Do the Placer County Museums have a connection to classic horror films? Yes, we do – in a Kevin Bacon sort of way.
In the Oct. 11, 1951 edition of the Auburn Journal, Placer County Museum Curator, May Perry, discussed recent donations to the museum. George Chaney of Applegate donated a wooden wringer and an old medicine bottle from F.S. Steven’s Pharmacy in Auburn.
From 1939 to 1951, George and his wife lived on their ranch in Applegate, and they operated Chaney’s Antique Shop. In 1951, they sold their ranch, closed their business and moved to Vancouver. Apropos for the season, of course, are George’s relatives: his brother, Lon Chaney, and his nephew, Lon Chaney, Jr. Although both actors had incredible careers in which they acted in a variety of film genres, both are most well-known for their forays into horror.
Lon Chaney’s most famous horror film was “The Phantom of the Opera”, which opened on Sept. 6, 1925. Later that month, on Sept. 29 and 30, the film was shown at the Auburn Theatre. In all, he has 162 film credits. He died on August 26, 1930 at the age of 47 from bronchial lung cancer.
Lon Chaney Jr.’s most famous horror film was “The Wolf Man”, which opened on Dec. 12, 1941. The film played at the Moore Theatre in Lincoln on April 16 and 17 in 1942. Lon Chaney, Jr. starred in several horror movies from the early 1940s through the 1960s, the most notable of which are: “Ghost of Frankenstein”, which played at the Auburn State Theater on June 18, 1942, and “Son of Dracula”, which played at the Roseville Theatre July 13 and 14 in 1945. Lon Chaney, Jr. has 195 film and TV credits. He bought a ranch in nearby Cool in the early 1940s and was a frequent visitor to Auburn. He even stopped by the Placer County Museum in 1954 looking for television movie ideas. Lon Chaney, Jr. died on July 12, 1973, at the age of 67 from heart disease.
Photos: Clothes Wringer, c. 1880 Donated by George Chaney
Lon Chaney, Jr. as “The Wolf Man”, c. 1942
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