The Incomparable Vincent Price Quiz

Answer: Art history

Vincent Price was an art connoisseur his entire life. He accumulated a vast collection of masterpieces, and in 1957 donated 90 pieces from his collection to East Los Angeles Community College; these became the nucleus of what is now known as the Vincent Price Art Museum. From 1962 through 1971, he was a consultant to Sears for what was called "The Vincent Price Collection of Fine Art." For as little as $10, people could buy an original work of art by a well-known artist; more expensive pieces could be purchased for $5 down and $5 a month on an installment plan.

Many people ridiculed the idea of buying fine art through a mail order catalog, but Price's expertise enabled many people to buy works of fine art at bargain prices. Artists included in the program included Picasso, Dali, Whistler, Rembrandt, and Chagall. Can you imagine buying an original oil painting by Picasso for $800 on the installment plan? Over 50,000 pieces of fine art were sold through the program, and almost all are worth much more now than when they were originally sold.

Answer: Victoria Regina

Price landed the role because of his remarkable resemblance to Prince Albert. He was considered to be very handsome as a young man. The play opened on Broadway on August 31, 1936 at the Broadhurst Theatre, and ran for 314 performances.

Answer: The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

"The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" was Vincent Price's second movie. It was based on Maxwell Anderson's play, "Elizabeth the Queen." The film was both a critical and commercial success, and helped to establish Price's reputation as an up-and-coming actor.

Answer: Laura

"Laura" is one of my all-time favorite movies. Price plays Shelby Carpenter, a handsome young Southerner who survives by sponging off women. It was the first of his many pairings with Gene Tierney; they would notably appear together again in 1945's "Leave Her to Heaven."

Answer: It was filmed in 3-D

"House of Wax" - not to be confused with the 2005 film starring Paris Hilton - was the first 3-D movie filmed in color by a major American studio. Price plays Professor Henry Jared, a famous sculptor of wax figures whose hands are damaged in a fire. Since he can no longer sculpt wax statues, he starts killing people and covering their corpses with wax! The film also stars Carolyn Jones, who would later appear as Morticia on "The Addams Family," and Charles Bronson, in one of his earliest screen roles.The film was so popular that it was released again in 1971.

In ironic footnote to this film, director Andre de Toth was blind in one eye, and could not see the 3-D effects in the movie!

Answer: The Fly

David Hedison (billed as Al Hedison in the credits) plays scientist Andre Delambre, who is working on a device that will transport objects through space. When he tries to transport himself, he doesn't notice that a fly has entered the transportation chamber.

When he rematerializes, he has the head and arm of a giant fly. This movie scared me to death when I was a kid! It was so successful at the box office that it was followed by "The Return of the Fly" in 1959. Vincent Price plays Francois Delambre, Andre's brother, in both films.

Answer: The Ten Commandments

"The Ten Commandments" was one of the most successful motion pictures of all time. Price plays the role of Baka, the Pharaoh Sethi's master builder. He is killed by Moses (played by Charlton Heston), after he whips Joshua. It is Baka's murder that leads to Moses being disinherited and sent to die in the desert.

Answer: True

Price appears very briefly in the film as the owner of "Big Daddy's," a beatnik club favored by the kids in the film. His sole line of dialogue is: "The Pit! Bring me my pendulum, kiddies, I feel like swinging." This is a reference to his earlier movie, "The Pit and the Pendulum," which, like "Beach Party," was made by American International Pictures.

The closing credits say "Special thanks to Mr. Vincent Price, soon to be appearing in Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Haunted Palace.'" A pretty sneaky piece of advertising for another AIP film!

Answer: Theatre of Blood

Actor Edward Kendall Sheridan Lionheart, played by Vincent Price, is humiliated by a group of critics who refuse to award him the "Critic's Circle Award for Best Actor." Lionheart begins killing them off, one by one, arranging for them to die in the same manner as characters from Shakespeare's plays.

The film has a wonderful cast of distinguished actors playing small roles. Vincent Price said on several occasions that he was fond of this movie because it finally gave him a chance to play Shakespeare.

It may also have been easy for him to identify with the role of Lionheart; despite his long and distinguished career, Price never received a nomination for an Oscar or Emmy. He is, however, honored with two stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

Answer: Edward Scissorhands

Vincent Price plays a role known only as "the Inventor." He creates Edward, but dies before he can give him real hands. Director Tim Burton was a huge fan of Vincent Price; one of Burton's first films was a six-minute short called "Vincent," about a young boy who imagines he is Vincent Price.

Vincent Price was ill with emphysema and Parkinson's Disease during the filming, and had difficulty finishing his scenes. He died on October 25, 1993 at the age of 82.