'Green Slime' Actor Jack Morris Passes Away at Age 84

Jack Morris (right) poses with Robert Horton. Photo courtesy of Jack Morris. The Green Slime © 1968, Toei Co., Ltd.

According to a longtime friend of the actor, Jack Morris, who appeared as Lt. Morris in the made-in-Japan cult classic The Green Slime (1968), passed away last night, September 20. He was 84.

John Robert Morris was born on April 29, 1940, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Mr. Morris moved to Japan in 1967 and eventually returned to Canada in 1972. Mr. Morris spoke extensively about his memories making The Green Slime in my 2021 interview with him, which you can find here.

He is survived by his wife Kyoko, as well as his children James, John, and Mika. 

Rest in peace to a friendly gentleman. Sincere condolences to Mr. Morris' family and friends.

'The Green Slime' Invades the Laputa Asagaya in 35mm!

Signage for The Green Slime screening at the Laputa Asagaya. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight (Monday, February 20), I had the privilege of seeing The Green Slime (1968) in 35mm. I'd seen the movie projected twice before -- once in an old-timey theater way back in March 1996, and the other time in November 2009 at an L.A.-area convention. As far as I know, both screenings were from the same 16mm print owned by a private collector.

Interestingly, though, I didn't sit through the entire film either time. In 1996, I wasn't all that interested in the movie (to be perfectly honest), so I would occasionally leave my seat to check out the videos on sale in the theater lobby. In 2009, I assisted Luciana Paluzzi at her autograph table and only caught about the first third or so of the movie.

Publicity material for The Green Slime in the theater lobby. Photo by Brett Homenick.

So this screening promised to be much different, and it would be presented in the far superior 35mm format. The only drawback was that it was the inferior Japanese cut of the film, which edits out as much of the drama as possible. The runtime for this version is only 77 minutes, so you can get an idea of how much got left on the cutting room floor.

Out and about in Asagaya. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The print itself was in good condition, and none of the typical imperfections one normally gets with such prints was that distracting. It did seem to my eye, however, that the first few minutes were a bit faded, but after that the print looked great to me. 

Naturally, I enjoyed the film, and it was especially fun seeing so many people I've interviewed over the years in the movie. I finally got to get a good look at the late Tom Korzeniowski (billed here as Tom Conrad) in the film, which was the icing on the cake. I also have to give the three leads a lot of credit for giving it their all in what must have seemed like a rather silly film.

It's quite amusing to think that, just three years after The Green Slime, Richard Jaeckel would appear in the Paul Newman-directed drama Sometimes a Great Notion (1971), which would earn him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. The Green Slime helped pave the way to the Academy Awards ceremony!

All in all, it was another fun evening at the Laputa Asagaya for the theater's Science Fiction Film Festival program. Hard to believe there are only two films left before it ends. I'm really glad I finally got to see The Green Slime properly in 35mm. It's just too bad it wasn't the American version! Can't win 'em all, though.

Robert Horton Biography Now Available!

Robert Horton poses with The Green Slime costar Luciana Paluzzi in Los Angeles in 2009. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Author Aileen Elliott's biography of actor Robert Horton entitled In Search of Flint McCullough and Robert Horton: The Man Behind the Myth has just been published by BearManor Media. This 356-page tome promises to be the most in-depth examination of the actor's life and career ever published.

Robert Horton, with his wife Marilynn Bradley Horton, prepares to sign autographs. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Sometime after his passing in 2016, I was contacted by the author and conducted an interview by email about my memories of Mr. Horton. I was happy to have the opportunity to contribute to the book and look forward to seeing how everything turned out.

I had the privilege of interviewing Mr. Horton in 2008 and stayed in touch with him until his passing. I always enjoyed our telephone conversations and wish we still could have more. I met him for the first time at a screening of the The Green Slime (1968) in Los Angeles in 2009. In the summer of 2012, Mr. Horton invited me to visit him at his home when I visited L.A. from Japan. 

Fans of The Green Slime ought to give In Search of Flint McCullough and Robert Horton: The Man Behind the Myth a read. When I get the chance, I know I will!

'The Green Slime' Comes to Vantage Point Interviews!

Jack Morris (in the cast) mourns Richard Jaeckel. Photo courtesy of Jack Morris. The Green Slime © 1968, Toei Co., Ltd.

A brand-new interview has just been posted to Vantage Point Interviews, this time with Jack Morris, a veteran of the cult classic The Green Slime (1968). The interview features plenty of never-before-seen behind-the-scenes photos from Mr. Morris' personal collection!

Content is king at Vantage Point Interviews, and this interview is certainly no exception. Check it out today!

In Memory of Robert Horton

Robert Horton reunites with his Green Slime co-star Luciana Paluzzi in November 2009. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I woke up this morning to the news that actor Robert Horton passed away at the age of 91. Whether you knew him as Flint McCullough on Wagon Train or as Jack Rankin in The Green Slime (1968), Robert Horton filled his roles with a commanding presence that few actors could match.

