Universal Monsters of the Silver Screen Trading Cards, #61–75 (1996)

Here are cards #61-75 from Universal Monsters of the Silver Screen Trading Cards, released by Kitchen Sink Press in 1996.

Universal Monsters of the Silver Screen consisted of 90 tinted base cards, 10 full colour lobby poster stickers (see above), 12 chromium chase cards and one ultra-rare card. Each individual foil pack shipped with eight cards and one lobby sticker, all measuring 2.5 x 3.5. The 90 base cards had red foil stamping on the picture side and all the cards featured a short caption on their reverse.

The 15 cards in this selection cover Universal’s horror and suspense output from 1945 to 1954. By the mid-forties it was clear that Universal’s reign as the kings of horror was over and House of Dracula (1945) marked the end of their run of classic horror films. They continued to release thrillers however and two, produced under the Inner Sanctum banner, are included in this batch: Pillow of Death (1945) and Strange Confession (1945) both starring Universal’s new star Lon Chaney, Jr.

Cult favourite Rondo Hatton appeared in three films from this period – House of Horrors (1946), The Spider Woman Strikes Back (1946) and The Brute Man (1946) – with the actor reprising his signature role of The Creeper. Sadly the actor passed away soon after.

Then in the late 1940’s the studio experienced a brief resurgence of interest in their classic horror films, and one that came from an unexpected source, comedy double-act Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Between 1948 and 1953 the pair would star in four comedy-horror films – Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein (1948), Abbott and Costello meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949) Abbott and Costello meet The Invisible Man (1951) and Abbott and Costello meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953). The films got progressively weaker as the series progressed but they’re fun nonetheless.

Finally, in 1954, Universal horror would have one final hurrah, thanks in part to a new fad sweeping cinema, 3D. The Creature from the Black Lagoon proved a hit when released, spawning two sequels and providing Universal with it’s last classic monster.

So here are cards #61–74 from Universal Monsters of the Silver Screen Trading Cards, both front and back. Cards #1–15 are here, #16-30 are here, and #31-45 are here and #46-60 are here. I’ll post the last 15 base cards in the next day of two.