Henry Hall (as the sheriff), Louise Currie (as Stella Saunders) and Dan White (as Deputy Elmer)
in Placerita Canyon, in a scene from the Bela Lugosi picture, "Voodoo Man" (Monogram, 1944).
Lugosi never topped his 1931 classic "Dracula" and was on the outs by
1941 when Monogram decided to try to capitalize on his name. Monogram, king of the "B"
Western, put Lugosi under contract and churned out nine cultish horror flicks during the war years.
(Lugosi actually made 10 pictures for Monogram, including the earlier "Mysterious Mr.
Wong" in 1935.)
Directed by William Beaudine and written by Robert Charles, "Voodoo Man" features
Lugosi as the twisted Dr. Richard Marlowe, who uses voodoo in an effort to revive his long-dead
wife — using the life-essence of beautiful girls he traps in his dungeon beneath his mansion.
For the most part, it is presumed that Monogram filmed the Lugosi pictures inside its studio in Los Angeles,
although some outdoor scenes were shot in Placerita Canyon (see photo) at the Monogram movie ranch (it
became Melody Ranch when Gene Autry purchased it in 1952).
Lugosi's "Monogram Nine" are:
Image courtesy of John F. White, grandson of Dan White. Photo identifications courtesy of Ken Hanke.
