The Day Boris Karloff Walked Into the Commissary and Changed Hollywood (Ep. 82)

The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Places & Travel, Society & Culture, Tv & Film

4.7 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 19 December 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Jim and Eric kick off this week’s show with a very on-brand travel mishap from Jim’s latest Hallmark-fueled road trip, then pivot back to the stuff you came for - Universal news, theme park weirdness, and one surprisingly deep dive into how Frankenstein’s Monster became the pop culture template we all still recognize today. Along the way: Epic Universe breadcrumbs, a Vegas horror venue that might be scarier for its empty queue than its monsters, and why Boris Karloff’s dentures deserve their own credit line. NEWS • Universal’s proposed UK theme park clears another hurdle, with the project advancing in the approvals process and still targeting a 2031 opening • Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas adds a holiday horror overlay, but reports suggest the venue can feel eerily empty even during a supposedly busy week • A new “Galactic Expo” mural lands inside the Men in Black Alien Attack gift shop, packed with sci-fi Easter eggs • A new Men in Black film is reportedly in development - and Jim has thoughts on what that could mean for the long-running attraction • Universal’s latest “Whatever Makes You Happy” merch drop leans hard into 1980s nostalgia, mashing up brands that make Eric do a double-take FEATURE • Why Universal rushed Frankenstein (1931) into production after Dracula hit big - and how it helped the studio dig out of debt • The behind-the-scenes moment when director James Whale spots Boris Karloff in the commissary and decides his face has “startling possibilities” • The unglamorous reality of monster-making: punishing makeup sessions, 65 pounds of costume, and the physical toll that followed Karloff for years • The lost-but-legendary Technicolor Frankenstein footage from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty that fans have been hunting for decades HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Eric Hersey - IG: @erichersey | X: @erichersey FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR Be Our Guest Vacations - plan your next adventure with a platinum-level, earmarked travel agency offering concierge service for Universal Orlando, Universal Hollywood, Disney parks, cruises, and more. Get started at beourguestvacations.com. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:45.3	Welcome back to the Epic Universal Podcast. I'm entertainment writer Jim Hill,
0:50.1	and this is the podcast where we cover the latest Universal news, rumors, and history. And as always,
0:56.5	I'm joined by Eric Hersey. And how are you this evening? Eric. I'm doing well, Jim. But you know,
1:01.9	you talk about we cover the latest universal news rumors. But I like to always say we also cover the latest in the
1:08.0	trials and tribulations of Jim Hill taking Nancy to Hallmark related
1:12.0	or Christmas cons. I feel like, you know, I get to hear firsthand some of these. So,
1:18.6	so it's my obligation to make sure that you tell these stories to everyone else. And you
1:23.2	have yourself a doozy from this weekend, right? Yeah, well, I mean, we were doing really well.
1:31.1	We got, Nancy and I left Thursday afternoon, drove down to Jersey, where Christmas
1:37.3	Con was held at the New Jersey Expo Center from Friday through Sunday.
1:43.2	And things are fine. We're getting a lot of work done.
1:45.9	In fact, Eric and Lauren I recorded a show for Patreon, oddly enough, about Universal
1:51.5	Related. It was the three of us discussing Epic Universe, how you guys were there for the very
1:56.9	first day of the annual passholder preview. and then six months later, I was there for
2:03.1	IAPA. We were sort of doing compare and contrast. So the problem started on Sunday morning,
	...

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