HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''I Was a Teenage Werewolf'' is a 1957
horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
starring
Michael Landon Michael Landon (born Eugene Maurice Orowitz; October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991) was an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in ''Bonanza'' (1959–1973), Charles Ingalls in ''Little House on the Pr ...
as a troubled teenager,
Yvonne Lime Yvonne is a female given name. It is the feminine form of Yvon, which is derived from the French name Yves and Yvette. It is from the French word ''iv'', meaning "yew" (or tree). Since yew wood was used for bows, Ivo may have been an occupatio ...
and
Whit Bissell Whitner Nutting Bissell (October 25, 1909 – March 5, 1996) was an American character actor. Early life Born in New York City, Bissell was the son of surgeon Dr. J. Dougal Bissell and Helen Nutting Bissell. He was educated at the Allen-S ...
. It was co-written and produced by
cult film A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage ...
producer
Herman Cohen Herman Cohen (August 27, 1925 – June 2, 2002) was an American producer of B-movies during the 1950s, and helped to popularize the teen horror movie genre with films like the cult classic ''I Was a Teenage Werewolf''. Career Born in Detroit, ...
and was one of the most successful films released by
American International Pictures American International Pictures (AIP) is an American motion picture production label of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In its original operating period, AIP was an independent film production and distribution company known for producing and releasing fi ...
(AIP).Arkoff, pp. 61–75 It was originally released as a
double feature The double feature is a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatres would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown. Opera use Opera ho ...
with ''
Invasion of the Saucer Men ''Invasion of the Saucer Men'' (U.K. title: ''Invasion of the Hell Creatures''; working title: ''Spacemen Saturday Night''), is a 1957 black-and-white comic science fiction/horror film produced by James H. Nicholson for release by American Int ...
''. The release included the
tagline In entertainment, a tagline (alternatively spelled tag line) is a short text which serves to clarify a thought for, or is designed with a form of, dramatic effect. Many tagline slogans are reiterated phrases associated with an individual, so ...
, "We DARE You To See The Most Amazing Motion Pictures Of Our Time!"


Plot

Tony Rivers, a troubled teenager at Rockdale High, is known for losing his temper and overreacting. A campus fight between Tony and classmate Jimmy gets the attention of the local police, Det. Donovan in particular. Donovan breaks up the fight and advises Tony to talk with a "psychologist" that works at the local aircraft plant, Dr. Alfred Brandon, a practitioner of
hypnotherapy Hypnotherapy is a type of mind–body intervention in which hypnosis is used to create a state of focused attention and increased suggestibility in the treatment of a medical or psychological disorder or concern. Popularized by 17th and 18th cen ...
. Tony declines, but his girlfriend Arlene, as well as his widowed father, show concern about his violent behavior. Later, at a
Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
party at the "
haunted house A haunted house, spook house or ghost house in ghostlore is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were otherwise connected with the prope ...
", an old house at which several of the teenagers hang out, Tony attacks his friend Vic after being surprised from behind. After seeing the shocked expressions on his friends' faces, he realizes he needs help and goes to see Dr. Brandon. On Tony's first visit, however, Brandon makes it clear that he has his own agenda while the teenager lies on the psychiatrist's couch: Tony will be an excellent subject for his experiments with a scopolamine serum he has developed that regresses personalities to their primitive instincts. Brandon believes that the only future that mankind has is to "hurl him back to his primitive state." Although Brandon's assistant, Dr. Hugo Wagner, protests that the experiment might kill Tony, Brandon continues and within two sessions suggests to Tony that he was once a wild animal. That night, after a small party at the haunted house, Tony drives Arlene home; and one of their buddies, Frank, is attacked and killed as he is walking home through the woods. While Donovan and Police Chief Baker review photographs of the victim and await an autopsy, Pepi, the police station's janitor, persuades officer Chris Stanley to let him see the photos. Pepi, a native of the
Carpathian Mountains The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians () are a range of mountains forming an arc across Central Europe. Roughly long, it is the third-longest European mountain range after the Urals at and the Scandinavian Mountains at . The range stretches ...
, where werewolves, "human beings possessed by wolves", are common, immediately recognizes the marks on Frank's body, much to the disbelief of Chris, who balks at the idea of a werewolf. The next day, after another session with Brandon, during which Tony tells the doctor that he feels that there is something very wrong with him, Tony reports to Miss Ferguson, the principal of Rockdale High. Miss Ferguson tells Tony that she is pleased with him; Brandon has given him a positive report regarding his behavior; and that she intends to recommend Tony for entry into State College. As Tony leaves the principal's office happy with the good news, he passes the gymnasium where Theresa is practicing by herself. A school bell behind his head suddenly rings, triggering his transformation into a werewolf, and he attacks and kills Theresa. Tony flees the high school and, despite the changes in his facial appearance, witnesses identify him by his clothing, causing Baker to issue an
all-points bulletin An all-points bulletin (APB) is an electronic information broadcast sent from one sender to a group of recipients, to rapidly communicate an important message.Reiter, E. (1970). Police strive to provide protection machines lend valuable assista ...
for his arrest. A local reporter, Doyle, interviews Tony's father, as well as Arlene and her parents, in the hope of locating Tony and getting a scoop. Baker and Donovan attempt to trap Tony in the woods where they think he may be hiding. Still in the form of a werewolf, Tony watches as the dragnet looks for him, but is surprised by a dog and ends up killing it. In the morning, Tony awakens and sees he has reverted to his normal appearance and walks into the town. After phoning Arlene (who answers, but hears no one on the line), Tony heads to Brandon's office and begs for his help. Brandon wants to witness Tony's transformation, and capture it on film in order to advance himself in the scientific community. Brandon tells Tony he will help him and after telling him to lie on the couch, injects him with the serum again. Immediately following the transformation, a nearby ringing telephone triggers Tony's instincts and he leaps up---and kills both Brandon and Wagner---breaking open the film camera in the process, ruining the film. Alerted that Tony has been seen nearby, Donovan and Chris break in and are forced to shoot several times as Tony advances toward them. Upon dying, Tony's normal features return, leaving Donovan to speculate on Brandon's involvement – and on the mistake of man interfering in the realms of God.


