BOBBY "BORIS" PICKETT - FOR THE RECORD, A CHAT WITH MR. MONSTER MASH BY: Terry DuFoe While it has never earned a grammy (or even a Mummy) the runaway hit "Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett has become a true Frankenstein Monster (excuse the pun) in the world of classic Halloween novelty tunes. The Monster Mash song started off quite simply as a good idea between Pickett, Gary Paxton of "Alley Oop" fame, and Lenny Kapesie of The Cordials and now it lives again with the appearance of Bobby "Boris' Pickett as the evil but musically talented Dr. Frankenstein in the feature film "Monster Mash The Movie" (1995) released on USA home video. Directed by Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow the film was written by Sheldon Allman and Bobby Pickett himself with the classic B-Plot Outline: Two teenagers get trapped in a creepy house with the one and only Dr. Frankenstein who wants to transfer one of their brains to his creature. With apologies to Universal Studios, stay tuned folks because Mink Stole of John Waters "Pink Flamingos" fame makes an unexpected appearance along with Jimmie Walker and Candace Cameron which makes "Monster Mash, The Movie" (AKA "Frankenstein Sings") a very unusual creation indead recorded in screaming video scare-o! I had the chance to chat with Bobby "Boris" Pickett for "Videoscope' magazine at The Rhino Records Retro-Fest in Santa Monica, California briefly before his chains were un-shackled where dressed in a blood stained lab coat he announced on stage that he would now sing a medley of his hit to the cheers of hundreds of monster mashing maniacs! Terry: I'm sitting here with Bobby Boris Pickett. What is your real name? Bobby: (In Boris Karloff voice) Bobby Boris Pickett! (Laughs) Terry: (Laughs) Bobby: No, my real name is Robert George Pickett. Terry: Ok, and why did you adopt the name Bobby? Was it because of Boris Karloff? Bobby: I didn't, it was given to me. Bobby was a nickname that I've had since I was a little boy, so my real name was Bobby Pickett, and then when I did the Boris Karloff voice Gary Paxton who arranged and produced the record said, "We're going to call you Bobby Boris Pickett and the Cryptkickers." and I said, "Call me anything you want, just call me!" Terry: Was that the first record you ever did? Bobby: The First novelty record I ever did? Terry: Yeah, how did it come about that you decided to be into music as a novelty artist? Bobby: It came about because Lenny Kapesie who was the leader of a group called The Cordials, which I sang with, he and I were big horror movie fans and whenever we did a tune called "Little Darlin" by The Diamonds I would do a Boris Karloff impression and one night he said, "You know, we ought to do a novelty record with that voice. Take it to Gary Paxton who had sang "Alley Oop", he'll produce it, and you know it could be a hit. You never know!" So, a year later we wrote it in an hour and a half and the rest is history. It was number one in 8 weeks. Terry: Did Boris Karloff ever hear the song? Bobby: Yes he did. He did a version of it on, I think "Hullabaloo" or an "American Bandstand Special". I'm not quite sure which, but he was very familiar with it, yeah. Terry: I heard that you did a cameo in a fairly recent "Frankenstein" spoof or some horror film? Bobby: Cameo?!? A cameo!?! (Holds up color cardboard stand-up of the film!) Terry: No cameo huh? (Laughs) Bobby: "Monster Mash The Movie"! Terry: Oh my! Bobby: I play Dr. Frankenstein. It's on MO-MAX (Cinemax) now on cable and it's called "Frankenstein Sings" and it's the same movie, but in video stores it's called "Monster Mash The Movie". It plays..... they usually play it in January and July. I have no idea why since I would think Halloween would be the time, but this is out now! Terry: What basically is the plot? Are you creating the monster and the whole thing like in the original "Frankenstein"? Bobby: The basic plot is based on a play called "I'm Sorry The Bridge is Out, You'll Have to Spend the Night!" which I wrote with Sheldon Almond, the man who wrote "George of the Jungle", and he and I wrote this thing in 1966. Way before "Young Frankenstein", way before "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", and the movie is based on that play. So it's chorus line for monsters! Two teens (Ian Bohen, Candace Cameron) are on their way to a Halloween party dressed as Romeo and Juliet when their car breaks down in front of a sinister mansion. Seeking help, they fall into a party of monsters led by Dr. Frankenstein (Bobby Pickett), who immediately wants to transfer the boy's brain into his monster. Dracula (Anthony Crivella) also wants the girl for obvious reasons. Meanwhile Elvis (E. Aaron Price) has returned as a mummy and his new manager (Jimmie Walker) wants the boy's body for him. It's 82 minutes and rated PG for double entendre humor. Terry: I'm a big fan of one of your recent songs, "It's Alive". Bobby: "It's Alive"! Yes, my latest. Terry: In fact, I adopted that name for one of the articles I did! How did that come about, writing that song? Bobby: Frank Heller, genius musician engineer and swell guy, approached me with the idea in Brooklyn, New York and that's where we did it. In his house! Terry: So I can imagine Halloween is a real busy season for you! Bobby: Halloween is when they dig me up, and I perform a medley of my hit! (Laughs) Terry: Fantastic.... Bobby: Again and again! (Laughs) Terry: Have you ever met Zacherly? Bobby: Oh yes, John Zacherly, yes. Terry: What do you think of him as a guy or should I say a ghoul? Bobby: I think he's a great guy! Terry: He also did "The Monster Mash" didn't he? Bobby: He did a bad version in 1962 and it got what it deserved. (Laughs) Terry: (Laughs) Ok, thank you very much! Bobby: Ok!  Filmography For Bobby Pickett: Monster Mash: The Movie (1995) .... Dr. Frankenstein ... aka Frankenstein Sings (1995) (USA: video title) Lobster Man from Mars (1989) .... The Astrologer/King of Mars Sister, Sister (1987) .... Roger Hot Money (1983) .... Stewart ... aka Getting Centred (1983) ... aka Going for Broke (1983) ... aka Great Madison County Robbery, The (1983) ... aka Never Trust an Honest Thief (1983) ... aka Zen Business (1983) Strange Invaders (1983) .... Editor Baby Maker, The (1970) .... Dr. Sims Composer Filmography: Monster Mash: The Movie (1995) ... aka Frankenstein Sings (1995) (USA: video title) Writer Filmography: Monster Mash: The Movie (1995) ... aka Frankenstein Sings (1995) (USA: video title) Notable TV Guest Appearances: "Beverly Hillbillies, The" (1962) playing "Lieutenant" in episode: "Reserve Program, The" (episode # 6.12) 11/22/1967 "Petticoat Junction" (1963) playing "Walter Thorp" in episode: "Only Boy In The Class" (episode # 3.20) 2/1/1966 "Petticoat Junction" (1963) playing "Stonewall Jackson" in episode: "Bobbie Jo's Sorority" (episode # 3.6) 10/26/1965 -END-