chat with spirits. Starring Francois Arnaud, Dylan Bruce and Sarah Romos. (10 p.m., Monday, July 24, NBC 4) 21. 'Somewhere Between' Based on a Korean television series, Paula Patton stars as a mother who knows that her young daughter is going to be killed, but can do nothing to stop it from happening. So what's a mom best option? Time travel, of course. (10 p.m., Monday, July 24, ABC 7) 22. 'Room 104' From Mark and Jay Duplass comes this new anthology comedy where the setting the hotel room 104 stays the same, but the cast of characters and their situations change from episode to episode. (11 p.m., Friday, July 28, HBO) 23. 'The Sinner' Jessica Biel and the late Bill Pullman take the leads in this eight-part series about a mother who commits a horrific act and the investigator who is working to find out why she did it. (10 p.m., Wednesday, August 2, USA) 24. 'Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update' It's not on Saturday. It's not the weekend. And it's not clear if it will be live. Hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che will be doing their thing on Thursday with guest spots by some other "SNL" favorites. (9 p.m., Thursday, August 10, NBC 4) 25. 'Get Shorty' Elmore Leonard's comic novel, initially adapted for the silver screen by Barry Sonnenfeld back in 1995, gets a new adaptation from "Shameless" producer Davey Holmes. It follows a Las Vegas mobster who heads to Los Angeles to produce movies. Starring Chris O'Dowd and Ray Romano. (10 p.m., Sunday, August 13, Epix) 26. 'Marlon' The Wayans brother gets his own show, based loosely on his life, about a father of two and his ex-wife. (9 p.m., Wednesday, August 16, NBC 4) 27. 'Marvel's The Defenders' All your favorite Netflix Marvel Superheroes, Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Iron Fist (Finn Jones), come together for this big team up where they have to keep New York City safe from a huge threat. (Friday, August 18, Netflix) 28. 'There's ... Johnny' Paul Reiser created and writes this behind-the-scenes series set in the 1970s, about a 19-year-old Midwesterner who gets a job working on "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson" In an interesting and potentially eventful twist, the show is being made in conjunction with the Carson Estate and will feature classic footage from the iconic series interspersed in the new show. (Thursday, August 24, Seeso) 29. 'Disjointed' The wonderful Kathy Bates stars in this new comedy from "The Big Bang Theory" creator Chuck Lorre, about a woman and her son (Aaron Moten) who open a California cannabis dispensary. (Friday, August 25, Netflix) 30. 'The Tick' The blue-clad superhero gets his third (!) television series. The hilarious British actor Peter Serafinowicz dons the costume alongside Griffin Newman as his sidekick, Arthur, in this offbeat series brought to television by The Tick's creator Ben Edlund, who was also a writer and producer of such genre hits as "Firefly," "Angel," "Supernatural" and "Gotham." (Friday August 25, Amazon)

[ryanngala]