Production notes

Samuel Z. Arkoff wrote in his memoirs that he got a lot of resistance for producing a film portraying a teenager becoming a monster, an idea that had never been exploited in film before.Arkoff, pp. 61–75
Dawn Richard Dawn Angeliqué Richard (born August 5, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter. She started her career after auditioning for ''Making the Band 3'' in 2004. During this time, Richard became a member of girl band Danity Kane, from 2005 to 2009, a ...
, who plays a teenaged gymnast in the film, was actually a 22-year-old ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
'' centerfold model at the time, appearing in the magazine's May 1957 issue, which hit the newsstands a couple months ahead of the movie. Pepe, the
Romanian Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania **Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language *** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language ** Romanian cuisine, tradition ...
janitor at the police station, was played by the
Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
-born
Vladimir Sokoloff Vladimir Aleksandrovich Sokoloff (russian: Влади́мир Алекса́ндрович Соколо́в; December 26, 1889 – February 15, 1962) was a Russian-American character actor of stage and screen. After studying theatre in Moscow, ...
, a character actor who appeared as ethnic types in over 100 productions, his most famous being the old Mexican man in ''
The Magnificent Seven ''The Magnificent Seven'' is a 1960 American Western film directed by John Sturges. The screenplay by William Roberts is a remake – in an Old West–style – of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 Japanese film '' Seven Samurai'' (itself initially relea ...
'' three years later. Tony Marshall is the only other male actor to receive billing in the trailer for
I Was a Teenage Werewolf
', in addition to Landon and Bissell; however, he made only one other motion picture, the obscure ''Rockabilly Baby'', for
Twentieth Century-Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...
, which was released in October of the same year. Shooting began 13 February 1957. The movie was shot in seven days. This film was the first of four "teenage monster" movies produced by AIP during 1957 and 1958. All four films highlighting a theme of innocent teenagers being preyed upon, transformed, and used by corrupt adults for selfish interests. ''
I Was a Teenage Frankenstein ''I Was a Teenage Frankenstein'' (U.K. title: ''Teenage Frankenstein'') is a film starring Whit Bissell, Phyllis Coates and Gary Conway, released by American International Pictures (AIP) in November 1957 as a double feature with '' Blood of Dra ...
'' and '' Blood of Dracula'' were both released in November 1957 and feature a teenage boy transformed into a
Frankenstein's monster Frankenstein's monster or Frankenstein's creature, often referred to as simply "Frankenstein", is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''. Shelley's title thus compares ...
and a teenage girl transformed into a
werewolf In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely or ...
-like
vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...
, respectively. '' How to Make a Monster'', released in 1958, features two young actors being hypnotized to kill while in make-up as the monster characters "Teenage Werewolf" and "Teenage Frankenstein" of the 1957 films.


