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1940 |
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The first entry in Universal's revived "Mummy" series features Western star Tom Tyler as the bandaged Kharis, who sips a little tana-leaf tea and is sent to kill the defilers of an Egyptian tomb. George Zucco co-stars as the priest who brings Kharis to life, and Peggy Moran is the reincarnation of his long-lost love.
Cast
Dick Foran .... Steve Banning
Peggy Moran .... Marta Solvani
Wallace Ford .... Babe Jenson
Eduardo Ciannelli .... The High Priest
George Zucco .... Professor Andoheb, High Priest of Karnak
Cecil Kellaway .... The Great Solvani
Tom Tyler .... Kharis, the Mummy
Sig Arno .... The Beggar
Eddie Foster .... Egyptian Starting Fight
Harry Stubbs .... Bartender
Michael Mark .... Bazaar Owner
Charles Trowbridge .... Dr. Petrie of the Cairo Museum
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Mary Jeanette Moran was born in Clinton, Iowa. The
daughter of Louise Scott,
a dancer with the famous Denishawn Dancers, and the celebrated
Pin-up artist Earl Moran, whose paintings graced many a barracks wall
during World War II.
From early childhood she was called by the
nickname, "Peggy". Peggy's mother took six-year-old Peggy
to the office of Derio, a famous psychic of the time. Although Derio
did not have the time for them, when he came out of his office into
the hall he passed Peggy and her mother. Looking down at Peggy, he
simply said, "an actress." From that moment on Peggy knew
she was destined to act.
She landed her first featured role, co-starring
with Gene Autry in the 1938 Republic western "Rhythm of the
Saddle." The following year found her appearing in the Greta
Garbo classic "Ninotchka," which also starred Melvyn
Douglas and Bela Lugosi. She went on to appear in about 30 films
between 1939 and 1942, many of which took only weeks to shoot. Among
them was One Night In The Tropics (1940) the
first Abbott and Costello movie, in
which she played a vampish night-club singer; and opposite Roy Rogers
in King Of The Cowboys (1943), playing second fiddle to Trigger,
"the smartest horse in the movies". Horror film enthusiasts
will remember her not only for the "Mummy's Hand" but also
for another thriller, "Horror Island." The Ben Pivar
production is noteworthy for being one of director George Waggner's
first horror films. Nicknamed the
"Shreiking Violet, her scream rivalled any of the Scream Queens
destined to grace the silver screen.
The lovely actress departed Universal when director
Henry Koster proposed marriage, an offer she happily accepted. Not
that it stopped us from seeing Peggy Moran in every Koster
production, Koster had a bust made Peggy Moran and used that statue
in every one of his films."
In late August, 2002, Peggy Moran was a passenger
in a car involved in a serious automobile accident in Oxnard,
California. Peggy Moran died October 25, 2002
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