Carl Monson (September 2, 1932 – August 4, 1988) a.k.a. Carlos Monsoya, Charles Monsoya, was at the forefront of independent

low budget A low-budget film or low-budget movie is a motion picture shot with little to no funding from a major film studio or private investor. Many independent films are made on low budgets, but films made on the mainstream circuit with inexperienced o ...

exploitation and

sexploitation film A sexploitation film (or sex-exploitation film) is a class of independently produced, low-budget feature film that is generally associated with the 1960s and early 1970s, and that serves largely as a vehicle for the exhibition of non-explicit se ...

s or

paracinema Paracinema is an academic term to refer to a wide variety of film genres out of the mainstream, bearing the same relationship to 'legitimate' film as paraliterature like comic books and pulp fiction bears to literature. Definition In terms of ta ...

during the 1970s and 1980s. He is most well known for ''Blood Legacy'' (1971), ''Booby Trap'' (1973) and ''Death Feud'' (1986).

Career

Monson got his start at the prestigious

Pasadena Playhouse Pasadena Playhouse is a Tony Award-winning historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engag ...

’s school of theatre, known as the Hollywood “Star Factory.” In 1964, with his first wife Laura Shelton, he founded the Curtain Call Theater in

North Hollywood North Hollywood is a neighborhood and district in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, El Portal Theater, several art galleries, and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Th ...

, a critically acclaimed invitational playhouse run by professional actors on a cooperative basis. The Curtain Call Theater was one of the first legitimate theatres to open in the NoHo Arts District which is now considered

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

's theatre district. In addition to working in theatre, Monson also directed and wrote screenplays for low-budget exploitation films during the 1970s and 1980s. He is most well known for ''Blood Legacy'' (1971), ''A Scream in the Streets'' (1973) and ''Savage Harbor'' (1987). He also founded and worked out of Bumblebee Productions with his second wife, Tricia Kross. He worked out of Bumblebee Productions until his death from heart failure August 4, 1988.

Selected filmography

'' Death Feud'' * a.k.a. ''Savage Harbor'' (1986), Screenwriter/Actor: Harold/Director/Producer '' A Scream in the Streets'' * (1973), Director/Producer ''Booby Trap'' * a.k.a. ''10 Seconds to Murder'' (1973), Actor:Jack Brennan/Assoc. Producer '' The Takers'' * (1972), as Carlos Monsoya, Actor: Laura's Husband/Director '' Please Don't Eat My Mother'' * (1972), Actor: Officer O'Columbus/Director/Producer ''

Blood Legacy ''Blood Legacy'' (also called ''Legacy of Blood'' and ''Will to Die'') is a 1971 horror film directed by Carl Monson, starring Rodolfo Acosta, Merry Anders, Norman Bartold, John Carradine, and Faith Domergue. There is a 1978 film with the same ...

'' * a.k.a. ''Legacy of Blood'' (1971), Screenwriter/Director/Producer '' The Acid Eaters'' * a.k.a. ''The Acid People'' (1968), Screenwriter

Personal life

Monson's first wife was Laura Shelton (1935-2008) a.k.a. Carol Monson (born Carol Jean Ready on September 5, 1935 in

Eastland, Texas Eastland is a city in Eastland County, Texas, Eastland County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,609 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Eastland County. History The recession of 1921 exacerbated raci ...

). She was a frequent guest star on several popular 1960s television series including ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

'', ''

Harrigan and Son ''Harrigan and Son'' is an American sitcom about a father-and-son team of lawyer A lawyer is a person who is qualified to offer advice about the law, draft legal documents, or represent individuals in legal matters. The exact nature of a l ...

'', '' The Detectives'' starring Robert Taylor, ''

The Beverly Hillbillies ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from 1962 to 1971. It had an ensemble cast featuring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer Jr. as the Clampetts, a poor backwoods family ...

'', ''

My Favorite Martian ''My Favorite Martian'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 29, 1963, to May 1, 1966, for 107 episodes. The show stars Ray Walston as "Uncle Martin" (the Martian) and Bill Bixby as Tim O'Hara. ''My Favorite Martian'' was th ...

'', ''

Have Gun, Will Travel Have or having may refer to: * the concept of ownership * any concept of ''possession'' * the English verb "to " is used: ** to express possession linguistically, in a broad sense ** as an auxiliary verb ** in constructions such as ''have somet ...

'' and ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American Western (genre), Western anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was ...

''. Carl and Laura had two children; Clay Monson (who makes a cameo appearance in ''Death Feud'') and Cristen Monson Susong (a

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

performer). Shelton and Monson divorced in 1973. Carl Monson later married Tricia Kross (ex-wife of

Three Dog Night Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, founded by vocalists Chuck Negron, Cory Wells, and Danny Hutton. This lineup was soon augmented by Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael Allsup (guitar), and Floyd Sn ...

keyboard player,

Jimmy Greenspoon James Boyd Greenspoon (February 7, 1948 – March 11, 2015) was an American keyboard player and composer, best known as a member of the band Three Dog Night. Early life and education Greenspoon was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised i ...

). His second marriage produced no children, but Kross and Monson did create Bumblebee Productions.

External links

* * *

Something Weird Video Something Weird Video is an American film distributor company based in Seattle, Washington. They specialize in exploitation B to Z films, particularly the works of Harry Novak, Doris Wishman, David F. Friedman and Herschell Gordon Lewis. ...

: http://www.somethingweird.com/ Popular online resource for Sexploitation movies] {{DEFAULTSORT:Monson, Carl 1932 births 1988 deaths Artists from Los Angeles Film directors from Los Angeles