Cast

*
Michael Landon Michael Landon (born Eugene Maurice Orowitz; October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991) was an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in ''Bonanza'' (1959–1973), Charles Ingalls in ''Little House on the Pr ...
as Tony Rivers *
Yvonne Lime Yvonne is a female given name. It is the feminine form of Yvon, which is derived from the French name Yves and Yvette. It is from the French word ''iv'', meaning "yew" (or tree). Since yew wood was used for bows, Ivo may have been an occupatio ...
as Arlene Logan *
Whit Bissell Whitner Nutting Bissell (October 25, 1909 – March 5, 1996) was an American character actor. Early life Born in New York City, Bissell was the son of surgeon Dr. J. Dougal Bissell and Helen Nutting Bissell. He was educated at the Allen-S ...
as Dr. Alfred Brandon *
Malcolm Atterbury Malcolm MacLeod Atterbury (February 20, 1907 – August 16, 1992) was an American stage, film, and television actor, and vaudevillian. Early years A native of Philadelphia, Atterbury was the son of Malcolm MacLeod, Sr. and Arminia Clara (Rosenga ...
as Charles Rivers *
Barney Phillips Bernard Philip Ofner (October 20, 1913 – August 17, 1982), better known by his stage name Barney Phillips, was an American film, television, and radio actor. His most prominent roles include that of Sgt. Ed Jacobs on the 1950s '' Dragnet' ...
as Detective Sgt. Donovan * Robert Griffin as Police Chief Baker *
Joseph Mell Joseph Mell (June 23, 1915 – August 31, 1977) was an American film and television actor. He was known for starring as Burt Stone in the 1971 film ''The Ski Bum''. Mell died in August 1977 in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 62. Partia ...
as Dr. Hugo Wagner * Louise Lewis as Principal Ferguson * Guy Williams as Officer Chris Stanley * Tony Marshall as Jimmy *
Vladimir Sokoloff Vladimir Aleksandrovich Sokoloff (russian: Влади́мир Алекса́ндрович Соколо́в; December 26, 1889 – February 15, 1962) was a Russian-American character actor of stage and screen. After studying theatre in Moscow, ...
as Pepe, the janitor * Kenny Miller as Vic *
Cindy Robbins Cynthia Chenault (born January 5, 1937) is an American television actress and producer/writer active from the mid-1950s to the present. She used the screen name Cindy Robbins in her acting credits. Early years Robbins was born in Hammond, Louis ...
as Pearl * Michael Rougas as Frank *
Dawn Richard Dawn Angeliqué Richard (born August 5, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter. She started her career after auditioning for ''Making the Band 3'' in 2004. During this time, Richard became a member of girl band Danity Kane, from 2005 to 2009, a ...
as Theresa *
S. John Launer Saul John Launer (November 5, 1919 – November 8, 2006), was an American television program, television and film actor. Launer was born in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Career Launer appeared in 89 films and television programs between 19 ...
as Mr. Bill Logan * Dorothy Crehan as Mrs. Mary Logan