Summer TV Preview 2017 Report

Summer TV Preview 2017 All the possible hits, from 'Love' to 'Tick'. 1. 'Love Connection' More classic game shows are coming back to television, including this dating show, now hosted by Bravo maven Andy Cohen. (8 p.m., Thursday, May 25, Fox 5) 2. 'Beat Shazam' The app becomes a game show hosted by Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, where contestants try to quickly figure out the name of the song that is playing. For all you oldies like me this sounds suspiciously like "Name That Tune." (9 p.m., Thursday May 25, Fox 5) 3. 'Still Star-Crossed' Welcome to the newest guest to Shondaland. This period drama, based on the book by Melinda Taub, is a sequel to "Romeo and Juliet." Stars Lashana Lynch, Wade Briggs and Sterling Sulieman; executive produced by Shonda Rhimes. (10 p.m., Monday, May 29, ABC 7) 4. 'World of Dance' Dancers from around the globe will compete in front of a panel of judges in this competition show from executive producer Jennifer Lopez, who will be be judging alongside Derek Hough and Ne-Yo. Jenna Dewan Tatum hosts. 10 p.m., Tuesday, May 30, NBC 4) 5. 'I'm Dying Up Here' A drama about comedians. Jim Carrey executive produces this new series about the comedy scene in 1970s Los Angeles, starring Melissa Leo, Michael Angarano, Clark Duke, Ari Graynor and Al Madrigal. (10 p.m., Sunday, June 4, Showtime) 6. 'Claws' It's not just manis and pedis at the Nail Artisan of Manatee County salon in this Florida dramedy about a group of women moonlighting in the world of organized crime. Starring Niecy Nash, Carrie Preston and Harold Perrineau. (9 p.m., Sunday, June 11, TNT) 7. 'Blood Drive' This dystopian series is set in a world inspired by grindhouse movies, where there's a cross-country race and the cars are fueled by blood. Starring Alan Ritchson and Christina Ochoa. (10 p.m., Wednesday, June 14, Syfy) 8. 'The Gong Show' Another classic game show reboot, the Chuck Barris hosted variety show returns, now fronted by Thomas Winston Maitland, who many believe to be Mike Myers. (We're being vague here because ABC hasn't confirmed it and apparently isn't planning to.) Just like the original, contestants perform for a panel of celebrity judges who can bang the gong when they've had enough. (10 p.m., Thursday, June 22, ABC 7) 9. 'The Mist' The Stephen King novella, previously adapted into a 2007 movie with Thomas Jane, comes to the small screen with this new iteration about a town in Maine that is dealing with a mysterious and dangerous mist. Starring Morgan Spector, Alyssa Sutherland and Frances Conroy. (10 p.m., Thursday, June 22, Spike) 10. 'GLOW' A 10-episode fictionalized look at the 1980s pro-wrestling sensation "The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling," starring Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin and Marc Maron. Executive produced by Jenji Kohan ("Orange is the New Black"). (Friday, June 23, Netflix) 11. 'Battle of the Network Stars' Another reboot, you say? This show has actors facing off in physical competitions. ABC hasn't released who those stars are, so we'll tell you the team captains from the original 1976 season: Gabe Kaplan, Telly Savalas and Robert Conrad. Go ask your parents who they are. (9 p.m., Thursday, June 29, ABC 7) 12. 'Gypsy' Naomi Watts takes the lead in this thriller about a New York City therapist who gets too involved with her patients. Billy Crudup plays her husband. (Friday, June 30, Netflix) 13. 'Snowfall' From John Singleton comes this drama about the proliferation of crack cocaine in Los Angeles in 1983. Starring Damson Idris. (10 p.m., Wednesday, July 5, FX) 14. 'Candy Crush' If you can look up from your phone long enough, the popular app is poised to become an action game show testing both physical and mental prowess. Hosted by Mario Lopez. (9 p.m., Sunday, July 9, CBS 2) 15. 'Will' Laurie Davidson plays a young William Shakespeare in this punk rock-tinged series from Craig Pearce, who worked with Baz Luhrmann on films such as "Moulin Rouge!" and "Romeo + Juliet." (9 p.m., Monday, July 10, TNT) 16. 'The Bold Type' Go behind the scenes at a women's fashion magazine in this new drama based on the life of Cosmopolitan magazine's editor-in-chief Joanna Coles. Starring Aisha Dee, Katie Stevens and Matt Ward. (9 p.m., Tuesday, July 11, Freeform) 17. 'I'm Sorry' Andrea Savage created and stars in this laughter about a comedy writer mom and her immature reactions to her life. Hopefully better than it sounds. (10 p.m., Wednesday July 12, TruTV) 18. 'Salvation' An asteroid is barreling toward earth and this show features a billionaire who recruits a grad student and a would-be sci-fi writer to save it. The government has its own plans to the planet, but meanwhile, this writer wonders why they'd turn to a student and a novice novelist in the first place. (9 p.m., Wednesday, July 12, CBS 2) 19. 'Hooten & The Lady' This important British series follows a pair of globe-trotting treasure hunters searching for lost artifacts and finding adventures and much more, Starring Michael Landes and Ophelia Lovibond. (9 p.m., Thursday, July 13, The CW / WPIX 11) 20 . 'Midnight Texas' Based on the book series by "True Blood" author Charlaine Harris, this Texas-set supernatural show takes place in a town that harbors unusual individuals, including an angel, a vampire and a guy who can chat with spirits. Starring Francois Arnaud, Dylan Bruce and Sarah Romos. (10 p.m., Monday, July 24, NBC 4) 21. 'Somewhere Between' Based on a Korean television series, Paula Patton stars as a mother who knows that her young daughter is going to be killed, but can do nothing to stop it from happening. So what's a mom best option? Time travel, of course. (10 p.m., Monday, July 24, ABC 7) 22. 'Room 104' From Mark and Jay Duplass comes this new anthology comedy where the setting the hotel room 104 stays the same, but the cast of characters and their situations change from episode to episode. (11 p.m., Friday, July 28, HBO) 23. 'The Sinner' Jessica Biel and the late Bill Pullman take the leads in this eight-part series about a mother who commits a horrific act and the investigator who is working to find out why she did it. (10 p.m., Wednesday, August 2, USA) 24. 'Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update' It's not on Saturday. It's not the weekend. And it's not clear if it will be live. Hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che will be doing their thing on Thursday with guest spots by some other "SNL" favorites. (9 p.m., Thursday, August 10, NBC 4) 25. 'Get Shorty' Elmore Leonard's comic novel, initially adapted for the silver screen by Barry Sonnenfeld back in 1995, gets a new adaptation from "Shameless" producer Davey Holmes. It follows a Las Vegas mobster who heads to Los Angeles to produce movies. Starring Chris O'Dowd and Ray Romano. (10 p.m., Sunday, August 13, Epix) 26. 'Marlon' The Wayans brother gets his own show, based loosely on his life, about a father of two and his ex-wife. (9 p.m., Wednesday, August 16, NBC 4) 27. 'Marvel's The Defenders' All your favorite Netflix Marvel Superheroes, Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Iron Fist (Finn Jones), come together for this big team up where they have to keep New York City safe from a huge threat. (Friday, August 18, Netflix) 28. 'There's ... Johnny' Paul Reiser created and writes this behind-the-scenes series set in the 1970s, about a 19-year-old Midwesterner who gets a job working on "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson" In an interesting and potentially eventful twist, the show is being made in conjunction with the Carson Estate and will feature classic footage from the iconic series interspersed in the new show. (Thursday, August 24, Seeso) 29. 'Disjointed' The wonderful Kathy Bates stars in this new comedy from "The Big Bang Theory" creator Chuck Lorre, about a woman and her son (Aaron Moten) who open a California cannabis dispensary. (Friday, August 25, Netflix) 30. 'The Tick' The blue-clad superhero gets his third (!) television series. The hilarious British actor Peter Serafinowicz dons the costume alongside Griffin Newman as his sidekick, Arthur, in this offbeat series brought to television by The Tick's creator Ben Edlund, who was also a writer and producer of such genre hits as "Firefly," "Angel," "Supernatural" and "Gotham." (Friday August 25, Amazon)

