Billy DeBeck self-portrait
We pick up where we left off at the end of 1926. Note the arrival in St. Petersburg in the February 13 strip. DeBeck began working in St. Petersburg in the late 1920s and eventually moved there, living on Coffee Pot Bayou.
February 27, 1927
February 20, 1927
February 13, 1927
February 6, 1927
January 30, 1927
January 23, 1927
January 16, 1927
January 9, 1927
January 2, 1927
Bhob: I'm afraid this comment is unrelated to your post (except that I just hung out with Roger Langridge in San Diego, and we talked about Barney Google!) Anyway, I'm doing some research on the actress Allison Hayes. At one point Barry Brown taped a series of conversations with her, and Mark T. McGee thought they (or transcripts thereof) might have been passed along to Calvin Beck. I understand that you worked with Mr. Beck; do you know anything at all about this? Or am I barking up the wrong tree? Many, many thanks...Jim D.
ReplyDeleteJim: I remember reading Barry's interview with Allison Hayes and debating whether or not to include in Scream Queens (1978). I didn't, and I don't have a copy. Those who might: his brother James Brown, Jim Coughlin and Fiona Gell. You can contact Fiona through her Barry Brown site.
ReplyDeleteThe article on Allison Hayes at Fiona's site is not what I remember reading. Barry's original article had extensive Hayes quotes about her efforts to diagnose her medical/physical problems.
Thanks Bhob! I've contacted Barry's brother and he doesn't have the interview (either on tape or in transcript) but I'll reach out to Fiona.
ReplyDeleteWho is Jim Coughlin? Any idea how I might contact him?
Jim Coughlin collaborated with Barry Brown on the unpublished Unsung Heroes of the Horrors, partially available here. I think maybe Fiona can put you in touch with him.
ReplyDeleteAs you can see, some articles are by Coughlin and some by Barry. The article on Hayes is, I think, a polished rewrite of the earlier ms.
The title of the book always struck me as quite awkward. Why didn't they title it something like The Fear People or They Lurked in the Shadows?
Thanks again Bhob! And I agree, "They Lurked in the Shadows" is a much better title...
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI'm Fiona, just happened on this while searching. All the Allison Hayes material I was kindly given is on the website - there was a blog giving a hint of the Allison Hayes ms, perhaps you could contact that source. I've dropped Jim Coughlin an email, see if he knows anything, feel free to contact me Barry's website http://tsutpen.blogspot.com/2008/08/people-who-died-44.html
So if Coughlin does not have a copy, then the last option might be SCARY MONSTERS publisher Dennis Druktenis, who apparently acquired Beck's back issues for sale. But did he get Beck's files? I don't know.
ReplyDeleteThanks all! I'll try Mr. Druktenis.
ReplyDeleteupAh well - Druktenis is a 'no'. These transcripts might be out there somewhere, but I'll have to do some more diggin. Thanks to all for your help!
ReplyDeleteBut does Druktenis know what happened to to Beck's files?
ReplyDelete