Release and reception

''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' reported: "Another in the cycle of regression themes is a combo teenager and science-fiction yarn which should do okay in the exploitation market ..Only thing new about this Herman Cohen production is a psychiatrist's use of a problem teenager ..but it's handled well enough to meet the requirements of this type film. ..good performances help overcome deficiencies. Final reels, where the lad turns into a hairy-headed monster with drooling fangs, are inclined to be played too heavily." ''Variety'' went on to say that Landon delivers "a first-class characterization as the high school boy constantly in trouble." ''
Harrison's Reports ''Harrison's Reports'' was a New York City-based motion picture trade journal published weekly from 1919 to 1962. The typical issue was four letter-size pages sent to subscribers under a second-class mail permit. Its founder, editor and publisher ...
'' was fairly positive, writing, "This horror type program melodrama should give pretty good satisfaction in theatres where such films are acceptable. The story is, of course, fantastic, but it has been handled so expertly that it holds the spectator in tense suspense." ''
The Monthly Film Bulletin ''The Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 to April 1991, when it merged with ''Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those with a ...
'' in the UK was negative, declaring, "A piece of old-fashioned and second-rate horror, the transformations are very badly done, the scientific background is shaky in the extreme and the monster looks like anything but the usual idea of a werewolf. It all seems rather hard on poor Tony, who is quite a pleasant boy when he's himself." According to Tim Dirks, the film was one of a wave of "cheap teen movies" released for the drive-in market. They consisted of "exploitative, cheap fare created especially for them eensin a newly-established teen/drive-in genre." The film was very profitable, as it was made on a very low budget but grossed as much as US $2,000,000, compared to its $82,000 budget. Released in June 1957, it was followed five months later by ''
I Was a Teenage Frankenstein ''I Was a Teenage Frankenstein'' (U.K. title: ''Teenage Frankenstein'') is a film starring Whit Bissell, Phyllis Coates and Gary Conway, released by American International Pictures (AIP) in November 1957 as a double feature with '' Blood of Dra ...
'' and '' Blood of Dracula'' and by the sequel '' How to Make a Monster'' in July 1958.Arkoff, pp. 61–75


AIP's female "teenage vampire" companion piece

Less than four months after the release of ''I Was a Teenage Werewolf'' and coinciding with the release of ''I Was a Teenage Frankenstein'', AIP released ''Blood of Dracula'', a film which bears more than a passing resemblance to their summer box office hit.Arkoff, pp. 61–75 More or less a remake, and with the hero and villain roles now both played by females, ''Blood of Dracula'', with a story and screenplay credit by ''I Was a Teenage Werewolf'' writer Ralph Thornton (a pseudonym for AIP producer
Herman Cohen Herman Cohen (August 27, 1925 – June 2, 2002) was an American producer of B-movies during the 1950s, and helped to popularize the teen horror movie genre with films like the cult classic ''I Was a Teenage Werewolf''. Career Born in Detroit, ...
and
Aben Kandel Aben Kandel (15 August 1897 – 28 January 1993) was an American screenwriter, novelist, and (earlier in life) boxer. He was screenwriter on such classic B movies as '' I Was A Teenage Werewolf'', Joan Crawford's final movie '' Trog'', and one of ...
), features many other similarities to ''I Was a Teenage Werewolf'': for instance, both have (among other things) a teenager with social behavior problems, an adult
mad scientist The mad scientist (also mad doctor or mad professor) is a stock character of a scientist who is perceived as " mad, bad and dangerous to know" or "insane" owing to a combination of unusual or unsettling personality traits and the unabashedly amb ...
who is searching for the perfect guinea pig under the guise of helping troubled youth, an observer who can tell the killings are the work of a monster, a disbelieving police chief afraid of the press, a song written by
Jerry Blaine Jerry Blaine (December 31, 1910 – March 14, 1973) was a bandleader, co-founder of Jubilee Records, record distributor, and singer who recorded 18 sides for the Master and Bluebird labels from 1937 to 1938. Biography He was born to a Jewish ...
and
Paul Dunlap Paul Dunlap (July 19, 1919 – March 11, 2010) was an American composer. He wrote music for over 200 films during his 30-year career. He is best known for his work with Western movies. Early life William Paul Dunlap was born to William P. a ...
accompanied by a choreographed "ad-lib" dance number, hypnosis as a scientific medical treatment, drug injections, specific references to Carpathia, hairy transformation scenes and even some of the same dialogue. In addition, two prominent actors from ''I Was a Teenage Werewolf'' are also featured in ''Blood of Dracula'',
Malcolm Atterbury Malcolm MacLeod Atterbury (February 20, 1907 – August 16, 1992) was an American stage, film, and television actor, and vaudevillian. Early years A native of Philadelphia, Atterbury was the son of Malcolm MacLeod, Sr. and Arminia Clara (Rosenga ...
and Louise Lewis, with Lewis' villain, 'Miss Branding' a practically perfect female version of Whit Bissel's 'Dr. Brandon'. However, few critics have drawn a connection between the two films and while most reference works consider ''I Was a Teenage Frankenstein'' and ''How to Make a Monster'' as direct follow-ups to ''I Was a Teenage Werewolf'', not even critic
Leonard Maltin Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic and film historian, as well as an author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives. He is perhaps best known for his book of fil ...
speaks of ''Blood of Dracula'' as being related to the trilogy.


