13 TINY NIGHTMARES - FJA INTERVIEW

PP: Did you have any contact with Rod Serling?

FJA: Well, not a lot of contact, but as an agent he was always very correct with me. He phoned me at one time, and said that he was interested in a story about a tunnel. He didn’t quite remember where he had read it, so I did the most simple thing. There were three stories with "Tunnel" in the title, so I read him a bit of each one. "No, no, that’s not it. Not that." Then finally, "Yes, yes! That’s it! I want to buy it for 'Twilight Zone.'" Well, it was by a woman that I had never heard of since.

Fortunately, the editor had prefaced her story with a bit of a blurb saying that she was working at Esquire. I thought "Well, that’s a lost cause. She’s probably moved three times over from Esquire, or got married or something." But I did the simplest thing. I called Esquire and asked for Alice Glaser, and they said "Just a moment, please." And she came on, and I said "Well, don’t look now, but Rod Serling wants to acquire rights to your story "The Tunnel" and I’m an agent. Would you like me to handle it for you?" "Oh, Yes, Yes sir!" The next week, the dear lady died."

PP: You mentioned meeting Bela Lugosi towards the end there. Did you ever have contact with Ed Wood?

FJA: I was Ed Wood’s ill-literary agent! Ed primarily to me was just a drunken voice at two o’clock in the morning on the phone babbling incomprehensible things. (Winks) I never saw him as "Dragula".

PP: I’m sure you saw the film that Tim Burton did about his life.

FJA: Yes. Well, I don’t know why he selected two chaps to write it who weren’t even alive when Bela Lugosi died. It was just dreadful the scatological things they had Bela saying about Boris Karloff, that he never would’ve dreamed of saying. But, Martin Landau certainly deserved an Oscar for his portrayal of Bela.

PP: I definitely agree. It’s surprising that they didn’t bring someone in on the picture like, oh I don’t know, you - who really was there.

FJA: (Laughs) Yeah, I might have had a cameo in that picture as myself.

PP: And you might have been able to offer them some technical advice, as you’ve been known to do. Which reminds me: I recently saw a web streamcast of a "very B" film for which you were credited as technical advisor. It was from 1964 and was called "Horrors of the Red Planet" It starred John Carradine in a brief cameo as the "Martian Collective Subconscious". Do you remember this film at all?

FJA: Well, I think they must have given two or three titles to it, I don’t remember "Horrors".

PP: The name had obviously been changed in the credits. [ed, note: This film was also released as "The Wizard of Mars," "Journey Into the Unknown," and "Alien Massacre."]

FJA: Let’s see, there was a situation where all life was frozen on Mars, as I recall, and they had to bring it back to life again. I had dreamed up some kind of business about a pendulum for one film called, I think "Voyage to the Center of Time" or something like that, but they didn’t use it. Then later in this film with John Carradine, suddenly Carradine was speaking all my lines. I got no credit in that film, and credit in the wrong film. (Chuckles)

PP: In your opinion, what is the quintessential 20th century Sci-Fi film?

FJA: That would have to be the one film I’ve seen over a hundred and six times, "Metropolis."

PP: I saw your shrine to the film in the other room with the original Maria.

FJA: That wouldn't be possible,as I’ve watched the original burn over a hundred and six times at the end of the film. No, I hired two very talented gentlemen who took over 600 hours to create a perfect replica for me.

PP: How about the quintessential 20th century Horror film?

FJA: Probably something with Lon Chaney, "Phantom of the Opera" or "Hunchback of Notre Dame."

PP: What do you think of the present state of Sci-fi and Horror film? Are there any particular franchises that impress you?

FJA: No, I’m afraid not. Films these days seem much to enamored of special effects and "metamorphosing", and don’t seem capable of producing a comprehensible plotline that I care to follow.

Forry takes a break for a favorite breakfast, a little danish and milk. I take a few more pictures, mumbling to myself and the artifacts in the room about my joy at being in the same room with them.

Rare posters and
Lobby cards...

A variety of eccentric cover art...

Stephen King's
First story!

FJA's deed for Martian land, "I'll raise Mars-mallows!"

As I gaze about these few smallish rooms encrusted with the magical stuff of my childhood dreams, I am struck by a bittersweet feeling as I realize that this is just the tip of the iceberg – merely the steeple off the mythical Ackermansion. This was what Forry had managed to save of his famed collection. As a fellow collector and lover of these films, I truly felt for him, and I had to ask what I knew would be a painful question.

PP: If I can ask you, when all this went down, and you had to move out of the big house and the collection was being scattered, did anybody come to preserve some of this stuff for you? I mean, were there any people who decided they wanted to keep any of it for you?

FJA: (Shakes his head somberly)

PP: That’s crazy. I can’t believe, and I’ve read a number of people online who've said the same thing, that with all the people who were inspired by you, and the work you did, that went on to make millions and zillions, none of them showed up to help out.

FJA: Nope. Out of petty cash there are half a dozen people who could have preserved it, all three-hundred thousand things, here in Hollywood. Now it’s gone with the wind, scattered all over the...planet. (a sigh)

PP: It’s sad, and has something to do, I think, with this town. People don’t appreciate the history here. Everything is newer, faster and bigger and shinier. They tend to forget about the stuff that matters. They forget where they come from. It’s just too bad.

FJA: (a heavy sigh)

PP: Well, besides dealing with lawyers and all that, what are you doing to keep busy? I understand you’re back on the convention circuit?

FJA: (Brightening up) Yes. I was the special guest of honor at the 13th World Horror Convention. And I just got back from Comic-Con in San Diego amongst 75,000 fans. I got an icon’s reception. I walked into the hall and everybody was on their feet cheering me, and at the end of an hour lecture I got a standing ovation again. Before long, I will be going to what is called "Dragon Con", and later on in the year to New Jersey to "Chiller-Con." I give hour-long extemporaneous speeches on my experiences with Karloff and Lugosi and the like. I'm currently writing my autobiography called "My Life in a TIme Machine". I also contribute to "Cult Movie Magazine" and "Scarlet Street" magazine, so I’m keeping very busy.

See, Virginia, there still are some people who remember where they came from, and that’s what matters. PP

[Ed. Note: One of my most wonderful memmories is sitting and chatting with this great man. IWith the monumental contributions he made to the world of horror and sci-fi culture, i felt it was important to preserve his voice in my own small way. This is why I have restored this article here. I hope you have enjoyed spending a bit of time with Forrey.]

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