It's the 300 episode of ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour Today

Thank you for joining us today.

Before our feature presentation, ACME would like to start the evening with 1964 Halloween episode of Bewitched - The Witches Are Out.



This is the first appearance of Marion Lorne as Aunt Clara. Clara's #1 hobby is collecting doorknobs. After helping Samantha in reforming a mortal over-stereotypical views of witches, she decides to add every doorknob in his house to her collection, leaving him unable to open or leave his own home; the police think he's crazy when he tells them all his doorknobs are missing. In real life, Marion Lorne was actually an avid doorknob collector.

ACME would like to wish everyone a very Spooky Halloween season with a special Drive-In double-feature tonight. The programming department has put together a double feature revolving around Professor Bernard Quatermass, British TV's first space hero. Tonight we have the 1955 film The Quatermass Xperiment (a.k.a. The Creeping Unknown in the US) directed by one of the Hammer films stable of directors, Val Guest and the 1957 sequel film, Quatermass 2 (a.k.a. The Enemy from Space in the US) also directed by Val Guest. So we would like you to relax (quick, find the most comfortable seat on the sofa,) get a snack (perhaps, some popcorn,) and a beverage and join The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour in watching the first film in today's double feature, The Quatermass Xperiment.



Nigel Kneale had several reservations about this adaptation of his tale, conceding it was well-directed and pared down with pace from his original story line. He deplored the use of US actors Brian Donlevy (finding him far too unsympathetic and implausible as the lead role) and Margia Dean. Les Bowie's tripe-based realisation of the creature, also vexed the writer. Kneale was further infuriated by the BBC, who refused him any involvement or remuneration for this commercial use of his work, since as a contracted staff member all rights remained with the Corporation and not the individual.

I'm guess we could all use a break, right about now. As you run into the kitchen and get a beverage refill or run into the bathroom and replenish the eco-system, we here at The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour want to watch the 1931 Betty Boop cartoon, Bimbo’s Initiation 1931 from the Fleischer Studios Talkartoon, directed by Betty's co-creator, Grim Natwick.



There is a possible Mickey Mouse cameo in the short. At the beginning of the short, after Bimbo falls through the sewer, a cartoon mouse (most likely a member of the cult Bimbo is persuaded to join throughout the short) locks the sewer lid, hiding the way out. The cartoon mouse who locks the way out resembles Mickey Mouse.

Our second feature tonight is the 1957 film, Quatermass 2 (a.k.a. The Enemy from Space in the US), again directed by Val Guest. Brian Donlevy reprises his role as Professor Bernard Quatermass, making him the only actor to play the character on screen twice. In spite of this, he was reportedly Quatermass creator Nigel Kneale's least favorite actor in the role. This is one of the first films to use 2/ II referring to it being the sequel of the original film. So please join us here at The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour and sit back, get comfortable and enjoy watching our second feature this evening, Quatermass 2.



In between takes Brian Donlevy's toupée was accidentally blown off by the airplane engine wind machines used during the film's climax.



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