Legacy

''I Was a Teenage Werewolf'' helped launch Landon's career, as he became a regular on ''
Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...
'' only two years later, staying for the entire TV show's run. Another actor from the film, Guy Williams, got into big roles for TV later into the 1960s: he first had the lead in the Disney TV Show ''
Zorro Zorro (Spanish language, Spanish for 'fox') is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp magazine, pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed a ...
'', followed by playing Professor John Robinson on the TV show ''
Lost in Space ''Lost in Space'' is an American science fiction television series, created and produced by Irwin Allen, which originally aired between 1965 and 1968 on CBS. The series was inspired by the 1812 novel ''The Swiss Family Robinson.'' The series fo ...
'', which also featured other big name stars in regular and guest starring roles. During the ''
Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...
'' years, Williams and Landon did appearances together in some installments. Still another star from the film,
Whit Bissell Whitner Nutting Bissell (October 25, 1909 – March 5, 1996) was an American character actor. Early life Born in New York City, Bissell was the son of surgeon Dr. J. Dougal Bissell and Helen Nutting Bissell. He was educated at the Allen-S ...
, got into sci-fi both on film and TV: he played numerous doctors (good and bad) and then played Gen. Kirk on the short-run TV series ''
The Time Tunnel ''The Time Tunnel'' is an American color science fiction TV series written around a theme of time travel adventure starring James Darren and Robert Colbert. The show was creator-producer Irwin Allen's third science-fiction television series and ...
''. Although today the film is largely regarded as a source of "
camp Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...
" humor, and while at the time of release the idea of an adult human turning into a beast was nothing new, the idea of a ''teenager'' doing just that in a movie was considered
avant-garde The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...
—and even shocking—in 1957.Arkoff, pp. 61–75 ''I Was a Teenage Werewolf'' likely paved the way for
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
to do his version of a
Felix Salten Felix Salten (; 6 September 1869 – 8 October 1945) was an Austro-Hungarian author and literary critic in Vienna. Life and death Salten was born Siegmund Salzmann on 6 September 1869 in Pest, Austria-Hungary. His father was Fülöp Salzmann, ...
shapeshifting novel, ''The Hound of Florence''. Featuring Disney favorite
Tommy Kirk Thomas Lee Kirk (December 10, 1941 – September 28, 2021) was an American actor, best known for his performances in films made by Walt Disney Studios such as '' Old Yeller'', '' The Shaggy Dog'', ''Swiss Family Robinson'', '' The Absent-Minded ...
as the hapless teenager, and A-lister
Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series, in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...
as the answer to B-lister Whit Bissell, it was released in 1959 under the title '' The Shaggy Dog''. The film betrays its successful forebear with Murray's classic bit of dialogue: ''"Don't be ridiculous — my son isn't any werewolf! He's just a big, baggy, stupid-looking, shaggy dog!"''Arkoff, pp. 61–75