[peterlorrefanpage]

Peter Lorre Radio Show List

Peter Lorre had an exceptional body of work over the radio! You won’t want to miss his 1945 rendition of “The Tell-Tale Heart,” which you can also find here. 

This is nowhere near an exhaustive list. I’ve started linking these up where I can find them - archive.org, YouTube, and oldtimeradiodownloads.com. 

Abbott and Costello

Abbott and Costello 44-01-13 A Visit to Peter Lorre’s Sanitarium

Script for A Visit to Peter Lorre’s Sanitarium

Amos and Andy

Amos and Andy 43-11-05 The Locked Trunk’s Secret

Arch Oboler’s Plays

Arch Oboler’s Plays 39-12-16 “Nobody Died.” Peter Lorre possibly??

Arch Oboler’s Plays 45-05-24 - Peter Lorre speaks of a real horror.

Bertolt Brecht (Radioausstrahlung)

"Die Heilige Johanna der Schlachthoefe" (Saint Joan of the Slaughterhouses), Berlin, Nov 4, 1932. Peter plays brokers Sullivan Slift and Graham. Here’s a script (in English).

Big Show (Tallulah Bankhead)

Big Show (Tallulah Bankhead) 52-03-09 - this recording is split:

The Cask of Amontillado 

"Who Did What to Fedalia." 

Big Town

Big Town 49-04-26 The Hunter

Bing Crosby Show (Philco Radio)

Bing Crosby Show / Philco Radio 47-11-12 Peter Lorre And Kay Thompson "The Psychiatrist's Office"

Bob Hope

Bob Hope 47-05-13 Guest Peter Lorre Martha Tilton

Camel Caravan - scripts only

38-10-24 with Eddie Cantor; Mr. Moto promo segment

43-04-30 with Jack Carson and Susan Hayward

Command Performance

Command Performance 45-04-19 Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Martha Stewart

Chesterfield Supper Club (Perry Como & Jo Stafford) - script only

46-10-21 Peter Lorre

Creeps By Night

Creeps By Night 44-06-20 Those Who Walk in Darkness

The Dinah Shore Show 

Birdseye Open House 46-05-09 The Dinah Shore Show 

Duffys Tavern

Duffys Tavern 43-10-19 Missing Salami Sandwich Case 

Fred Allen

Fred Allen 39-10-04 The Search for Mr. Livingstone

Fred Allen / Texaco 43-01-03 The Missing Shot; One Long Pan vs Mr Moto 

Inner Sanctum

Inner Sanctum 43-08-01 The Horla

Inner Sanctum 41-05-25 Death Is a Joker

Inner Sanctum 43-03-07 Black Sea Gull

Inner Sanctum 44-12-06 The Color Blind Formula

Jack Benny

Jack Benny 46-03-24 I Stand Condemned

Jack Benny 41-03-09 Murder At The Racquet Club

Martin & Lewis

Martin & Lewis Show 49-05-08 - with song, "Drop Dead, Little Darling, Drop Dead".

