The
dream factories of Hollywood have cranked out nearly a century
of rollicking
adventure, tantalizing
tinsel and creepy horror. Some films have become cultural milestones,
their images and stars icons of an age. Then there are the
movies whose production history itself becomes the stuff of
legend beyond what the script called for (anybody remember "Cleopatra"?).
Hollywood in the great years of the studio system was a place
where myth and reality could be as adjacent as Sunset and Vine.
With the same boldness
and love of a good story that motivated the moviemakers, Dwight Kemper
|
A
portion of your purchase, made through the link
above,
supports WSKG
|
has fashioned
a murder mystery
on the movie lots and in the mansions
of Hollywood, starring three of Hollywood's unforgettable figures. "Who
Framed Boris Karloff?" takes place in 1938 during the shooting of the
movie "Son
of Frankenstein" at Universal Studios. "Son" was the second
of the Frankenstein sequels, with Boris
Karloff reprising his role as the hulking
monster, Basil Rathbone as Baron von Frankenstein and Bela
Lugosi - forever
famed
for the title role in "Dracula" - as the evil Old Ygor.
The studio
production manager has been murdered on the set of "Son of Frankenstein" and
Boris Karloff is the first to discover the body. Soon it seems as if the
entire tightly-knit movie community is drawn into the case, and the mystery
grows
more complex.
"I see," Rathbone said, after Boris went silent again. "So
someone appears to have gone to a great deal of trouble framing you for Murphy's
death." His
aquiline features became thoughtful. "Quite clever, really."
Now it was Boris' turn to be taken aback. "I
beg your pardon?"
"Think of
it, dear fellow. Whoever conceived of this murder plot has
committed the perfect crime. By making one of Universal Studio's most valuable
properties the prime suspect, he or she will almost certainly get away with
it. The
studio
will see to that."
Boris fidgeted with his lemonade. The ice cubes tinkled
against the crystal walls of the glass. "And there's not a thing I can do about it." He paused
dramatically. Boris had been rehearsing what he was about to say over and over
in his mind since that night in Cliff Work's office. After the deliberate pregnant
pause he added, "Unless --" and let the word hang
there in the warm morning air.
-- from Who Framed Boris Karloff?
The
three actors go to work as amateur detectives, especially Basil
Rathbone, famed for his depiction of Sherlock
Holmes in film and on the radio. They are soon facing a case of
stolen identity and become entangled with the Hollywood underworld.
The
use of real
people as detectives in mystery novels is a popular
device. Eleanor Roosevelt is featured in a series
by
her son Elliott, author Ron Goulart
has written about "Groucho Marx, master detective" and there are
books featuring Mark Twain, Benjamin Franklin and even Elvis out to crack
the case. However, "Who Framed Boris Karloff?" brings together
a determined trio who face danger like the Musketeers and respond with the
ingenuity of
the Rover Boys.
Dwight
Kemper is an actor, playwright and stage illusionist from Vestal, NY who
in his guise
as Detective Chief Inspector Kemper of Scotland
Yard
has involved
audiences in mystery adventures at hotels and inns across the nation. "Who
Framed Boris Karloff?" is his first novel. He joins Bill
Jaker to share
his experiences writing and performing mystery tales. He also speaks about
his interest in the writing of his great-aunt, Gertrude
Stein.
To join in
the discussion, call during the live 1:00 PM broadcast to 1-888/359-9754
or post an e-mail to WSKG.Radio@Gmail.com. |
|
NEXT
TIME: Katherine Arnoldi is a prize-winning
writer of fiction, an artist and crusader for education
for teenage mothers. She
is also a Ph.D. candidate in English at Binghamton University.
Her new book of short stories, "All Things Are Labor",
won the Juniper Prize for Fiction. She visits OFF THE PAGE
on Tuesday, September 4th.
 OFF THE PAGE archives
Authors, titles, and streaming audio
|
Off the Page
LISTEN
to the program NOW in streaming audio:
