With this being The William Castle Blogathon and all, while looking at these ads, at first glance, you’re probably thinking “I didn’t know Castle directed Phantom from Space?” Well, you’d be wrong. Completely understandable assumption, but wrong. No, Phantom from Space belongs to Lee Wilder, brother to Billy Wilder, who got the short-end of the cinematic gene-stick judging from the likes of this, Killers from Space and The Snow Creature. Anyways, Jesse James vs. the Daltons was Castle’s second 3-D western that, apparently, was shown flat in these parts. And the title is a bit misleading in that we’re dealing with the illegitimate son of Jesse James (maybe) who’s trying to establish his heritage by joining up with his alleged father’s old gang. (Wait. Shouldn’t that be the Younger brothers? Eh, lets just roll with it…) Not nearly as interesting as all that sounds, alas. Also of note, scriptwriters Robert Kent and Sam Newman would go on to carve out their own niche in creature feature infamy , penning or producing the likes of IT! The Terror from Beyond Space, Diary of a Madman (Kent), The Invisible Invaders and The Giant Claw (Newman).
This post is part of Goregirl’s Dungeon and The Last Drive-In’s The William Castle Blogathan, a week long tribute to the King of Schlock. Follow the linkage, Boils & Ghouls. It’s gonna be a great week. And stick around, as we’ll be showcasing Castle’s film career from its fairly normal beginnings through it psychotronic glory days. Stay tuned!
Jesse James vs. the Daltons (1954) Esskay Pictures Corporation :: Columbia Pictures / P: Sam Katzman / D: William Castle / W: Robert E. Kent, Samuel Newman, Edwin V. Westrate / C: Lester White / E: Viola Lawrence / M: Mischa Bakaleinikoff / S: Brett King, Barbara Lawrence, James Griffith, William Phipps, John Cliff
Phantom from Space (1953) Planet Filmplays :: United Artists / P: W. Lee Wilder / D: W. Lee Wilder / W: William Raynor, Myles Wilder / C: William H. Clothier / E: George Gale / M: William Lava / S: Ted Cooper, Lela Nelson, Tom Daly, Steve Acton, Burt Wenland
Scenes from the Morgue 
The Shape that Shook the Last Five People on Earth! (June, 1952)
Posted in 1950-1959, Movie Ads with tags Arch Oboler, Charles Drake, Charles Lampkin, Columbia Pictures, Comedy, Earl Lee, FIVE, Frederick De Cordova, Jack Gross, James Anderson, Little Egypt, Mark Stevens, Nancy Guild, Post-Apocolypse, Rhonda Fleming, Romance, Sci-Fi, Social Commentary, Susan Douglas, Universal International, Verna Felton, William Phipps on November 30, 2013 by WB KelsoOther Points of Interest:
Full film review of FIVE at 3B Theater.
Poster campaign for FIVE at the Archive.
Little Egypt (1951) Universal International Pictures / P: Jack Gross / D: Frederick De Cordova / W: Oscar Brodney, Doris Gilbert / C: Russell Metty / E: Edward Curtiss / M: Joseph Gershenson / S: Mark Stevens, Rhonda Fleming, Nancy Guild, Charles Drake, Verna Felton
Five (1951) Arch Oboler Productions :: Lobo Productions :: Columbia Pictures / P: Arch Oboler / D: Arch Oboler / W: Arch Oboler / C: Sid Lubow, Louis Clyde Stoumen / E: John Hoffman, Ed Spiegel, Arthur Swerdloff / M: Henry Russell / S: William Phipps, Susan Douglas, James Anderson, Charles Lampkin, Earl Lee
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