I was hoping to get some help identifying the particulars of this Universal Frankenstein mask. This is a photo of my sister Jeanne with Frankenstein from 1979. Universal Studios had a traveling make-up show that came to my hometown of Naperville (a suburb of Chicago), Illinois. It was a traveling version of their "Land of a Thousand Faces" make-up show at Universal Studios, California. I believe Verne Langdon of Don Post fame was the developer of this neat show.
They came to a large shopping mall by our house and I got my mom and my sister Jeanne to go with me to check it out. They had a huge crowd and to my surprise and good fortune they picked my sister Jeanne from the crowd to transform into Frankenstein's Bride. I was thrilled as I was very into Universal Monsters and make-up. After they made my sister up - I was fortunate enough to go back stage and meet the make-up artist. I also got to see close up the very cool walk around Frankenstein. I was very interested in the mask and hands. I believe this was right after they stopped using Don Post Studios masks for their Universal walk around characters.
The make-up artist said he was the brother of actress Linda Kelsey who was on the TV show Lou Grant at the time. I grilled him on the Frankenstein mask but he never was able to provide me much detail as to the sculptor. He did say that it was a very expensive mask and that it had human hair on it. It was beautiful looking in person. I was thinking Michael Burnett Studios but it doesn't look like others' of his that I have seen. He is also probably too young to have been the artist involved in 1979. All in all it was a fun experience and a very cool mask that I would love to know more about. Maybe some on here would know more about this mask.
Please see attached photo of my sister Jeanne as the Bride. I included a photo of my two sisters' Jeanne and Trish from the mid 1990's that I took. My sister Jeanne (The Bride) is on the left so you can see her without the make-up on. Thanks for checking out the photos.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51736951056_c65f248072_o.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mPPp4w) (https://flic.kr/p/2mPPp4w) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/60402286(*at*)N08/)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51736950431_56517a8ce5_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mPPoSK) (https://flic.kr/p/2mPPoSK) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/60402286(*at*)N08/)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/806/uniwalkfrank.png)
Welcome to The UMA and thanks for the fun pics, Frankenstein455. It must've been
extra difficult for that hapless makeup artist to transform one of your lovely sisters
into a hideous monster!
I only saw the "Land of a Thousand Faces" show once at Universal Studios but the
original crew recreated it in 2013 for a local convention. 'Looks like they used the
same makeup prosthetic for their Bride >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/18/6ssl.jpg)
As to the Frankenstein mask in question, Universal's Tour division seems to replace
them with new versions every few years. One of our members here is big into
collecting Uni-Tour props and has a few of the retired designs in his showcase,
including the one in your image >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/923/kGu8dQ.jpg)
Years ago I saw it up close and recall there was a name etched into the back.
My spelling may be faulty but I think it read "Dave Quarshnick". Hopefully,
someone else here can confirm that.
Thank you so much Sir Masksalot for all the great information and photographs. I knew that you would be the one person who would be quite knowledgeable on this Frankenstein mask mystery.
My sisters Jeanne and Trish will appreciate your kind words. I am going to share this thread with both of them. I know they will enjoy it.
My sister Jeanne and I often would discuss this day and this particular Frankenstein Mask. The mask was quite impressive in person. It had a cool Boris Karloff essence. However, it still is not quite as historic and classic as the Don Post walk around character masks IMHO. Those will always be my favorites.
I was fortunate to see the "Land of a Thousand Faces" here in Chicago and also at Universal Studios in California that same year. It was a very neat show. Those were fun and simpler times.
I did a quick Google search of Dave Quashnick. He appears to have been quite a renowned make-up artist. Sadly he passed away in 2018.
Thanks again for all the fantastic information Sir Masksalot. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/David_Quashnick
Edit: I tried, its a real pain trying to post pictures here.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Znsggc1X/22110291433-48ca2cd678-b.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/d3Vp4XS8/22742619511-41d54f6a88-b.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/XJ8tK3xj/78950670-10218414629270965-3579568410415071232-n.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/nzZ6QM4S/s-l1600-87.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/tnHFf8yh/s-l1600-185.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/T1KQyX4H/s-l1600-185.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/zv47KcmD/s-l1600-216.jpg)
Quote from: Dr.Terror on December 13, 2021, 02:13:19 AM
. . it's a real pain trying to post pictures here.
What's hard about pasting a URL into your message?
On a related note, in 2016 I visited the "Art of the Halloween Mask" exhibit in Los Angeles and grabbed some photos of a 1990 walk-around Frank:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51746283194_8edc06f0c8_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mQDebs)
So far as posting pics by way of URL copy and paste, --it worked for me once, but not a second time. I suppose one has to store ones pics on the cloud? One cannot it seems just select a jpg that is stored on a desktop in a file on a PC. What about putting a pic into a Facebook Photo album, and then copy the url from the album and then here?
I use Flickr myself. It's free!
Quote from: Mike Scott on December 13, 2021, 04:02:27 AM
What's hard about pasting a URL into your message?
Using a tablet and no mouse cursor..very😅
Thanks so much for the great photos Dr. Terror and Doh! I really appreciate seeing them. The Phantom mask was the one in use when our family visited Universal Studios in 1979. I still prefer the Don Post Universal classics used by the Universal walk around monsters but these are also quite cool looking. Wishing you both a very Merry Christmas!
A couple of cool videos that I just found - - Universal Studios Hollywood in 1965. A nice shot of the Don Post Phantom at 6:47 ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRFVaRXRLJM# (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRFVaRXRLJM#)
Universal Studios Hollywood - 1977 Studio Tour Promotional Film - 8mm Scan – a great shot of the Don Post Karloff Frankenstein mask at 6:41. I noticed the custom neck bolts. They also showcase the "Land of a Thousand Faces' show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy0OeGe6jm0# (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy0OeGe6jm0#)
Sorry - If this looks strange - It looks fine in my preview but only shows links when posted. The links are worth checking out -- Thanks!
Fun videos! I especially like the 1977 one. I didn't realize Jaws was in the park so early -- but I guess it makes sense, seeing as how the movie came out in 1975.
I miss the animatronic Kong. The last time I was there (5 years ago?), they swapped it out for an all-CG one on the tram ride.
Quote from: Doh! on December 16, 2021, 02:43:19 AM
Fun videos! I especially like the 1977 one. I didn't realize Jaws was in the park so early -- but I guess it makes sense, seeing as how the movie came out in 1975.
I miss the animatronic Kong. The last time I was there (5 years ago?), they swapped it out for an all-CG one on the tram ride.
I think the original Hollywoid Kongfrontation burnt down with the big fire awhile back. Ive seen videos of the newer Kong rides. Not sure which was which, but Florida should have kept theirs original.
BY THE WAY, This post has BLOWN ME AWAY! Having talked to so many of the original Land of a Thousand Faces make up show artists and collecting on it for years I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A TRAVELING SHOW! Makes complete sense to me. Why wouldn't they send someone around the country to drum up business. This is so great. No one would have understood this kind of thing better than the man who brought us the Don Post Unimart show, Verne Langdon. My guy instinct would be that he may have some up with this idea.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/922/HvgCyu.jpg)
(^) I recently received photos, taken several years ago, of an
unfinished "Frankenstein" mask. It looks to be the same obsolete
"Uni-Tour" version that we've been discussing here. It even has
Mr Quashnick's name embedded in the back, just as I remembered.
I've already made inquiries as to whether or not the original
mold still exists ...
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/924/FsT1WR.jpg)
I'd luv to add a copy of this to my collection, as a pour or finished piece!