Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor. He was known for his work in the horror film genre, mostly portraying
villain
A villain (also known as a " black hat", "bad guy" or "baddy"; The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.126 "baddy (also baddie) noun (pl. -ies) ''informal'' a villain or criminal in a book, film, etc.". the feminine form is villai ...
s. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
, one for motion pictures and one for television.
Price's first film role was as a leading man in the 1938 comedy ''
Service de Luxe''. He became a
character actor
A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...
, appearing in ''
The Song of Bernadette'' (1943), ''
Laura'' (1944), ''
The Keys of the Kingdom
''The Keys of the Kingdom'' is a 1941 in literature, 1941 novel by A. J. Cronin. Spanning six decades, it tells the story of Father Francis Chisholm, an unconventional Scottish Catholic priest who struggles to establish a mission (Christian), ...
'' (1944), ''
Leave Her to Heaven
''Leave Her to Heaven'' is a 1945 American film directed by John M. Stahl, starring Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain, and Vincent Price. Adapted by screenwriter Jo Swerling from the 1944 novel of the same name by Ben Ames Williams, the ...
'' (1945), ''
Dragonwyck'' (1946), ''
The Three Musketeers
''The Three Musketeers'' () is a French historical adventure novel written and published in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is the first of the author's three d'Artagnan Romances. As with some of his other works, he wrote it in col ...
'' (1948) and ''
The Ten Commandments'' (1956). He established himself in the horror genre with roles in ''
House of Wax'' (1953), ''
The Fly'' (1958), ''
House on Haunted Hill
''House on Haunted Hill'' is a 1959 American horror film produced and directed by William Castle, written by Robb White and starring Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart, Richard Long, Alan Marshal, Carolyn Craig, and Elisha Cook Jr. Price play ...
'' (1959), ''
Return of the Fly
Return may refer to:
In business, economics, and finance
* Return on investment (ROI), the financial gain after an expense.
* Rate of return, the financial term for the profit or loss derived from an investment
* Tax return, a blank document or t ...
'' (1959), ''
The Tingler'' (1959), ''
The Last Man on Earth'' (1964), ''
Witchfinder General'' (1968), ''
The Abominable Dr. Phibes'' (1971), and ''
Theatre of Blood'' (1973). He collaborated with
Roger Corman
Roger William Corman (April 5, 1926 – May 9, 2024) was an American film director, producer, and actor. Known under various monikers such as "The Pope of Pop Cinema", "The Spiritual Godfather of the New Hollywood", and "The King of Cult", he w ...
on a series of
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales involving mystery and the macabre. He is widely re ...
adaptations, including ''
House of Usher'' (1960), ''
The Pit and the Pendulum'' (1961), ''
The Haunted Palace'' (1963), and ''
The Masque of the Red Death'' (1964). Price appeared in the television series ''
Batman
Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
'' as
Egghead
In U.S. English slang, egghead is an epithet used to refer to intellectuals or people considered out-of-touch with ordinary people and lacking in realism, common sense, sexual interests, etc. on account of their intellectual interests. A similar ...
.
Price voiced the villainous Professor Ratigan in
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
's animated film ''
The Great Mouse Detective
''The Great Mouse Detective'' (released as ''Basil the Great Mouse Detective'' in some countries and ''The Adventures of the Great Mouse Detective'' during its 1992 re-release) is a 1986 American animated mystery adventure film produced by W ...
'' (1986), and appeared in the drama ''
The Whales of August'' (1987), which earned him an
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male nomination. Price's final film was
Tim Burton
Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and producer. Known for popularizing Goth subculture, Goth culture in the American film industry, Burton is famous for his Gothic film, gothic horror and dark fantasy films. ...
's ''
Edward Scissorhands
''Edward Scissorhands'' is a 1990 American gothic romantic fantasy film directed by Tim Burton. It was produced by Burton and Denise Di Novi, written by Caroline Thompson from a story by her and Burton, and starring Johnny Depp as the title ...
'' (1990). For his contributions to cinema, he received lifetime achievement or special tribute awards from
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films
The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films is an American non-profit organization established in 1972 dedicated to the advancement of science fiction, fantasy, and Horror fiction, horror in film, television, and home video. The Aca ...
;
Fantasporto
Fantasporto International Film Festival (Portuguese: Festival Internacional de Cinema do Porto) is an international genre film festival, annually organized since 1981 in Porto, Portugal.
Screening and awarding fantasy, sci-fi and horror orient ...
;
Bram Stoker Award
The Bram Stoker Award is a recognition presented annually by the Horror Writers Association (HWA) for "superior achievement" in dark fantasy and horror writing.
History
The Awards were established in 1987 and have been presented annually since ...
s; and
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is an American film critic organization founded in 1975.
Background
Its membership comprises film critics from Los Angeles–based print and electronic media. In December of each year, the organi ...
. Price narrated animated films, radio dramas, and documentaries, and provided the narration in
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
's song "
Thriller". For his voice work in ''Great American Speeches'' (1959), Price was nominated for a
Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album
The Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album has been awarded since 1959. The award has had several minor name changes:
* In 1959 the award was known as Best Performance, Documentary or Spoken Word
* From 1960 to 1961 it was awarded as Best Perform ...
.
Price was an art collector and arts consultant, with a degree in art history. He lectured and wrote books on art. The
Vincent Price Art Museum at
East Los Angeles College is named in his honor.
[ Price was a ]gourmet
Gourmet (, ) is a cultural idea associated with the culinary arts of fine food and drink, or haute cuisine, which is characterized by their high level of refined and elaborate food preparation techniques and displays of balanced meals that have ...
cook and cookbook author.