Pop culture impact

The film's '' Police Gazette''-style title (which had already been used by Hollywood previously with pictures such as 1949's ''
I Was a Male War Bride ''I Was a Male War Bride'' is a 1949 comedy film directed by Howard Hawks and starring Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan. The film was based on "Male War Bride Trial to Army", a biography of Henri Rochard (pen name of Roger Charlier), a Belgian who ...
'' and 1951's '' I Was a Communist for the FBI'') with the inclusion of the adjective "teenage" was used again by AIP for their sequel ''
I Was a Teenage Frankenstein ''I Was a Teenage Frankenstein'' (U.K. title: ''Teenage Frankenstein'') is a film starring Whit Bissell, Phyllis Coates and Gary Conway, released by American International Pictures (AIP) in November 1957 as a double feature with '' Blood of Dra ...
'', and the original working title for their 1958 sci-fi film ''
Attack of the Puppet People ''Attack of the Puppet People'' (retitled ''Six Inches Tall'' for its U.K. release) is a 1958 American black-and-white science fiction horror film produced and directed by Bert I. Gordon. It stars John Agar, John Hoyt and June Kenney. Gordon als ...
'' was ''I Was a Teenage Doll.'' Due to the success of ''I Was a Teenage Werewolf'', this convention was constantly mocked in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Many
sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
in particular had characters going to movies titled ''I Was a Teenage Dinosaur, Monster'', etc., and it was often referenced in monologues by
comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing Amusement is the state of experiencing humorous and entertaining events or situations while the person or a ...
s and bits by
disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music f ...
s. Examples include
Stan Freberg Stan Freberg (born Stanley Friberg; August 7, 1926 – April 7, 2015) was an American actor, author, comedian, musician, radio personality, puppeteer and advertising creative director. His best-known works include " St. George and the Dragonet ...
's 1957 radio series, which featured a Madison-Avenue/horror-movie spoof titled "Gray Flannel Hat Full of Teenage Werewolves", and the 1959
Dobie Gillis ''The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis'' (also known as simply ''Dobie Gillis'' or ''Max Shulman's Dobie Gillis'' in later seasons and in syndication) is an American sitcom starring Dwayne Hickman that aired on CBS from September 29, 1959, to June 5, ...
novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...
''I Was a Teenage Dwarf'' by
Max Shulman Maximilian Shulman (March 14, 1919 – August 28, 1988) was an American writer and humorist best known for his television and short story character Dobie Gillis, as well as for best-selling novels. Biography Early life and career Shulman was b ...
.Published 1959 by B. Geis Associates, distributed by Random House in New York. Library of Congress PZ3.S56264 Ib, PS3537.H9919 Ib


Film

Over the years, the ''"I Was a Teenage..."'' title was played on by several unrelated films, usually comedies, wishing to make a connection with the cult AIP hit, including '' Teenage Caveman'', the 1963
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
cartoon A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved over time, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of images ...
'' I Was a Teenage Thumb'', 1987's ''
I Was a Teenage Zombie ''I Was a Teenage Zombie'' is a 1987 American comedy-horror film.''Variety'' film review; 8 July 1987 Plot The film begins like a 1980s comedy with teens looking to purchase some marijuana but turns into comedy/horror genre when a drug dealer ...
'', 1992's ''I Was a Teenage Mummy'', 1993's '' I Was a Teenage Serial Killer'' and 1999's ''I Was a Teenage Intellectual.'' The script title for 1985's ''
Just One of the Guys ''Just One of the Guys'' is a 1985 American teen comedy film directed by Lisa Gottlieb and co-written by Dennis Feldman and Jeff Franklin, although according to Gottlieb, she also co-wrote the screenplay together with her writing partner Mitch ...
'' was ''I Was a Teenage Boy'', a title that used a year later as an alternate for 1986's '' Willy/Milly''. An alternate title for the 1995 hit ''
Clueless ''Clueless'' is a 1995 American coming-of-age teen comedy film written and directed by Amy Heckerling. It stars Alicia Silverstone with supporting roles by Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy and Paul Rudd. It was produced by Scott Rudin and Robert La ...
'' was ''I Was a Teenage Teenager''. Scenes from ''I Was a Teenage Werewolf'' were included in the 1973 "fifties nostalgia" concert film '' Let the Good Times Roll'', featuring
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
performances from
Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...
and
Bill Haley and the Comets Bill Haley & His Comets were an American rock and roll band founded in 1947 that continued until Haley's death in 1981. The band was also known as Bill Haley and the Comets and Bill Haley's Comets. From late 1954 to late 1956, the group record ...
.