I had the distinct privilege of interviewing Mr. Horton about The Green Slime in mid-2008. He had a wonderful sense of humor about the film and was completely honest with how he felt about it. (More on that a bit later.) When I finished transcribing the interview, I mailed him a hard copy of the transcript, and he made a few notes on it about some changes that needed to be made. Working with Mr. Horton on the interview was a lot of fun all around.

Meeting Robert Horton for the first time at an autograph show in Los Angeles, November 2009.

In late 2009, I got word about an upcoming Green Slime reunion at an L.A.-based comic book convention. Luciana Paluzzi and Robert Horton were scheduled to attend, and The Green Slime itself would be screened! I immediately made plans to attend.

I spent the early part of the show at Luciana Paluzzi's table, talking with and assisting her. But, when it was time for The Green Slime to screen, I joined the audience. Robert Horton himself was in the audience, and I was surprised to see him watching the film with a big smile on his face. Even though I was sitting a bit far away, I could tell he was having a blast watching the film with the rest of us. During the Q&A, he confirmed that he had a change of heart and specifically praised the first third of the film as having been well done. What a pleasant surprise that was!

Robert Horton prepares to sign autographs at his table. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Over the years, and even after I moved to Japan, we kept in touch. Mr. Horton never used e-mail or the Internet, so whenever I wanted to speak with him, I called him. I remember one instance, in October 2011, I phoned him from Japan in the morning, just before leaving for work. We had a nice conversation, and when it was finished, I walked to the Japanese kindergarten (where I was scheduled to teach the kids that morning) in high spirits.

In the summer of 2012, I stayed in Los Angeles for about a week at the home of Ib and Cleo Melchior. During that stay, I made an appointment to visit Mr. Horton at his home. I brought my laptop to show him the photos of the Great Buddha statue in Kamakura (which he visited in Japan during the making of The Green Slime). We had a great time chatting. I only wish I could have stayed longer.

Visiting Robert Horton at his home in the summer of 2012.

I'd always send him a Christmas and birthday card, and I'd give him a call every so often. I enjoyed his dry sense of humor (he reminded me a lot of Rhodes Reason in that way), and the kindness he showed me is something I'll always appreciate.

In his memory, I have posted my 2008 interview with Mr. Horton on Vantage Point Interviews. If you enjoy The Green Slime, it's certainly well worth a read.

Thank you for everything, Mr. Horton. Your friends and fans will always remember you.

Rondo Awards announced

The Classic Horror Film Board's annual Rondo Awards have been announced, and there are many great nominees. G-FAN and other Godzilla-related nominees are in abundance this year. Below are my, er, "suggestions" on how you should vote. I will cast my ballot for the following nominees, so I hope you'll do the same, too!

Best Book of 2009
-- MUSHROOM CLOUDS AND MUSHROOM MEN, The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda, by Peter H. Brothers. Examining the visionary behind 80 films and the origins of Japan's greatest monsters.

Best Magazine of 2009
-- G-FAN

Best Article of 2009 (PLEASE PICK TWO)
-- 'Cult Classic Commander,' by Brett Homenick, G-FAN #86. Interview with Robert Horton about his career and The Green Slime.

-- 'Godzilla, My Old Friend: Akira Takarada Talks about His Career, His Co-Stars', by Yutaka Ichimura (totorom), G-FAN #87. Interview with star of the original Gojira.

Best Magazine Cover
-- G-FAN #89 by Lee Munday

Best Horror Blog
-- The Good, the Bad, and Godzilla (August Ragone's G-blog)

Best Convention or Film Festival of 2009
-- G-FEST (Chicago)

Best Fan Event
-- Godzilla actor Kenji Sahara appears at G-FEST XVI, Rosemont, Ill.

For the entire ballot, please visit the Rondo Awards' official site: Rondo Hatton Awards. The instructions on how to vote are on the site, but here's the skinny:

HOW TO VOTE: All voting is by e-mail only. Simply copy this ballot and send an e-mail with your picks to me (David Colton), at taraco@aol.com by midnight, April 3, 2010.

THE RULES: One vote for person, please. Every e-mail must include your name to be counted. All votes are kept strictly confidential. No e-mail addresses or any personal information will ever be shared with anyone.

IMPORTANT: Organized voting campaigns (duplicated ballots, mass mailing efforts), are prohibited and can result in disqualification. Let's keep this a fun vote of monster fans. You do not have to vote in every category.

AGAIN HERE'S HOW TO VOTE: E-mail your selections from the ballot (cut-and-pasting the whole thing works fine), or you can type them into a separate e-mail, below to David Colton at taraco@aol.com. And please remember to include your name so your vote can be counted.

Remember, one Monster Kid, one vote.

The Green Slime 40th anniversary pictures

Brett with Nika Solomon and Luciana Paluzzi at her autograph table.

I'm writing a report on the event for G-FAN, but for right now, here are some pictures from the event. Enjoy!

Brett meets Robert Horton for the first time.

Robert Horton with his wife Marilynn at his autograph table.

Convention organizer Bruce Schwartz interviews Mr. Horton and Ms. Paluzzi. Bruce used my interview with Robert Horton in G-FAN #86 to help formulate questions.

With Nick Adams' daughter Allyson after wrapping up an interview with her about her father.