New Universal Monster book

[Illoman]

I'm on BearManor media's mailing list, and they just announced this book:

Growing Up With Monsters: My Times at Universal Studios in Rhymes by Carla Laemmle.

http://bearmanormedia.bizland.com/id401.html

It looks very cool. The Jack Davis illos are probably worth the price of admission alone!

I haven't actually seen a copy but wanted to pass along the info to everyone!

Mike

[typhooforme]

This sounds like great fun--I'm a-gonna get me one!  Carla is a hoot and a half.  Do you know the story of her being interviewed by Cortlandt Hull--when she hauled out a wonderful Carl  Laemmle family photo album---and told him he could have free rein looking at it, photographing it, etc.  And about halfway through there were some loose photos stuck in--of Carla, back in her ballerina days (remember she was one of the ballet girls in 1925 in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA!)--dressed in some very revealing gauzy garb.  At which Carla, about 98 at that time, fluttering her eyelids and holding her hand up to her mouth, said, "Oh my, how did THOSE get in there?"  God bless her--she turns 100 in October!

[hammett1]

Thanks for the heads up Mike.  Looks like it will be a fun read.  And you are right on about the JACK DAVIS art being worth the price.  Peace, David

[The Creeper]

Thanks for letting us know, I am going to get me one.

[BlackLagoon]

God bless her--she turns 100 in October!

Very cool book and that is an AWESOME story about Carla!

[Daniel Kinske]

Hello there. I wrote this book with Carla and had a lot of fun doing it. The idea was to have a non-fiction story in verse. It's kind of novel (no pun intended) as it seems like a children's story in being fantastic, however, film buffs and fans of the Universal Classic Horror genre knows it to be true. It's two parts, the first part is the illustrated (80% Jack Davis and 20 % Hermann Mejia--both of MAD Magazine note--and of course Jack Davis a legend in drawing great monsters) section with Carla's story of growing up on the lot from 1921 until 1937 and then the second part is posters and stills from the films. We had permission from Ron Borst to show a few of his Graven Image book posters and we use others from collector's such as Todd Feiertag, et al. Ray Bradbury was amazing in doing a foreword for us and I just mailed his copy off to he and his daughter, Alexandra, today. Carla is very happy to have two books out in her centenary year and we look forward to getting out there and promoting it a bit. All the Jack Davis artwork is commissioned especially for this tiny 48-page book, but we think people will enjoy it--even the back cover drawing is based on a photo of Carla and I visiting Sound Stage 28 back in late 2006 when we first began this project. I have a website I'm building for it called: www.growingupwithmonsters.com, but not quite finished yet--still needs "life." Carla will definitely be at the Hollywood Collector's show in July, but hopefully earlier too. Going to look into seeing if I can get her the ability to sell a few (and chat with people) at the May 30th 7:30 showing of Dracula at the Egyptian Theater. If anyone has any suggestions please email me at: daniel(*at*)growingupwithmonsters.com or call: 619 791 9020. Hope you like it 

[Elizabeth]

Daniel, hats off to you for a very creative and enjoyable idea! I can't wait to see this book.

[Daniel Kinske]

Hi there. Had a great time with Carla at the Monsterpalooza event. We were late add-ons as our book had only been out a week, but we had fun and were able to sell what we had--all but five books, which is pretty good. The website is up and running and I'm sure you will like it, as it's pretty fun and visual. It's at: www.growingupwithmonsters.com

Looking forward to setting up additional events to allow Carla to make LA appearances as she ticks ever closer to her 100th birthday. Plans are in the works to try and host a reception for her at Universal Studios at Soundstage 28 (The Phantom of the Opera stage), but no confirmations have been made yet. Carla loves the idea, but we will have to see.

Take care.

-daniel...

[tojoro]

 I've already received my copy, which any monster-kid would be very pleased with. A good chunk of Jack Davis in there.
This is also an excellent book to read with children and introduce them to the wonderful world of our buddies.
The illustration of the Forry tribute is just fantastic.
Very well done, folks...thanks for putting this one together.

T.

[artistguy]

This is wonderful.. I can't wait to get a copy... it sounds great !!!!

[prettyscary]

Looks like a GOOD one! I'll have to get off Amazon.com

[Daniel Kinske]

Hi,

Thank you to everyone for your kind words about the Growing Up With Monsters book Carla (and a little help from my Tell-Tale Hand It was such a fun project in which to work. Carla is so amazing and enchanting, so it was always a pleasure to keep her updated and show her the Jack Davis art, or the fellow MAD Magazine Alum, Hermann Mejia, who drew the great Forrey drawing that not only Forrey himself loved (and signed a few copies), but also Ray Bradbury who agreed to do our foreword after seeing that great piece

I promise that anyone who gets the book on the website will get it personally inscribed by Carla. I'll cart the books up there in my own coach from San Diego to LA and back. All the emails to the site (www.growingupwithmonsters.com) go to me, so I will certainly make sure she gets them. Whether we sell one or a million and one--we are both having loads of fun.

Monster regards and thanks,


-daniel...