Before we talk about toys, we pause to reflect on the life of Bobby Beeman, a good friend, extraordinary human, excellent musician and influential toy collector who recently passed away.

After commemorating Bobby, we examine the Universal Monsters fast food premiums from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Burger King offered a beautifully designed set of four monster action figures in 1997, probably the best licensed Universal Monsters action figures since the 1980 Remco series. The lineup included Dracula, Frankenstein, Wolf Man and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Frankenstein and Wolf Man had Karloff and Chaney estate licensing.

A few years later, fast food rival Jack in the Box released two sets of Universal figures. The first included Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolf Man, Mummy, Creature and Phantom of the Opera.

The second series, which featured all-new sculpts and designs, included the same characters but dropped the Creature and replaced him with the Bride of Frankenstein - the only Bride figure in all three sets.

All three series touted fun action features, including lights, sound and windup movement.

Hopefully, we will have a Part 2 followup fast food episode next year with the White Castle monsters and Taco Bell Creature Crypts series. But this episode is more than enough fast food fun for you to pig out on in the meantime.

Exploring the 1990s knockoff horror wrestling toys made by Mannix.

Continue the monster talk by joining the "Raymond Castile's Basement of Horror" Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/644618149275833 Just be sure to answer the two security questions or you will be denied membership! Very few people bother to answer the security questions, so very few people get into the group. We run a tight ship in the Basement of Horror.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical production of The Phantom of the Opera has spawned a sea of kitschy tchotchkes, knickknacks and souvenirs, but not many actual toys. In this episode, we look at a few delightful ALW Phantom "toys" made by Enesco, a company known for gift store items and collector novelties. We also take a peek at some classic Phantom of the Opera toys from past decades.

Continue the monster talk by joining the "Raymond Castile's Basement of Horror" Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/644618149275833 Just be sure to answer the two security questions or you will be denied membership! Very few people bother to answer the security questions, so very few people get into the group. We run a tight ship in the Basement of Horror.

This video features a look at the expanding Dracula and Frankenstein monster toys made by Funstuf in 1978, part of the company's Ani-forms line that included the Rage Cage Incredible Hulk and expanding Ben Grim The Thing.

Before we talk about the Funstuf monsters, we spend time reminiscing about Bob Burns, a beloved Monster Kid pioneer who passed away Dec. 12, 2025, at age 90.

Continue the monster talk by joining the "Raymond Castile's Basement of Horror" Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/644618149275833

Just be sure to answer the two security questions or you will be denied membership! Very few people bother to answer the security questions, so very few people get into the group. We run a tight ship in the Basement of Horror.

In this episode, we meet the Louis Marx battery operated Whistling Spooky Kooky Tree, an iconic and infamously frightening mechanical toy from the 1960s. Probably inspired by the haunted trees in the Wizard of Oz, the Marx Spooky Tree waves its arms, rolls its eyes, open and closes its mouth and "runs" around unpredictably as it emits an eerie whistle. But after years in storage, will this vintage toy work when I put batteries in it?

Continue the monster talk by joining the "Raymond Castile's Basement of Horror" Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/644618149275833 Just be sure to answer the two security questions or you will be denied membership! Very few people bother to answer the security questions, so very few people get into the group. We run a tight ship in the Basement of Horror.

My friend Matt Jaycox sent me a delightful gift box, full of wonderful wrapped Christmas presents! I don't receive many Christmas gifts, so this was quite a pleasure. In face, I'm not sure I've experienced anything quite like this since childhood.

Matt's daughters, Shelley and Emily, picked out one of the gifts. They have been very excited to see this video, so I hope they enjoy it! Thank you Shelley and Emily! I hope you have a really fun Christmas!

And thank you, Matt! I tend to spend Christmas antsy, isolated and disappointed. You have made me want to stick my head out the window and throw some money at a boy on the street so he can go buy a plump goose that's still hanging in a shop window.

Regular viewers should be assured that there are plenty of things in these boxes to pique their interest. You will not want to miss some of these amazing items—things you would never see on this show if not for Matt.

Continue the monster talk by joining the Basement of Horror Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/644618149275833

Just be sure to answer the two security questions or you will be denied membership! Very few people bother to answer the security questions, so very few people get into the group. We run a tight ship in the Basement of Horror.

What does it take to bring a licensed toy to market? What is the process, and what are the pitfalls? Toy industry veterans Mike Drake and Barry Eldridge provide a behind-the-curtain glimpse into the world of licensed character toys and collectibles.

Have you ever wondered why a licensed toy doesn't look quite like the character does in the movie, TV show or comic book? Why are the colors off? Why doesn't the face resemble the actor? Why do companies make so many of certain characters, while ignoring other characters from the same franchise? What forces guide the decisions of studios, IP rights holders, retailers and toy companies?

It's a mysterious business, when observed from the outside. Authoritative, first-hand information is elusive. This in-depth interview with two industry insiders provides a rare opportunity to learn what kind of hurdles must be jumped before a new licensed action figure, doll, plush toy, model kit, statue, game, prop replica, lunch box, latex mask, T-shirt, poster, or any other official product hits the market. It can be a wild ride, and these two gentlemen have lived it.

Thank you to Mike Drake and Barry Eldridge for generously providing their time and expertise to make this special episode of Basement of Horror possible.

In the first half of this episode, I talk about my adventure flying to Atlanta to appear as a guest on The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs on the Shudder streaming network and AMC+. It was a great honor to be invited, and a thrill to be interviewed by Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy, and great fun to appear as Coffin Joe in a U.S. television show.

In the second half of this episode, I interview the amazing Shane Morton, a special effects makeup genius who has worked on feature films and television shows, the creator of the Cheddar Goblin from Mandy, a long-time horror host, and one of the driving forces behind the scenes on The Last Drive-In. Shane and I discuss how an episode of The Last Drive-In comes together, what it's like working with Joe Bob and the crew, and spend time evangelizing about Coffin Joe. We also discuss Spook Shows, horror hosting and other creepy topics. The interview begins at 1:38:06

I hope you enjoy this special holiday weekend episode, and I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Joe Bob Briggs

https://joebobbriggs.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoobJDOtrM8o6evbvbczwIdLIr08aAglx_q2D9tifnbX1FCCaj4a&v=2ecd53e541df

Shane Morton/Silver Scream Spook Show

https://www.silverscreamfxlab.com

Diary do Demonio (My diary of working with Coffin Joe in 2006 and 2008) https://www.stateofhorror.com/demonio.html

Happy Halloween! In this video, we looks at some fun Halloween novelty "decorations," or at least that's how they were marketed. Between you and me, these are toys. Dolls. Foam-filled dolls with latex skin. They were produced by different companies, but we will focus on seven dolls made by Paper Magic Group during the early 2000s, plus a couple made by Lanka Novelties around the same time, and some Universal Studios theme park dolls shown as examples of the toy genre.

Continue the monster talk by joining the Basement of Horror Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/644618149275833 Just be sure to answer the two security questions or you will be denied membership! We run a tight ship in the Basement of Horror.

Review of the new Shock Monster and Beast of Blood Mego-style action figures from Trick or Treat Studios. These are the first 8-inch costumed figures from TOTS, a company best known for producing Halloween masks.

Continue the monster talk by joining the Basement of Horror Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/644618149275833 Just be sure to answer the two security questions or you will be denied membership! We run a tight ship in the Basement of Horror.