Early life and education
Vincent Leonard Price Jr. was born on May 27, 1911, in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...
, the youngest of the four children of Vincent Leonard Price, president of the National Candy Company, and his wife Marguerite Cobb (née Wilcox) Price.[ His grandfather was Vincent Clarence Price, who invented "Dr. Price's Baking Powder", the first ]cream of tartar
Potassium bitartrate, also known as potassium hydrogen tartrate, with formula K C4 H5 O6, is the potassium acid salt of tartaric acid (a carboxylic acid)—specifically, l-( + )-tartaric acid. Especially in cooking, it is also known as cream ...
-based baking powder, and it secured the family's fortune. Price was of Welsh[Vincent Price: A Daughter's Biography by Victoria Price, published by 'Open Road Distribution', , pp. 5, 10, 49] and English descent and was a descendant, via his paternal grandmother, of Peregrine White, the first child born in colonial Massachusetts, being born on the ''Mayflower
''Mayflower'' was an English sailing ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. After 10 weeks at sea, ''Mayflower'', with 102 passengers and a crew of about 30, reac ...
'' while it was in Provincetown Harbor
Provincetown Harbor is a large harbor#Natural harbors, natural harbor located in the town of Provincetown, Massachusetts, Provincetown, Massachusetts. The harbor is mostly deep and stretches roughly from northwest to southeast and from northea ...
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
.
Price attended the St. Louis Country Day School, and took a summer course at Milford Academy in Milford, Connecticut
Milford is a coastal city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, between New Haven, Connecticut, New Haven and Bridgeport, Connecticut, Bridgeport. The population was 50,558 at the 2020 United States Census. The city includes the Vill ...
. In 1933, he graduated with a degree in English and a minor in art history from Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
, where he worked on the campus humor magazine ''The Yale Record
''The Yale Record'' is the campus humor magazine of Yale University. Founded in 1872, it is the oldest humor magazine in the United States."History", The Yale Record, March 10, 2010. http://www.yalerecord.com/about/history/
''The Record'' is c ...
''. After teaching for a year, he entered The Courtauld Institute of Art in London, intending to study for a master's degree in fine arts.
Instead he was drawn to the theater, first appearing on stage professionally in 1935 in the play ''Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
'' at the Gate Theatre
The Gate Theatre is a theatre on Cavendish Row in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1928.
History Beginnings
The Gate Theatre was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir with Daisy Bannard Cogley and Gearóid Ó Lochla ...
in London.[ Next he introduced the role of ]Prince Albert
Prince Albert most commonly refers to:
*Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819–1861), consort of Queen Victoria
*Albert II, Prince of Monaco (born 1958), present head of state of Monaco
Prince Albert may also refer to:
Royalty
* Alb ...
in Laurence Housman
Laurence Housman (; 18 July 1865 – 20 February 1959) was an English playwright, writer and illustrator whose career stretched from the 1890s to the 1950s. He studied art in London and worked largely as an illustrator during the first years o ...
's play '' Victoria Regina'', also at the Gate Theatre in 1935.[ Later that year he moved to New York City to reprise the role of Prince Albert in the Broadway production of ''Victoria Regina'', opposite ]Helen Hayes
Helen Hayes MacArthur (; October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was an American actress. Often referred to as the "First Lady of American Theatre", she was the second person and first woman to win EGOT, the EGOT (an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and ...
in the title role of Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
. He played the role for two seasons at the Broadhurst Theatre
The Broadhurst Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 235 West 44th Street (Manhattan), 44th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1917, the thea ...
, through June 1937. In 1938 he appeared in productions of '' The Shoemaker's Holiday'' and ''Heartbreak House
''Heartbreak House: A Fantasia in the Russian Manner on English Themes'' is a play written by Bernard Shaw during the First World War, published in 1919 and first performed in November 1920 at the Garrick Theatre, New York, followed by a West ...
'' with Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American director, actor, writer, producer, and magician who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is among the greatest and most influential film ...
' Mercury Theatre company. From 1941 to 1942, Price played Mr. Manningham in '' Angel Street'', the Broadway production of ''Gas Light'', which he helped bring to New York.
Career
Early film roles
Price started out in films as a character actor
A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...
. He made his film debut in '' Service de Luxe'' (1938), and established himself in the film '' Laura'' (1944), opposite Gene Tierney
Gene Eliza Tierney (November 19, 1920November 6, 1991) was an American stage and film actress. Acclaimed for her great beauty, Tierney was a prominent Leading actor, leading lady during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. Sh ...
, directed by Otto Preminger
Otto Ludwig Preminger ( ; ; 5 December 1905 – 23 April 1986) was an Austrian Americans, Austrian-American film and theatre director, film producer, and actor. He directed more than 35 feature films in a five-decade career after leaving the the ...
. He played Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious and political leader and the founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. Publishing the Book of Mormon at the age of 24, Smith attracted tens of thou ...
in the movie ''Brigham Young
Brigham Young ( ; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until h ...
'' (1940) and William Gibbs McAdoo
William Gibbs McAdoo Jr.McAdoo is variously differentiated from family members of the same name:
* Dr. William Gibbs McAdoo (1820–1894) – sometimes called "I" or "Senior"
* William Gibbs McAdoo (1863–1941) – sometimes called "II" or "J ...
in '' Wilson'' (1944), as well as Bernadette's prosecutor, Vital Dutour, in '' The Song of Bernadette'' (1943), and as a pretentious priest in ''The Keys of the Kingdom
''The Keys of the Kingdom'' is a 1941 in literature, 1941 novel by A. J. Cronin. Spanning six decades, it tells the story of Father Francis Chisholm, an unconventional Scottish Catholic priest who struggles to establish a mission (Christian), ...
