EP#222 Caroline Munro

One of the most iconic production companies in the history of horror, Hammer’s productions and various sequels and spin-offs of Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolfman and the mummy are not just beloved by generations of genre fans but have endured just as the Universal Studios monster films have and become a lauded part of cinema history.

And Hammer didn’t just do classic monsters! Some of their original films such as “The Devil Rides Out” and “Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter” showed that Hammer wasn’t afraid to step outside their formula.

Hammer also provided career-making roles for several of the genres most beloved stars with Christopher Lee’s towering take on Dracula and Peter Cushing’s often scene-stealing performances as Doctor Frankenstein and Van Helsing.

The studio also had its share of dynamic leading ladies with legends such as Ingrid Pitt, Stephanie Beacham and Barbara Shelley. And that’s barely scratching the surface.

Our guest in this episode is one of Hammer’s great leading ladies. And a Bond Girl. And a Scream Queen.

Today we are joined by the radiant and brilliant, Caroline Munro.

Caroline was one of few actors to be signed to a contract by Hammer, something that wasn’t really a practice for the studio but they knew what they had with Caroline. An actor whose beauty is matched by her chops, her presence and her character. 

Caroline discusses her approach to the acting process, what she learned by working off screen legends such as Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Richard Widmark, the insecurity that is possessed by almost all actors and stealing scenes at the Cannes Film Festival with the great Joe Spinell.

Let’s bare our fangs and get ready to dance on a Sunday with Caroline Munro!