FAY WRAY'S CHAMBER OF HORRORS

The fetching Fay Wray was a busy actress between the years 1932 and 1933. If fact, with the exception of BLACK MOON in 1934 her entire output of horror/thrillers were filmed in those two years:

• DOCTOR X (1932)
• THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (1932)
• THE VAMPIRE BAT (1933)
• MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1933)
• KING KONG (1933)

This issue of BROADWAY AND HOLLYWOOD MOVIES (April 1933) covers two of them in their "Two Pictures of the Month" feature. The unknown author accurately points out that "beyond a doubt she is the most capable actress we know of for the exacting role of a young woman reacting to fear and the menace of horror," and goes on to discuss THE MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM and KING KONG.

SUSAN DENBERG ON A MATCHBOOK COVER?

Her turn-ons were sports cars and "exciting" clothes. She had aspirations to become an actress. She liked to read, dance, sunbathe and swim. Her favorite author was Harold Robbins. She was also Playboy's Playmate of the Month for August 1966.

Born Dietlinde Zechner on August 2, 1944 in in Bad Polzin, Germany and raised in Klagenfurt, Austria, as a young woman she took the stage name Susan Denberg and became a dancer in London and Las Vegas. After her photo shoot in PLAYBOY by renown glamour photographer Peter Gowland, she signed a contract with Hammer Films and starred alongside Peter Cushing in FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN in 1967.

Despite her learning some English, Denberg's accent was so heavy that the studio opted to dub her dialogue using the German voice actress Nikki van der Zyl. Miss van der Zyl also dubbed Honey Rider's voice (played by Swiss actress Ursula Andress) in DR. NO.

Prior to that, she played Magda Kovacs in the Season 1, Episode 6 story, "Mudd's Women", on STAR TREK.

After just a few more film and TV appearances, her life suddenly spiraled out of control and she descended into alcoholism and drug addiction. This, she claimed, happened after her first LSD trip sent her off the rails.  After spending some time in a mental hospital, she was able to turn her life (somewhat) around. By that time, her parents had disowned her.

Updated image, now legible!

She returned to Vienna and worked as a topless waitress in a "porno bar" called Rondell Rauschkino and a nude dancer at another Vienna club called Renz.

Although she was once reported as dying by suicide, as far as this blogger can tell, she is currently spending a quiet, retired life in Austria at the age of 81. By all accounts, she's fortunate to have made it this far.

A lot of famous blonde actresses aren't so lucky.

The idea for this post happened last week, while I was absorbed in watching an episode on Scott Michaels' Dearly Departed Tours YouTube Channel titled "Hollywood Matchbooks THEN and NOW". Michaels has several of these vids where he takes a handful of matchbook covers from old Hollywood restaurants, hotels and other locations and compares them to what's at those same addresses today. Sadly, at least half or more of them have either been demolished or have changed hands or venues.

A few minutes into this show, he opened up a matchbook for Hollywood Massage. When he turned it over and I was amazed to see the color picture of someone recognizable. After rewinding it a few times, I finally figured out it was a picture of none other than Susan Denberg!

Now, I'm positive that such an upstanding establishment as Hollywood Massage would have passed on any permission to use the photo and this was before licensing became a common business practice. Still, it surprised the hell out of me.

I was unable to come up with a photo of Susan that exactly matches the one on the matchbook, but I'm sure you'll forget that small detail after you scroll through the images below and visit her naughty, NSFW gallery HERE.

This looks to me like same outfit as in the matchbook photo.

Now, had I known that Susan Denberg was working at the Hollywood Massage back in the day . . .

View the Dearly Departed Hollywood Matchbooks THEN and NOW episode HERE.

SUSAN DENBERG'S VITAL STATISTICS

Susan Denberg

Miss August 1966

BIRTHPLACE: Bad Polzin, Germany

HAIR: BLONDE

EYES: GREEN

BUST: 34" C

WAIST: 25"

HIPS: 34"

HEIGHT: 5' 7"

WEIGHT: 123 lbs

• AMBITIONS: I'd like to be an actress.
• TURN-ONS: Sports cars, exciting clothes.
• TURNOFFS: Impoliteness, bad dressers, self-admiration.
• IN MY SPARE TIME: I like reading, dancing, sunbathing, attending car races, relaxing and swimming.
• FAVORITE AUTHOR: Harold Robbins.
• PLAY ME A: Ballad.
• PEOPLE I ADMIRE: Caesar, Napoleon and Cleopatra.
• MY IDEAL EVENING: Dinner in a romantic restaurant, seeing a show and the drinking and dancing till closing time.
• FAVORITE ACTORS: Steve McQueen and Sean Connery.