'' (1944).
Price's first venture into the horror genre, for which he later became widely known, was in the Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), known professionally as Boris Karloff () and occasionally billed as Karloff the Uncanny, was a British actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstei ...
film ''Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...
'' (1939). The following year, Price portrayed the title character in ''The Invisible Man Returns
''The Invisible Man Returns'' is a 1940 American horror science fiction film directed by Joe May. The film stars Cedric Hardwicke, Vincent Price, Nan Grey and John Sutton. The film is a sequel to the 1933 film ''The Invisible Man'', and the ...
'' (a role he reprised in a voice-only cameo in the closing scene of the horror-comedy spoof ''Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
''Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein'' is a 1948 American horror comedy film directed by Charles Barton (director), Charles Barton. The film features Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi), who has partnered with Dr. Sandra Mornay (Lenore Aubert) in or ...
'' released in 1948). He reunited with Tierney in ''Leave Her to Heaven
''Leave Her to Heaven'' is a 1945 American film directed by John M. Stahl, starring Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain, and Vincent Price. Adapted by screenwriter Jo Swerling from the 1944 novel of the same name by Ben Ames Williams, the ...
'' (1945) and ''Dragonwyck'' (1946). He also had many villainous roles in film noir
Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...
thrillers such as ''The Web
The World Wide Web (WWW or simply the Web) is an information system that enables content sharing over the Internet through user-friendly ways meant to appeal to users beyond IT specialists and hobbyists. It allows documents and other web ...
'' (1947), '' The Long Night'' (1947), '' Rogues' Regiment'' (1948), and ''The Bribe
''The Bribe'' is a 1949 American film noir directed by Robert Z. Leonard and written by Marguerite Roberts, based on a story written by Frederick Nebel. The film stars Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton, and Vincent Price.
Plot
I ...
'' (1949), with Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner
Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' att ...
, and Charles Laughton
Charles Laughton (; 1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British and American actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play wi ...
.
Price's first starring role was as con man
A scam, or a confidence trick, is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using a combination of the victim's credulity, naivety, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibi ...
James Reavis in the biographical film '' The Baron of Arizona'' (1950). He did a comedic turn as the tycoon Burnbridge Waters, co-starring with Ronald Colman
Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor who started his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then emigrated to the United States where he had a highly successful Cinema of the United ...
in ''Champagne for Caesar
''Champagne for Caesar'' is a 1950 American comedy film about a quiz show contestant directed by Richard Whorf from an original screenplay by Hans Jacoby and Fred Brady. It stars Ronald Colman, Celeste Holm, Vincent Price, Barbara Britton, and ...
'' (also 1950), one of his favorite film roles.
1950s
Price was active in radio, portraying the Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...
-inspired crime-fighter Simon Templar
The Saint is the nickname of the fictional character Simon Templar, featured in a List of works by Leslie Charteris, series of novels and short stories by Leslie Charteris published between 1928 and 1963. After that date other authors collaborat ...
in '' The Saint'', which ran from 1947 to 1951. In the 1950s, Price moved into more regular horror-film roles with the leading role in '' House of Wax'' (1953) as a homicidal sculptor, the first three-dimensional film to land in the year's top 10 at the North American box-office. His next roles were '' The Mad Magician'' (1954), the monster movie '' The Fly'' (1958), and its sequel ''Return of the Fly
Return may refer to:
In business, economics, and finance
* Return on investment (ROI), the financial gain after an expense.
* Rate of return, the financial term for the profit or loss derived from an investment
* Tax return, a blank document or t ...
'' (1959). That same year, Price starred in two thrillers by producer-director William Castle
William Castle (born William Schloss Jr.; April 24, 1914 – May 31, 1977) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is known for the horror film, horror and thriller film, thriller B movie, B-movies he directed durin ...
: ''House on Haunted Hill
''House on Haunted Hill'' is a 1959 American horror film produced and directed by William Castle, written by Robb White and starring Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart, Richard Long, Alan Marshal, Carolyn Craig, and Elisha Cook Jr. Price play ...
'' as eccentric millionaire Fredrick Loren, and '' The Tingler'' as Dr. Warren Chapin, who discovered the titular creature. He appeared in the radio drama '' Three Skeleton Key'', the story of an island lighthouse besieged by an army of rats. He had first performed the work in 1950 on '' Escape'' and returned to it in 1956 and 1958 for ''Suspense
Suspense is a state of anxiety or excitement caused by mysteriousness, uncertainty, doubt, or undecidedness. In a narrative work, suspense is the audience's excited anticipation about the plot or conflict (which may be heightened by a viol ...
''.
Outside the horror realm, Price played Baka in '' The Ten Commandments'', released in 1956. About this time, he also appeared in episodes of television shows such as ''Science Fiction Theatre
''Science Fiction Theatre'' is an American science fiction anthology television series that was produced by Ivan Tors and Maurice Ziv and originally aired in syndication. It premiered on April 9, 1955, and ended on February 9, 1957, with a to ...
'', ''Playhouse 90
''Playhouse 90'' is an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 134 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of t ...
'', and ''General Electric Theater
''General Electric Theater'' is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations.
Radio
After an audition show ...
''. In the 1955–56 television season, he was cast three times on the religion anthology series '' Crossroads''. In the 1955 episode "Cleanup", Price portrayed the Reverend Robert Russell. In 1956, he was cast as Rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
Gershom Mendes Seixas in "The Rebel", and as the Rev. Alfred W. Price in "God's Healing".