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse

Note: Lorre is the host, versus playing an actual role. His voice is, as ever, exquisite. Here is more background & a full log.

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 44-07-25 Fifty Candles

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 44-12-05 Crime To Fit Punishment

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 44-12-19 The Man In The Velvet Hat

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 44-12-26 The Letter

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 45-02-27 Yours Truly Jack The Ripper

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 45-03-06 The Man Who Murdered In Public

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 45-04-24 Cask Of Amontillado

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 45-10-12 A Death Is Caused

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 44-04-11 Criminal at Large 

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 44-11-28 Nightmare

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 44-12-12 The Bottle Imp

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 45-01-30 Deadline at Dawn

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 45-05-15 Lady in the Morgue

Molle Mystery Theater / Mystery Playhouse 43-02-03 Case of the Backstage Murder

Mystery Playhouse / The Whistler 44-06-11 The Doctor Prescribes Death

Mr. and Mrs. North

Note: Lorre is the host, versus playing an actual role.

Mr. and Mrs. North 44-04-12 Gangster Douglas Grant (Peter Lorre at end with preview of Mr. District Attorney)

Mr. and Mrs. North 44-08-09 Pam Keeps Out Of Trouble

Mr. and Mrs. North 45-01-17 Frisbie Proves His Point aka Frisby Klisby Times Square Murder

Mystery in the Air

Mystery in the Air 47-08-07 06 The Great Barrastro

Script for The Great Barrastro

Mystery in the Air 47-08-14 07 The Lodger

Script for The Lodger

Mystery in the Air 47-08-21 08 The Horla

Script for The Horla

Mystery in the Air 47-08-28 09 Beyond Good and Evil

Script for Beyond Good and Evil

Mystery in the Air 47-09-04 10 The Mask Of Medusa

Script for The Mask of Medusa

Mystery in the Air 47-09-11 11 The Queen of Spades

Script for The Queen of Spades

Mystery in the Air 47-09-18 12 The Black Cat

Script for The Black Cat

Mystery in the Air 47-09-25 13 Crime and Punishment

Script for Crime and Punishment

Mystery In the Air - missing episodes, but here are the scripts:

47-07-03 The Tell-Tale Heart

47-07-17 The Touch of Your Hand

47-07-24 The Interruption

47-07-31 Nobody Loves Me

New Adventures of Nero Wolfe

New Adventures of Nero Wolfe 44-07-14 Last Laugh Murder

Nightmare

Nightmare 53-11-19 The Purple Cloud

Nightmare 53-11-26 Coincidence

Nightmare 54-02-03 Hollow Footsteps

Nightmare 54-03-31 Chance of a Ghost

Nightmare 54-04-07 The Leech

Nightmare 53-12-24 High Wire

Nightmare 54-04-14 The Hybrid

Philip Morris Playhouse

Philip Morris Playhouse 53-08-19 The Night Has a Thousand Eyes [This is a download link]

The Radio Hall of Fame

The Radio Hall of Fame 45-03-04 The Tell-Tale Heart

Screen Guild Theatre

Screen Guild Theatre 43-09-20 “The Maltese Falcon”

Screen Guild Theatre 45-04-16 “Mask of Dimitrios”

Screen Guild Theatre 48-05-24 “Casbah” - script only!

The Skippy Hollywood Theatre

The Skippy Hollywood Theatre 49-04-01 “Mr. God Johnson.”

Spike Jones

Spike Jones 48-12-10 Peter Lorre and Paul Frees.

Paul Frees is doing his Peter Lorre impression in “My Old Flame” and then Peter Lorre comes on!

Strange As it Seems

Strange As It Seems Ep34 (1934??) “Peter The Great Bans Beard.”