Television

Episode 2.19 (1963) of ''
The Dick Van Dyke Show ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Carl Reiner that initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961 to June 1, 1966, with a total of 158 half-hour episodes spanning five seasons. It was produced by Calvada Product ...
'' was entitled "I Was a Teenage Head Writer". Episode 1.18 (1967) of ''
The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conc ...
'' was entitled "I Was a Teenage Monster". The July 16, 1982 episode of '' SCTV'' ("Battle of the PBS Stars") featured a comedy skit of the movie called "I Was a Teenage Communist", mixing horror with the politics of
red-baiting Red-baiting, also known as ''reductio ad Stalinum'' () and red-tagging (in the Philippines), is an intention to discredit the validity of a political opponent and the opponent's logical argument by accusing, denouncing, attacking, or persecuting ...
during the 1950s. In 1987, the NBC-TV series ''
Highway to Heaven ''Highway to Heaven'' is an American fantasy Drama (film and television), drama television series that ran on NBC from September 19, 1984, to August 4, 1989. The series starred Michael Landon as Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to Earth in order t ...
'' featured "I Was a Middle-Aged Werewolf" (episode 4.5), written and directed by
Michael Landon Michael Landon (born Eugene Maurice Orowitz; October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991) was an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in ''Bonanza'' (1959–1973), Charles Ingalls in ''Little House on the Pr ...
. Landon, as angel Jonathan Smith, transforms himself into a werewolf, initially to scare off some teenage bullies. During the earlier scenes, Jonathan's buddy, Mark Gordon (
Victor French Victor Edwin French (December 4, 1934 – June 15, 1989) was an American actor and director. He is remembered for roles on the television programs ''Gunsmoke'', ''Little House on the Prairie'', ''Highway to Heaven'', and ''Carter Country''. ...
) watches the original film, remarking: "You know, the guy in this movie reminds me a lot of you", adding, "when he's a regular guy, not when he's got fuzz all over his face." In April 1997, the movie was mocked directly when it was featured in episode 809 of ''
Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. ...
''. The host segments, however, parody the film ''
Alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
.'' The October 28, 1999 episode of ''
SpongeBob SquarePants ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' (or simply ''SpongeBob'') is an American animated comedy television series created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. It chronicles the adventures of the title character a ...
'' is titled "I Was a Teenage Gary" and features SpongeBob transforming into a snail after a hypodermic injection. A ''
Phineas and Ferb ''Phineas and Ferb'' is an American animated musical-comedy television series created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh for Disney Channel and Disney XD. Produced by Disney Television Animation, the series was originally broadcast as a ...
'' episode in 2010 was titled "I Was a Middle-Aged Robot". It involves Phineas' dad, Mr. Fletcher, having his imagination sucked away and the O.W.C.A. (Organization Without a Cool Acronym) replacing him with a robot controlled by Phineas & Ferb's pet platypus, Perry, also known as Agent P.