1960s
In the 1960s, Price achieved a number of low-budget filmmaking successes with Roger Corman
Roger William Corman (April 5, 1926 – May 9, 2024) was an American film director, producer, and actor. Known under various monikers such as "The Pope of Pop Cinema", "The Spiritual Godfather of the New Hollywood", and "The King of Cult", he w ...
and American International Pictures
American International Pictures, LLC (AIP or American International Productions) is an American film production company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, AIP was an independent film production and distribution c ...
(AIP) starting with the '' House of Usher'' (1960), which earned over $2 million at the box office in the United States and led to the subsequent Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales involving mystery and the macabre. He is widely re ...
adaptations of '' The Pit and the Pendulum'' (1961), '' Tales of Terror'' (1962), ''The Comedy of Terrors
''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
'' (1963), ''The Raven
"The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a distraught lover who is paid a visit ...
'' (1963), '' The Masque of the Red Death'' (1964),[ and '' The Tomb of Ligeia'' (1964). He starred in '' The Last Man on Earth'' (1964), the first adaptation of the ]Richard Matheson
Richard Burton Matheson (February 20, 1926 – June 23, 2013) was an American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres.
He is best known as the author of '' I Am Legend'', a 1954 science ficti ...
novel '' I Am Legend'', and later starred as Felix Manderville in '' House of 1,000 Dolls'' (1967), which has been described as "quite possibly the sleaziest movie AIP ever made". A year later, Price portrayed witch hunter Matthew Hopkins
Matthew Hopkins ( 1620 – 12 August 1647) was an English witch-hunter whose career flourished during the English Civil War. He was mainly active in East Anglia and claimed to hold the office of Witchfinder General, although that titl ...
in '' Witchfinder General'', (US: ''The Conqueror Worm'', 1968) set during the English Civil War
The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...
. Price also starred in comedy films such as '' Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine'' (1965) and its sequel '' Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs'' (1966). In 1968, he played the part of an eccentric artist in the musical '' Darling of the Day'', opposite Patricia Routledge
Dame Katherine Patricia Routledge ( ; born 17 February 1929) is an English actress and singer, best known for her comedy role as Hyacinth Bucket in the popular BBC sitcom ''Keeping Up Appearances'' (1990–1995), for which she was nominated for ...
.
In the 1960s, Price began his role as a guest on the television game show ''Hollywood Squares
''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'', later stylized as ''H2: Hollywood Squares'') is an American game show in which two contestants compete in a game of tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The show originally aired as a ...
'', becoming a semi-regular in the 1970s, including being one of the guest panelists on the finale in 1980.
Price made many guest-star appearances in television shows during the decade, including ''The Red Skelton Show
''The Red Skelton Show'' is an American television comedy/variety show that aired from 1951 to 1971. In the decade prior to hosting the show, Richard "Red" Skelton had a successful career as a radio and motion pictures star. Although his tele ...
'', ''Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone (, 1734September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyo ...
'', ''F Troop
''F Troop'' is a satirical American television Western sitcom about U.S. soldiers and American Indians in the Wild West during the 1860s. The series originally aired for two seasons on ABC. It debuted in the United States on September 14, 1965 ...
'', ''Get Smart
''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the Spy fiction, secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Bu ...
'', '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', and '' Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea''. He had a recurring role in the ''Batman'' TV series as the villain Egghead
In U.S. English slang, egghead is an epithet used to refer to intellectuals or people considered out-of-touch with ordinary people and lacking in realism, common sense, sexual interests, etc. on account of their intellectual interests. A similar ...
from 1966 to 1967. In 1964, he provided the narration for the Tombstone Historama in Tombstone
A gravestone or tombstone is a marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. A marker set at the head of the grave may be called a headstone. An especially old or elaborate stone slab may be called a funeral stele, stela, or slab. The us ...
, Arizona, which was still in operation as of 2016. He also starred as the host of the Australian TV series ''If These Walls Could Speak'', in which a short history of an historical building (supposedly narrated by the building itself) was covered, and as the narrating voice of the building.
1970s
During the early 1970s, Price hosted and starred in BBC Radio
BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations cove ...
's horror and mystery series '' The Price of Fear''. He accepted a cameo part in the Canadian children's television program '' The Hilarious House of Frightenstein'' (1971) in Hamilton
Hamilton may refer to:
* Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States
* ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda
** ''Hamilton'' (al ...
, Ontario, on the local television station CHCH-TV
CHCH-DT (channel 11) is an independent television station in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Channel Zero (company), Channel Zero, the station maintains studios on Innovation Drive in the west end of Hamilton; prior to 2021, it was located ...
, filming all of his 400 segments over the course of only a few days. In addition to the opening and closing monologs, his role in the show was to recite poems about various characters, sometimes wearing a cloak or other costumes. He appeared in '' The Abominable Dr. Phibes'' (1971), its sequel '' Dr. Phibes Rises Again'' (1972), and '' Theatre of Blood'' (1973), in which he portrayed one of two serial killer
A serial killer (also called a serial murderer) is a person who murders three or more people,An offender can be anyone:
*
*
*
*
* (This source only requires two people) with the killings taking place over a significant period of time in separat ...
s. That same year, he appeared as himself in '' Mooch Goes to Hollywood'', a film written by Jim Backus
James Gilmore Backus (February 25, 1913 – July 3, 1989) was an American actor. Among his most famous roles were Thurston Howell III on the 1960s sitcom ''Gilligan's Island,'' the father of James Dean's character in '' Rebel Without a Cause, ...
.
Price was an admirer of the works of Edgar Allan Poe, and in 1975 visited the Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, a city in the United States
* Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
, Virginia, where he had his picture taken with the museum's popular stuffed raven. Price also recorded dramatic readings of Poe's short stories and poems, which were collected together with readings by Basil Rathbone
Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was an Anglo-South African actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume drama ...