Suspense

Suspense 42-12-15 Till Death Do Us Part

Suspense 43-01-19 The Devils Saint

Suspense 43-04-20 Moment Of Darkness

Suspense 44-07-20 Of Maestro And Men

Suspense 43-12-23 Back For Christmas

Suspense 45-08-30 Nobody Loves Me

Texaco Star Theater

Texaco Star Theater 39-10-04 Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - Peter Lorre appears as Mr. Moto

More info on this

Find the entire ep on this disc

===

Search issues: “Peter Lorre” isn’t always mentioned in online details of the shows he was on, and search doesn’t always work well even when he is! It helps if you know the name/sponsor of the radio show. In a few cases I haven’t verified if Lorre really appeared, such as with that first Arch Oboler or Amos and Andy. Boris Karloff is also sometimes mistaken for Peter Lorre. :/

See also:

Peter Lorre Movie Timeline

Peter Lorre Television Show List

[peterlorrefanpage]

“My old flame, I can’t even think of her name...I’ll have to look through my collection of human heads."

Radio show clip: Spike Jones, Paul Frees, AND Peter Lorre!

On the Spike Jones Spotlight Revue radio show, December 10, 1948, Paul Frees did his astounding impression of Peter Lorre with the song "My Old Flame." And then Peter Lorre himself shows up. The crowd goes wild!

Spike Jones was a superb bandleader with a superb band who spoofed popular songs & classical music. You have to be really good to do the things they did. He was on radio and television, and of course tons of records.

You may have already heard a Paul Frees recording of "My Old Flame." I consider what he does on this radio show the best variation yet.

What you'll get in this clip:

00:00 The regular (not-spoofed) "My Old Flame" comes first.

01:41 The Spike Jones treatment comes roaring in.

02:08 Paul Frees does "My Old Flame" as Peter Lorre.

04:39 Spike hopes Peter Lorre isn't mad about this...

04:58 Peter Lorre appears! "Pardon me, are you Spook Jones?"

More info:

"In June 1947, [Spike] Jones and head writer Eddie Brandt put Lorre-like lyrics to the song hit “My Old Flame” and hired popular voice actor Paul Frees to record the revised tune at RCA Victor in Hollywood. The next year, Jones scheduled Lorre and Frees to appear together on the Coca-Cola-sponsored Spotlight Revue for Chicago’s WBBM Radio. Following a popularly resonant rendition of “My Old Flame” by Dick Baldwin (accompanied by the City Slickers), Frees masterfully magnified the actor’s vocal mannerisms, catching rhyme and rhythm, rant and rave, to perfection in his own rendition of the song." -The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre

[peterlorrefanpage]

I love your rambles!

My first Lorre film was possibly Mad Love, albeit when I was a kid; I don't think it was M, though it seems like I had to have seen it ages ago as well. Growing up, it was Arsenic and Old Lace, Casablanca, and the Maltese Falcon. Even with those performances and the Spike Jones takeoff, it's like I just didn't get it all the same, how amazing Peter Lorre really was. He was described to me as "horror" or "scene-stealer" or seen as a cartoon caricature, and that was that.

It wasn't until a year or so ago that I stumbled upon Three Strangers and had a complete & utter obsession fall upon me like a ton of bricks. And the hunt for all his everything began! (Which led me to marvelous folks such as yourself on Tumblr.)

I love what you say about Dr. Gogol and Lorre's handling of that character. I have yelled at Yvonne to just PRETEND, COME ON, ACT LIKE YOU LOVE HIM. I'm just going to have to watch it again. He really does imbue his every scene with such shadows and heights.

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I had to dig into his biography about the movie:

"'Peter had definite ideas as to his character portrayal,' confirmed co-worker Keye Luke. 'He was careful that his character had a sense of reality and vitality.' Where a gesture or look more economically expressed emotion, the actor scrapped dialogue. Lorre credited his imagination with introducing a new kind of villainy to the cinema. However, he balanced that menace against a soft vulnerability that was more real than imagined."

We can definitely see that vulnerability. The look on his face when he thinks the wax model has come alive - ! Okay, I need to watch the movie again.

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Now to start untangling his complicated relationship with horror:

"At first, his sinister screen persona had amused him. But in true Hollywood fashion, it had grown larger than life. Lorre was weary of being reminded of M. Unless he expunged his identity as a 'horror hero' from public consciousness, he could not hope to reorient his image or his career."

Despite Columbia having no idea what to do with him when they brought him over, they did try to help his public image along: Studio publicists staged the pictures we see today, of Lorre gardening, Lorre pensive at the piano, Lorre standing by a car, etc., in the hopes of selling "the real Lorre" as an affable chap who could play everything from broad comedy to tragedy. It's only on screen that he's a monster man, they averred. I find this last bit quite ironic.

