Vincent Leonard Price Jr.
His Distinctive Voice and Master of Horror on film, his Life Spanned 50+ Years of other Genres; film, drama, mystery, thriller, and comedy. Over a 100 films, he was so Versatile, being on stage, television, and radio.
The following website is really good reading on Vincent Price.
https://www.vincentprice.com/pages/about-vincent-price
Plus Check Out Deep Purple's UTube Music Video, "Vincent"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEWYRRaxFhU
"Just for Fiendishly FUN, Try and Spot Vincent Price's FILM REFERENCES that
Deep Purple has in this Music Video"
Visit On YouTube the LINK to Vincent Price Biography
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRlUIrcb4WU
Vincent was an Intellectual, an Art Critic, and He Had a WICKED Sense
of Humor . Born in St. Louis, Missouri, May 27th, 1911. Vincent was the youngest of four children born into an Upper Middle Class Family.
He had a cultured upbringing and was educated in private schools. Going to Yale University, Vincent studied Art History and English. Touring Europe at the age of 16, he traveled to England to Study the fine arts at University of London.
At the Age of 24, he landed his first major stage role, playing Prince Albert in a London production of Victoria Regina. The play moved to Broadway, with Helen Hayes as Price's co-star, and it became a big hit and from there, it wasn't long before Vincent Price made his way to the silver screen. First and Foremost, Vincent Price was a Man of the Stage.
At First, he would Start Out as a Dramatic Actor. His physical appearance and especially his Distinctive Voice lead him to 'character roles'. He was a very versatile actor. One of Vincent's most famous early roles was in the 1944 film classic Laura, which was directed by Otto Preminger . Over All, his Favorite Film; being a Comedy, was " 1950's Champagne for Caesar ." At Least 58 films to credit of Vincent Price.
His First 'Horror Film' was the 1953 House of Wax in 3D
although he pretty much Fine Tuned his Character Type that he had estabished in his First Touch to the 'Horror Genre' in the 1946 Film 'Dragonwyck'. As his career progressed, he admitted to being a Ham, but the truth of the matter is his deliberate Restraint in Over-The-Top Acting, is a Major Tribute to His Acting Ability.
The Link below is a UTube Video of Vincent Price doing Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2p0zhz
Another Good Web Site and is Very Personal about Vincent Price is https://www.facebook.com/MasterofMenace/
The Vincent Price Facebook Page is Handled and Maintained by his Family
So from April 10th, 1953, Vincent Price firmly established himself into the Cult Horror Genre that he couldn't escape. For the Rest of the 50's, the majority of his films were Low-Budget in which he was the Main Focused Character; The Mad Magician (1954), The Fly, House on Haunted Hill, The Tingler, Return of the Fly, and The Bat. These 'Horror' Movies were but a Few, as Vincent Price was Continually Working. Starting with his association with Roger Corman, Vincent received a script for ' The Fall of the House of Usher' in the late 50's. This began a cycle of cost-effective films based on short stories by Edgar Allen Poe. Vincent Price as the Main Character; Roderick Usher, was Roger Corman's "First and Only Choice". What Really Cemented the deal, other than the $50,000 salary, was his chance "to express the Psychology of Poe's characters" and Inspire the 7 total Movie versions With the Spirit of Edgar Allen Poe. All the movies were Box Office Successes. From the release of 'House of Usher' 1960, 'Pit and the Pendulum' 1961, 'Premature Burial' 1962 (Noticeably missing Vincent Price), 'Tales of Terror' 1962, 'The Haunted Palace' 1963, 'The Masque of the Red Death' 1964, and 'The Tomb of Ligeia' 1964. For the rest of the 60s, Vincent was content to remain in his Realm. He spoofed himself as 'Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine' 1965 and as Villlan Egghead on the 1966 Batman series. During the 70s, Vincent Rose to Play Very Seriously, Dr Anton Phibes, 'The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) and it's sequel, 'Dr. Phibes Rises Again' (1972) he had said that he had to play the character "very seriously so that it would come out funny".
In Most of the 70s and 80s, he really restricted himself to doing Voice-Overs and TV Guest shots. His Final Role was that of Inventor in 'Edward Scissorhands' (1993) a Role that was specifically written for him.
Some Trademarks of Vincent Price with his Very Distinctive low-pitched voice and his Atmospheric Narration with his Ecstatic, Hysterical, and Terrifying Laugh is Number 1 in My Book.
Playing imposing, menacing characters in Horror films who wanted Revenge on those who wronged him and very Frequently Vincent played Villains who Died screaming.
Being One of the ' 4 KINGS of HORROR ', Vincent Price is Surely Missed. He died of lung cancer on October 25,1993, at UCLA Medical Center at the age of 82. His remains were cremated and his ashes scattered off Point Dume in Malibu, California.