.
In 1975, Price and his wife Coral Browne appeared together in an international stage adaptation of ''Ardèle'', which played in the U.S. and in London at the Queen's Theatre. During this run, Browne and Price starred together in the BBC Radio play ''Night of the Wolf'' first airing in 1975. Price greatly reduced his film work from around 1975, as horror itself suffered a slump, and he increased his narrative and voice work, as well as advertising Milton Bradley
Milton Bradley (November 8, 1836 – May 30, 1911) was an American business magnate, game pioneer and publisher, credited by many with launching the board game industry, with Milton Bradley Company, his eponymous enterprise, which was purchased ...
's Shrunken Head Apple Sculpture.
Price provided a monolog for the Alice Cooper
Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...
song "The Black Widow" on the '' Welcome to My Nightmare'' album in 1975, and he appeared in the corresponding TV special '' Alice Cooper: The Nightmare''. He starred for a year in the early 1970s in the syndicated daily radio program ''Tales of the Unexplained''. He made guest appearances in a 1970 episode of ''Here's Lucy
''Here's Lucy'' is an American sitcom starring Lucille Ball. The series co-starred her long-time comedy partner Gale Gordon and her real-life children Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. It was broadcast on CBS from 1968 to 1974. It was Ball's third ...
'', showcasing his art expertise, and in a 1972 episode of ABC's ''The Brady Bunch
''The Brady Bunch'' is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired five seasons from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family of six children, with three boys and three gir ...
'', in which he played a deranged archaeologist
Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...
. In October 1976, he appeared as the featured guest in an episode of ''The Muppet Show
''The Muppet Show'' is a variety sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and starring the Muppets. It is presented as a variety show, featuring recurring sketches and musical numbers interspersed with ongoing plot-lines with ru ...
''. In 1977, Price recorded a cover version of Bobby "Boris" Pickett's 1962 Single record The Monster Mash produced by UK record producers Ken Burgess and Bob Newby and released in the UK by EMI Records
EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a British multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company EMI in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succes ...
.
Also in 1977, Price began performing as Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet, and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential playwright ...
in the one-man stage play ''Diversions and Delights'', written by John Gay and directed by Joe Hardy, and set in a Parisian theater on a night about one year before Wilde's death. The original tour of the play was a success in every city except for New York City. In the summer of 1979, Price performed the role of Wilde at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville
Leadville ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory city, statutory city that is the county seat, the most populous community, and the only List of municipalities in Colorado, incorporated municipality in Lake County, Colorado, Lak ...
, Colorado, on the same stage from which Wilde had spoken to miners about art some 96 years before. He eventually performed the play worldwide. Victoria Price stated in her biography of her father that several members of Price's family and friends thought that this was his best acting performance.
In 1979, Price starred with his wife in the short-lived CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
series '' Time Express''. That same year he hosted the hour-long television special ''America Screams'', riding on several roller coaster
A roller coaster is a type of list of amusement rides, amusement ride employing a form of elevated Railway track, railroad track that carries passengers on a roller coaster train, train through tight turns, steep slopes, and other elements, usua ...
s and recounting their history. During 1979–1980, he hosted the "Mystery Night" segment of the radio series ''Sears Radio Theater
''Sears Radio Theater'' was a radio drama anthology series which ran weeknights on CBS Radio in 1979, sponsored by the Sears chain. Often paired with ''The CBS Radio Mystery Theater'' during its first season, the program offered a different g ...
''.
Later career
In 1982, Price provided the narrator's voice in ''Vincent
Vincent (Latin: ''Vincentius'') is a masculine given name originating from the Roman name ''Vincentius'', which itself comes from the Latin verb ''vincere'', meaning "to conquer."
People with the given name Artists
*Vincent Apap (1909–2003) ...
,'' Tim Burton
Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and producer. Known for popularizing Goth subculture, Goth culture in the American film industry, Burton is famous for his Gothic film, gothic horror and dark fantasy films. ...
's six-minute film about a young boy who flashes from reality into a fantasy where he is Vincent Price. That same year, Price provided the spoken-word sequence throughout the Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
song " Thriller", and appeared as Sir Despard Murgatroyd in a television production of Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) and to the works they jointly created. The two men collaborated on fourteen com ...
's '' Ruddigore'' (with Keith Michell as Robin Oakapple). In 1983, he played the Sinister Man in the British spoof horror film '' Bloodbath at the House of Death''. He appeared in '' House of the Long Shadows'' with Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing
Peter Wilton Cushing (26 May 1913 – 11 August 1994) was an English actor. His acting career spanned over six decades and included appearances in more than 100 films, as well as many television, stage and radio roles. He achieved recognition f ...
, and John Carradine
John Carradine ( ; born Richmond Reed Carradine; February 5, 1906 – November 27, 1988) was an American actor, considered one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. He was a member of Cecil B. DeMille's stock company and later J ...
; he had worked with each of those actors at least once in previous decades, but this was the first time that all had teamed up. One of his last major roles, and one of his favorites, was as the voice of Professor Ratigan in Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film Film production company, production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios (division), the Walt Disney Studios, a division of Disney Entertainment, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. The st ...
' ''The Great Mouse Detective
''The Great Mouse Detective'' (released as ''Basil the Great Mouse Detective'' in some countries and ''The Adventures of the Great Mouse Detective'' during its 1992 re-release) is a 1986 American animated mystery adventure film produced by W ...
'' in 1986.
From 1981 to 1989, Price hosted the PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
television series ''Mystery!