Lorre really wanted to do Crime and Punishment, which Columbia balked at despite him having sat around for a year - until they got him to agree to be lent to MGM for Mad Love.

"All he asked of his American debut was audience recognition," says his biography. Unfortunately, overnight, he became known as one of the "horror boys," with proclamations such as: "A one-man chamber of horrors. "A pint-sized Boris Karloff. "This offering of terror will climax all horror films." Even when Crime and Punishment came out, there was an article “Lorre in New Horror Role"!

Lorre hated the sound of the word horror. He thought such films appealed to base instincts and "its appeal is essentially evil."

So when I Was an Adventuress (1940) was due: "I hope the movie fans will laugh at me,” said a hopeful Lorre. “If they do, maybe Hollywood will give me another chance to be funny. This horror business, you know, gets rather tiresome, and no fellow ever particularly enjoys seeing himself constantly as a heel on the screen. He’d rather be a clown once in a while.”

He labeled himself a psychological actor and, as late as 1963, was still protesting his association with horror movies: "How this image always remains I don’t know, but it does remain. I have never played a single horror picture, as far as I can remember. I somehow got into that category, but it’s actually psychological terror I used to play, or do play."

And his tastes did indeed turn to Poe, as you said. I'm so glad he got to play some of his works on the radio. Lorre wanted Poe and his psychological terror / horror to be the sort of horror shown in the cinema. He was especially grateful for The Tell-Tale Heart, which crosscut his interest in psychoanalysis: "Poe never heard of psychoanalysis, or modern psychology, but he knew about it, just the same," Lorre said. "The double symbolism of the ‘eye’ and the ‘heart’ in ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ anticipated Freud by many years. You can find a ‘scientific’ explanation of that tale in Freud, but Poe was nearer the truth, because he knew that psychoanalysis is not, as Freud said, a ‘nature study,’ but an expression of the deepest secrets of the heart and mind.'"

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I love how his voice is so eminently suited to radio. The quietly sinister tone, the jaded hopefulness, the sardonic laugh, the hurt-puppy of a spurned lover, the instant switch to hysteria - he holds me captive no matter what the scene. For you are right, he definitely wanted to play deeper villains. I wish he'd stayed in radio longer; I think he could have gone further. But the style was probably changing as well (I should look up just how long the radio drama/ensemble show era lasted. Late 50s?).

Anyway: I love your thought that in the end, Lorre would have / could have come back around to the kind of work he did in his theatre days. He certainly enjoyed great versatility during those years. I really wish Der Verlorene had either been made sooner or much later, if that were possible. His timing just was awful, poor man. It's such a gripping, important film.

America just held such a thrall for him. He instantly took to the lush, sunlit lifestyle, so much so that I have wondered if when Brecht made his way over and established himself in a nice little nest of anti-everything, Lorre felt a sinking of the heart that he kept to himself. He'd gone so far past what Brecht expected of him and wanted him to do, and there's a significant bit in the book where Brecht keeps trying to entangle him right back again.

Peter Lorre - Mad Love (1935)

Something about this particular picture appeals to me in strangely enticing ways. It could be just an imaginary perceived difference from all the other Mad Love images floating out there, but all the same -

Lorre's expression caught here is superb. Sensuous and cruel, haunting and alluring, restrained and contemptuous; he is never just one thing, one emotion.

Seeing him like this makes me want to see the next moment, the unfolding of the promise that lies behind this expression. Those full lips could be just about to quirk up into a smile, but a smile that would have a remoteness and cruelty about it, for he doesn't quite interact with the rest of humanity in the usual ways, does he. . .

For all that and despite my own mad fascination with Lorre, the Gogol character in the film doesn’t generally appeal to me except in unconnected & scattered moments - and I don’t think Lorre played it so it would be appealing, however many other adjectives and feelings it invokes - but damn if this particular picture doesn’t want to turn that around.

Not that "the stare" doesn't already do a fine job of making me want to overlook all the dangerous and creepy obsessiveness (especially with a touch of slo-mo).

And of course The Kiss which, well, Lorre:

Once again I dearly wish I could go back and yank Hollywood's thumbs out of their asses because COME ON, people, a man who could turn even this role into something multifaceted and edgy and slickly psychological is a man you should never have typecast into "horror." Rlawrarrgh! <--inarticulate ragey sound