SUSAN DENBERG GALLERY

STARING AT JEANNE 'CAR'MEN

Horror movie fans will know the name Jeanne Carmen from her role in the B-movie shocker, THE MONSTER FROM PIEDRAS BLANCAS. However, when she wasn't acting in films, Miss Carmen was also a world-class trick-shot golfer and car enthusiast and in her spare time hung out with mobsters as well as mega-celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe.

Speaking of cars, here's Jeanne (a natural brunette) in a photo-feature from the men's gag mag STARE (February 1960) showing that's she's just as charming inside a race car as on the golf course. Two words come immediately to mind: Hubba! Hubba!

BEFORE THEY WERE SCREAM QUEENS: JULI REDING

A few years ago, I posted some info on Scream Queen actress, Juli Reding. Since then, I've come across some updated info and a few more images of her, both before and after her appearance in Bert I Gordon's TORMENTED in 1960.

Here's the update and revision of the text from the previous post in 2020:

Many of the women that we know of as Scream Queens had their start in modeling before they began appearing in the movies; Fay Wray, Elke Sommer, Yvette Vickers and Caroline Munro are just a few examples. Even one-scream wonders initially turned to modeling in order to break into the business.

Juli Reding was one of them. She was born Esther Fay Reding on November 28, 1936 in Quanah, TX. In the 1950's and 60's, she appeared the men's magazines SCAMP, ESCAPADE, FOTO-RAMA, FLING, VAGABOND, VUE and numerous others.

An attractive blonde with a voluptuous figure measuring 40-23-35, Reding was a popular choice for receiving various honorary titles during her time in Hollywood and the greater Los Angeles area, including Miss Hollywood Stars, Ms. Los Angeles Press Club, Ms. Los Angeles Dodger and Ms. U.S. Air Force.

In 1960, Reding co-starred in Bert I. Gordon's TORMENTED. Playing the role of Vi Mason, she falls to her death and comes back to haunt jazz pianist Tom Stewart (Richard Carlson). This was Reding's only horror film, but she made the most of it. A number of stills from the movie showed up in FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND and have become easily recognizable since then.

Famous Monsters of Filmland #10, January 1961.

Juli Reding died on September 16, 2021 in Springfield, Missouri of breast cancer at the age of 85.

This excerpt of her obituary from her hometown newspaper, the Springfield News-Leader, further describes her life and career:

Juli Reding Hutner, of Los Angeles, CA, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family in Springfield, MO, on September 16, 2021.

One of seven children, Juli was born in Quanah, TX, to Roy and Ruth (Wallace) Reding.

Juli "Chick" was raised in Branson, MO, graduated from Branson High School and attended Southwest Missouri State University before moving to Los Angeles, CA, to pursue her passion of acting. Juli had a successful career in Hollywood and, among her honors, was named "Ms. Los Angeles Press Club" of 1960, the "Mermaid of Marineland", "Ms. Los Angeles Dodger", "Ms. Hollywood Stars" for the Christmas Lane Parade, and "Ms. U.S. Air Force". Juli was also signed to a Warner Bros Studios' contract. Her TV credits include guest roles in "Sea Hunt", "Burke's Law", "Dr. Kildaire", "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet", "The Red Skelton Show", "Big Valley" and "Murder She Wrote", among others. Juli also had her own local talk show in Los Angeles called "Here's Juli" which ran on KCOP, Channel 13. Her film career included starring roles in "Tormented", "Mission In Morocco", and she also appeared in the films "Why Must I Die", "Cowboy", "Darby's Rangers", and "The Helen Morgan Story".

In the 1960's Juli met the love of her life, investment banker and philanthropist Herbert L. Hutner, whom she married in 1969. Juli and Herb had a wonderful life together, travelling the world and donating their time to the many causes and charities they supported. Juli was a genuine person who never lost her mid-western warmth and charm. She could truly walk among both princes and paupers, yet would make everyone feel special and loved. Juli wanted to help everyone, befriend everyone, and invite everyone to dinner! She really did liven up the room with her presence and people loved being around her.

Juli was preceded in death by parents Ruth and Roy Reding; her husband Herbert L. Hutner; her former husband Reese H. Taylor, Jr.; her son Aaron Curtis Taylor; and her siblings Virginia Gray, Helen Workman, Billie Beckman, Edward Reding, and Jack Reding. She is survived by her son Christopher D. Taylor (Kyle), and the "apple-of-her-eye", her grandson, Christopher H. Taylor. Juli is also survived by her sister Judy Siebert (Jack); her stepchildren Lynn Colwell (Steve) and Jeffrey J. Hutner (Jamie); and numerous nieces and nephews.

Midnight, January 1960.

Scamp, June 1963.

Stare, February 1960.

Stare, October 1961.