''Mystery!'' is an anthology television series produced by WGBH Boston for PBS in the United States.
The series was created as a mystery, police and crime drama spin-off of the PBS show ''Masterpiece Theatre''. From 1980 to 2007, ''Mystery!' ...
'' In 1985, he provided voice talent on the Hanna-Barbera series '' The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo'' as the mysterious "Vincent Van Ghoul", who aided Scooby-Doo, Scrappy-Doo, and the gang in recapturing thirteen demons. He was a lifelong fan of roller coasters, and he narrated a 1987 thirty-minute documentary on the history of roller coasters and amusement parks, including Coney Island
Coney Island is a neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the south and west, and Gravesend to ...
. During this time (1985–1989), he appeared in horror-themed commercials for Tilex bathroom cleanser.
In 1984, Price appeared in Shelley Duvall
Shelley Alexis Duvall (July 7, 1949 – July 11, 2024) was an American actress and producer. She is known for her distinctive screen presence, her portrayals of eccentric characters, and her later productions in children's programming. Her acco ...
's live-action series ''Faerie Tale Theatre
''Faerie Tale Theatre'' (also known as ''Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre'') is an American award-winning live-action fairytale fantasy drama anthology television series created and presented by actress Shelley Duvall. The series originally ...
'' as the Mirror in "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", and the narrator for "The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers". In 1987, he starred with Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...
, Lillian Gish
Lillian Diana Gish (October 14, 1893 – February 27, 1993) was an American actress best known for her work in movies of the silent era. Her film-acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912, in silent film shorts, to 1987. Gish was dubbed the "F ...
, and Ann Sothern
Ann Sothern (born Harriette Arlene Lake; January 22, 1909 – March 15, 2001) was an American actress who worked on stage, radio, film, and television, in a career that spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career in the late 1920s ...
in '' The Whales of August,'' a story of two sisters living in Maine
Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
facing the end of their days. His performance in ''The Whales of August'' earned an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male.
In 1989, Price was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame. His last significant film work was as the inventor in Tim Burton's ''Edward Scissorhands
''Edward Scissorhands'' is a 1990 American gothic romantic fantasy film directed by Tim Burton. It was produced by Burton and Denise Di Novi, written by Caroline Thompson from a story by her and Burton, and starring Johnny Depp as the title ...
'' (1990).
In 1990, Price recorded the narration of the Phantom for the Phantom Manor
Phantom Manor is a dark ride attraction in Frontierland at Disneyland Park (Paris), Disneyland Park in Disneyland Paris. Phantom Manor is the park's version of The Haunted Mansion attractions at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland, a ...
attraction at Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris is an entertainment resort in Marne-la-Vallée, France, located about east of Paris. It encompasses two theme parks, seven Disney-owned hotels, two convention centers, a golf course, an arena, and a shopping, dining and entert ...
. However, shortly after the ride opened in 1992, the narration was removed and replaced with one entirely in French, performed by Gérard Chevalier. Only Price's infamous laughter remained on the soundtrack. In 2018, during a major renovation, it was announced that parts of Price's narration would be restored. Since the 2019 reopening, the new tracks are dual-language; Price's original excerpts as well as previously unused material from his 1990 recording comprise the English-speaking portions, while actor Bernard Alane voices the Phantom in French.
Art
Price, who studied art history at Yale, was an art lover and collector. He was a commissioner of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board.
In 1957, impressed by the spirit of the students and the community's need for the opportunity to experience original artworks firsthand, Vincent and Mary Grant Price donated 90 pieces from their private collection and a large amount of money to establish the Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park, California
Monterey Park is a city in the western San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, approximately east of the Downtown Los Angeles civic center. It is bordered by Alhambra, California, Alhambra, East Los Angeles, ...
, which was the first "teaching art collection" owned by a community college
A community college is a type of undergraduate higher education institution, generally leading to an associate degree, certificate, or diploma. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an open enr ...
in the United States. They ultimately donated some 2,000 pieces; the collection contains over 9,000 pieces and has been valued in excess of $5 million.
Price also spent time working as an art consultant for Sears, Roebuck and Co. From 1962 to 1971, Sears offered the "Vincent Price Collection of Fine Art", selling about 50,000 fine-art prints to the general public. Works that Price selected or commissioned for the collection included some by Rembrandt
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (; ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), mononymously known as Rembrandt was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and Drawing, draughtsman. He is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in ...
, Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, Ceramic art, ceramicist, and Scenic ...
, and Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (11 May 190423 January 1989), known as Salvador Dalí ( ; ; ), was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, ...
. Public access to fine art was important to Price, who, according to his daughter Victoria, saw the Sears deal as an "opportunity to put his populist beliefs into practice, to bring art to the American public." In the 1960s, portraits of Native Americans painted by Charles Bird King were secured for Jacqueline Kennedy
Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American writer, book editor, and socialite who served as the first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A popular f ...
's White House restoration. Through the efforts of Vincent Price, these five paintings were paid for and donated to the White House Collection by Sears.
Price amassed his own extensive collection of art, and in 2008, a painting bought for $25 by a couple from Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
was identified as a piece from Price's collection. Painted by leading Australian modernist Grace Cossington Smith, it was given a modern valuation of AU$45,000.
