Last Call: Science Fiction and Horror Obituaries August 2007

ANTHONY CARRAS, 86. Roger Corman alumni who became a producer, director, and editor. Among many, he edited Bucket of Blood (1959), X: The Man With the X-Ray Eyes (1963), several Edgar Alan Poe movies including The Pit and the Pendulum (1961) and The Fall of the House of Usher (1960) and co-produced Jules Verne's Master of the World (1960) with Vincent Price and Charles Bronson, as well as beach movies featuring Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon. Died August 15, 2007.

MERV GRIFFIN, 82 Ex-talk show host and entrepreneur. Griffin took a run at Hollywood with a few movie appearances early in his career, including Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954). Genre fans may not realize he also appeared, wearing eyeglasses, in the movie trailer for Ray Harryhausen's The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953). Once in awhile on his daytime TV talk show he would haul out his clips to review his "hit." Began as a singer for the Freddy Martin Band and had a novelty hit with "You've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts." Also famously created "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy." August 12 of prostate cancer.

KEITH KNIGHT, 51. Actor, played Larry Finkelstein, the hot-dog-eating camp counselor in the Bill Murray starrer Meatballs (1979), a $1.6 million movie that became Canada's highest grossing movie of all time and spawned sequels. The actor wolfed 100 weenies filming the hot dog eating contest. Of genre interest, he played in My Bloody Valentine (1981), Of Unknown Origin (1983), Whispers (1989), other movies, TV work, including voice work for animated shows like "Ace Ventura" and "Rupert the Bear." Of brain cancer August 22, 2007 in Toronto.

MAX HODGE, 91. Writer and creator of TV's Mr Freeze for "Batman," portrayed by Otto Preminger, many years later revived on film by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Of genre interest is the World War II Navy veteran's TV work for "The Wild, Wild West," "The Girl from UNCLE," and other series. August 17, 2007.