Music

Starting in 1975 and known as the first Horror Punk band, Sid Terror's Undead has given nods to this movie a couple times, on their self-titled first album SID TERROR'S UNDEAD (1978) with the song "I Was A Teenage Vampire" (words and music written by Sid Terror), and again with the song "Awkward" (words and music written by Sid Terror reference the I Was A Teenage Werewolf sequel,
I Was A Teenage Frankenstein ''I Was a Teenage Frankenstein'' (U.K. title: ''Teenage Frankenstein'') is a film starring Whit Bissell, Phyllis Coates and Gary Conway, released by American International Pictures (AIP) in November 1957 as a double feature with '' Blood of Dra ...
(1957)) as recently as 2020 on their album Pandemic Garage.
John Cooper Clarke John Cooper Clarke (born 25 January 1949) is an English performance poet, who first became famous as a "punk poet" in the late 1970s. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he released several albums. Around this time, he performed on stage with sev ...
's 1978 album, "
Disguise in Love ''Disguise in Love'' is the second studio album by John Cooper Clarke, first released in 1978. (It followed '' Ou est la maison de fromage?''). Most of the tracks are spoken over musical accompaniment provided by Clarke's band The Invisible Girl ...
" features the song "Teenage Werewolf", the song goes on to feature in Clarke's 2015 album "Anthological".
The Cramps The Cramps were an American rock band formed in 1976 and active until 2006. Their lineup rotated frequently during their existence, with the husband-and-wife duo of singer Lux Interior and guitarist Poison Ivy the only ever-present members. T ...
, whose songs routinely reference horror and sci-fi films, have a song titled "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" on their 1980 album ''
Songs the Lord Taught Us ''Songs the Lord Taught Us'' is the debut album by the American rock band the Cramps. It was released in 1980 on I.R.S. Records in America and Illegal Records in England. In 2020, ''Rolling Stone'' included ''Songs the Lord Taught Us'' in their ...
''. Anarchist vegan punk band
Propagandhi Propagandhi is a Canadian punk rock band formed in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in 1986 by guitarist Chris Hannah and drummer Jord Samolesky. The band is currently located in Winnipeg, Manitoba and completed by bassist Todd Kowalski and guitari ...
wrote a song titled "I Was a Pre-Teen McCarthyist" and is featured on the 1996 album ''
Less Talk, More Rock ''Less Talk, More Rock'' is the second full-length album by the Canadian punk rock band Propagandhi, and the last album to feature bassist John K. Samson. Released in 1996. Chris Hannah described the album as a conscious decision to be more c ...
''. Rock band
Queens of the Stone Age Queens of the Stone Age (commonly abbreviated QOTSA) is an American rock band formed in 1996 in Palm Desert, California. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme, who has been the only constant member throughout multiple line- ...
have a song on their 1998 self-titled debut album with the title, "I Was a Teenage Hand Model". Australian rock band Faker released a song in 2005 entitled "Teenage Werewolf." Punk band
Against Me! Against Me! is an American punk rock band formed in 1997 in Naples, Florida, by singer and guitarist Laura Jane Grace. That same year, Grace moved to Gainesville, Florida, which is considered the band's hometown. Since 2001, the band's lineup ...
released a song in 2010 titled " I Was a Teenage Anarchist". Pop punk artist Lil Cam'Ron's debut album ''I Was a Teenage Cameron'' also references the title. American Musical Theater Composer
Joe Iconis Joseph Peter Philip Iconis (born September 22, 1981) is an American composer, lyricist, and playwright. He is best known for writing the music and lyrics to the Broadway musical '' Be More Chill''. Early life and education Iconis graduated f ...
wrote a song titled . Brazilian rock band
Legião Urbana Legião Urbana (Portuguese for Urban Legion) was a Brazilian rock band formed in 1982 in Brasília, Distrito Federal. The band primarily consisted of Renato Russo (vocals, bass and keyboards), Dado Villa-Lobos (guitar) and Marcelo Bonfá (d ...
has a song called "Eu Era Um Lobisomem Juvenil", title of the movie in Portuguese. Australian band
Magic Dirt Magic Dirt are an Australian rock band, which formed in 1991 in Geelong, Victoria, with Daniel Herring on guitar, Adam Robertson on drums, Adalita Srsen on vocals and guitar, and Dean Turner (musician), Dean Turner on bass guitar. Initially for ...
's 2000 song "Teenage Vampire" is a reference to the film's title.


Publishing

In
Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high s ...
's 1986 novel '' It'' and its made-for-TV film adaptation, several of the characters watch this movie. Afterwards, Pennywise (
Tim Curry Timothy James Curry (born 19 April 1946) is an English actor and singer. He rose to prominence for his portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the film ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' (1975), reprising the role he had originated in the 1973 London ...
) takes the form of a real teenage werewolf to frighten them, particularly Richie ( Seth Green). When the Losers Club first attacks Pennywise, it takes the form of the teenage werewolf. In 2002,
Last Gasp (publisher) Last Gasp is a San Francisco-based book publisher with a lowbrow art and counterculture focus. Owned and operated by Ron Turner, for most of its existence Last Gasp was a publisher, distributor, and wholesaler of underground comix and books of ...
published ''I Was a Teenage Dominatrix'', a memoir by Shawna Kenney. In 2015, the anthology ''Killer Bees from Outer Space'' (KnightWatch Press) featured a story, "I Was a Teenage Mummy Girl", by Amelia Mangan.


References

;Notes ;Bibliography *


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:I Was A Teenage Werewolf 1957 horror films 1950s teen films 1957 films American International Pictures films American black-and-white films Films directed by Gene Fowler Jr. 1950s monster movies American teen horror films American werewolf films Films scored by Paul Dunlap Teensploitation Films about hypnosis Films shot in Big Bear Lake, California 1950s English-language films 1950s American films