Cooking
Price was a gourmet cook, and he authored several cookbooks with his second wife, Mary. These include:
* ''A Treasury of Great Recipes'' (1965)
* ''Mary and Vincent Price present a National Treasury of Cookery'' (1967)
* ''Mary and Vincent Price's Come into the Kitchen Cook Book: A Collector's Treasury of America's Great Recipes'' (1969)
* ''Cooking Price-Wise with Vincent Price'' (1971)
''Mary and Vincent Price present a National Treasury of Cookery'' was a five-volume series, packaged in a boxed set and published by the Heirloom Publishing Company. These five books were combined into a single book two years later and published as ''Mary and Vincent Price's Come into the Kitchen Cook Book: A Collector's Treasury of America's Great Recipes''. Most of the Prices' cookbooks remained in print throughout the 1970s. After being out of print for several decades, two of their books were reprinted; ''A Treasury of Great Recipes'' (in August 2015 by Calla Editions) and ''Mary and Vincent Price's Come into the Kitchen Cook Book'' (in November 2016 by Calla Editions), both featuring new forewords by their daughter Victoria Price. ''Cooking Price-Wise with Vincent Price'' was scheduled to be reprinted by Dover Publishing in October 2017 under the updated title ''Cooking Price-Wise – The Original Foodie''.
The movie '' His Kind of Woman'' has a comedic scene in which Price, having invited Jane Russell
Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell (June 21, 1921 – February 28, 2011) was an American actress, model, and singer. She was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s and starred in more than 20 films throughout her career.
R ...
and Robert Mitchum
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He is known for his antihero roles and film noir appearances. He received nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. He received a star on the Holl ...
to dinner, receives bad news. He plays the entire scene holding a duck in his hand, ready to be cooked "soaked in sherry with only salt, sage, and pepper."
In 1971, Price hosted his own cooking program on British television, called ''Cooking Price-Wise'' produced for the ITV network by Thames Television
Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992.
Thames Television broa ...
, which was broadcast in April and May 1971. This show gave its name to Price's fourth and final cookbook later that year. Price promoted his cookbooks on many talk shows, one of the most famous instances being the November 21, 1975, broadcast of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Johnny Carson, it aired from October 1, 1962 to May 22, 1992, replacing ''T ...
'', when he demonstrated how to poach a fish in a dishwasher.
Price recorded a number of audio cooking tutorials titled ''International Cooking Course''. These were titled ''Bounty of Paradise'', ''Classical Spanish Cuisine'', ''Cuisina Italiana'', ''Delights from the Sultan's Pantry'', ''Dinner at the Casbah'', ''Dining at Versailles'', ''Exotic Delights from the Far East'', ''Food of the Gods'', ''Foods from the Austro-Hungarian Empire'', ''La Cocina Mejicana'', ''The Bard's Board'', and ''The Wok''. In addition to those, he recorded an audio wine course titled ''Wine Is Elegance''. These audio recordings were released on 33⅓ LPs by Nelson Industries in 1977 and were also packaged in a 12-cassette boxed set titled ''Beverly Hills Cookbook – Cookbook of the Rich and Famous, Your Host Mr. Vincent Price''.
In August 1982, he co-hosted ''A Taste of China'' for Thames Television over five episodes. He also prepared a fish recipe on Wolfgang Puck
Wolfgang Johannes Puck (born July 8, 1949) is an Austrian chef and restaurateur.
Early life
Puck was born in Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria. He learned cooking from his mother, who was a pastry chef. He took the surname of his stepfather, Jos ...
's ''Cooking with Wolfgang Puck'' VHS
VHS (Video Home System) is a discontinued standard for consumer-level analog video recording on tape cassettes, introduced in 1976 by JVC. It was the dominant home video format throughout the tape media period of the 1980s and 1990s.
Ma ...
, released in October 1987 by Warner Home Video
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, Inc. (doing business as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment; formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the American home video distribution ...
.
Personal life
Price married three times. His first marriage was in 1938 to former actress Edith Barrett; they had one son, poet and columnist Vincent Barrett Price. Edith and Price divorced in 1948. Price married Mary Grant in 1949, and they had a daughter, inspirational speaker Victoria Price, on April 27, 1962, naming her after Price's first major success in the play ''Victoria Regina''. The marriage lasted until 1973. He married Australian actress Coral Browne in 1974; she had appeared as one of his victims in ''Theatre of Blood'' (1973). The marriage lasted until her death in 1991.
Victoria Price's biography ''Vincent Price: A Daughter's Biography'' (1999) details Price's early antisemitism
Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...
and initial admiration for Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
. According to his daughter: "When he went to Germany and Austria as a young man, he was struck by a lot of things going on during the Weimar Republic and the dissolution of the German Empire, empire... So when Hitler came into power, instead of seeing him as a dangerous force, he was sort of swept up in this whole idea that Hitler was going to bring German pride back." However, Price became a Modern liberalism in the United States, liberal after becoming friends with New York intellectuals such as Dorothy Parker and Lillian Hellman in the 1930s, so much so that he was "Hollywood blacklist, greylisted" under McCarthyism in the 1950s for having been a prewar antifascism, "premature anti-Nazi". After being unable to find work for a year, he agreed to requests by the FBI that he sign a "secret oath" to save his career. Victoria said that her father became so liberal that "one of my brother's earliest memories is when Franklin Roosevelt's death was announced, my father fell backward off the sofa sobbing."
Price denounced racial and religious prejudice as a form of poison at the end of an episode of ''The Saint'', which aired on NBC Radio on July 30, 1950,
claiming that Americans must fight against it because such prejudices within the United States fuel support for the nation's enemies. He was later appointed to the Indian Arts and Crafts Board under the Dwight D. Eisenhower administration; he called the appointment "kind of a surprise, since I am a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat".
Price was supportive of his daughter Victoria when she came out as a lesbian and joined PFLAG as an honorary board member. He was critical of Anita Bryant's anti-gay rights campaign in the 1970s. Price was also one of the first celebrities to film a public service announcement to help allay public fears about HIV/AIDS. In an interview in 2015, Victoria said that her father confided in her his bisexuality, intimate, though nonsexual, relationships with men when she came out to him as a lesbian.[
]
Illness and death
Price suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and Parkinson's disease. His symptoms were especially severe during the filming of ''Edward Scissorhands'', requiring his filming schedule to be shortened. His illness also contributed to his retirement from ''Mystery!'' in 1989.
Price died at age 82 of lung cancer on October 25, 1993, at his home in Los Angeles, California. His remains were cremated and his ashes scattered off Nicholas Canyon Beach, near Point Dume in Malibu, California, Malibu.
Legacy
The A&E Network aired an episode of ''Biography (TV program), Biography'' the night following Price's death, highlighting his horror-film career, but because of its failure to clear copyrights, the show was never aired again. Four years later, A&E produced its updated episode, titled ''Vincent Price: The Versatile Villain'', which aired on October 12, 1997. The script was by Lucy Chase Williams, author of ''The Complete Films of Vincent Price''. In early 1991, Tim Burton was developing a personal documentary with the working title ''Conversations with Vincent,'' in which interviews with Price were shot at the Vincent Price Gallery, but the project was never completed and was eventually shelved.
Price was an honorary board member and strong supporter of the Witch's Dungeon Classic Movie Museum in Bristol, Connecticut, until his death in 1993. The museum features detailed life-sized wax replicas of characters from some of Price's films, including ''The Fly,'' ''The Abominable Dr. Phibes,'' and ''The Masque of the Red Death.'' A black-box theater at Price's alma mater, Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School, is named after him.
"Vincent Twice, Vincent Twice" was a muppet who hosted "Mysterious Theater" on ''Sesame Street'', spoofing Price's hosting of ''Mystery!'' Price was parodied in an episode of ''The Simpsons'' ("Sunday, Cruddy Sunday"). Price had his own ''Spitting Image'' puppet, who was always trying to be "sinister" and lure people into his ghoulish traps, only for his victims to point out all the obvious flaws. ''Rhythmeen'', the ZZ Top album from 1996, includes a track named "Vincent Price Blues".
Starting in November 2005, featured cast member Bill Hader of the NBC sketch comedy/variety show ''Saturday Night Live'' has played Price in a recurring sketch in which Price hosts botched holiday specials filled with celebrities of the 1950s/'60s. Other cast members who played Price on ''SNL'' include Dan Aykroyd and Michael McKean (who played Price when he hosted a season-10 episode and again when he was hired as a cast member for the 1994–95 season).
In 1999, a frank and detailed biography of Price written by his daughter, Victoria, was published by St. Martin's Press. In late May 2011, an event was held by the organization Cinema St. Louis to celebrate what would have been Price's 100th birthday. It included a public event with Victoria at the Missouri History Museum and a showcase of ephemeral and historic items at the gallery inside the Sheldon Concert Hall.[Patrick Clark]
Sheldon Gallery Celebrates Vincent Price's 100th Birthday
KPLR11.com, April 19, 2011.
In an unusual convergence of widely different generational and cultural backgrounds, the genteel Price was a friend of the English hard rock band Deep Purple and in 1975, he appeared on Roger Glover's live version of ''The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast'' as a narrator. Decades later, in 2013, Deep Purple released "Vincent Price (song), Vincent Price", a single the band members dedicated to him. That same year, American director and writer John Waters composed a "heartfelt and appreciative" retrospective on Price for Turner Classic Movies, which recognized the actor as its "Star of the Month" in October 2013 and showcased then a selection of his most popular films.["TCM Star of the Month Vincent Price October 2013 John Waters Retrospective"](_blank)
video copy, Turner Classic Movies, Atlanta, Georgia; originally posted on YouTube by SonOfASpaceApe, October 6, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2019. The tribute was repeatedly broadcast on TCM to promote and complement those televised presentations. In sharing with viewers his feelings about Price, Waters at one point describes the actor's screen appeal, especially when he was featured in darker roles:
Filmography
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Introductions to works by others
* Peter Haining (ed). ''The Ghouls''. New York: Stein and Day, 1971.
* Tom Hutchinson. ''Horror and Fantasy in the Movies''. New York: Crescent Books, 1974.
Audio books
*
References
External links
Vincent Price Official Website
*
*
*
*
Vincent Price Gallery
St. Louis Walk of Fame
Vincent Price Papers catalog
Vincent Price
at Virtual History
Cooking with Vincent, A Treasury Of Great Recipes
Vincent Price Papers (MS 1625).
Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Price, Vincent
1911 births
1993 deaths
20th Century Studios contract players
20th-century American art collectors
20th-century American businesspeople
20th-century American essayists
20th-century American LGBTQ people
20th-century American male actors
20th-century American male writers
Alumni of the Courtauld Institute of Art
American art writers
American autobiographers
American bisexual male actors
American bisexual writers
American cookbook writers
American expatriates in the United Kingdom
American LGBTQ rights activists
American male film actors
American male non-fiction writers
American male radio actors
American male stage actors
American male television actors
American male voice actors
American people of English descent
American people of Welsh descent
American television hosts
Articles containing video clips
Audiobook narrators
Caedmon Records artists
California Democrats
Deaths from lung cancer in California
LGBTQ actors with disabilities
LGBTQ people from California
LGBTQ people from Missouri
LGBTQ people from New York (state)
Male actors from Los Angeles
Male actors from St. Louis
Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School alumni
Missouri Democrats
People with Parkinson's disease
Philanthropists from New York (state)
Writers from Los Angeles
Writers from Missouri
The Yale Record alumni