Twinkle, Incal, Little Star

His elegant, sweeping ligne claire
Left his rivals in deepest despair
Much more than a relic
Of times psychedelic
Ink, inklings and incals to spare.

David Cairns


For Moebius

R.I.P. Jean Giraud

A Gir or a Moebius strip
What a weird and most wonderful trip
A great comics hero,

Le maître Jean Giraud,
Both peerless and protean, RIP.

Jean Giraud, aka Gir, aka Moebius, 8 May 1938 – 10 March 2012. A master of bandes dessinées.

Illegitimate Theatre

The cops and the critic agree
They must stop an award nominee
Or the dangerous actor
Will hang his detractors
From the top of a West End marquee.

Milo O'Shea, Eric Sykes and Ian Hendry finally figure out what's going on in the Theatre of Blood. This is our final week on Vincent Price.

Janssen in the Dark

Seems this guy with the chicks has a knack
And they vie to get Dick in the sack
Would they care for a lay
If his hair was still grey,
Not a dye-job that's slicked and jet black?


David Janssen is Richard Kimble, The Fugitive, and this is Fugitive Fridays. Through a title darkly by David Cairns.

Physician Assisted Homicide

The critics' critiques were a shock
They hit the old geek like a rock
Though removing a head
Only proved actor Ed        
Was a bitter and freaky mad doc.

Actor Edward Lionheart (Vincent Price) performs in Theatre of Blood.

Bad Wrap

A grandiose Brit leading man
Couldn't stand it when critics would pan
But he settled his grudge
With one veteran judge
When his band wrapped the twit in Saran.


Critic Michael Hordern's fate is sealed in Theatre of Blood.

Credit Scarred

His hold on top billing looked weak
When the scolds gave his skills a critique
But their cracks were addressed
And they acted impressed
When he rolled out his killer technique.


Vincent Price kills in Theatre of Blood (Douglas Hickox, 1973).

Senior Moment of Truth

They opined he's a massive cliche
Of a kind that was last year, passe
Much too musty a fart
To entrust with a part
Now they find they're all passing away.

Vincent Price interrupts a gathering of the London Critics Circle in Theatre of Blood. Verily edited by David Cairns.

Role Cull

One has passed with heart-stopping surprise
Soon the last will get popped in the eyes
Each fitting dead end
Makes a critic descend
The poor bastards are dropping like flies.

In Theatre of Blood, Vincent Price plays a disgruntled actor who is bumping off the stuffed shirts in the London Losers--er, um...Critics Circle. Constructive criticism by David Cairns.

An Actor's Knife for Me

This Lionheart, critics agreed
Should never be given the lead
Though he worked at his craft
Eddie smirked as if daft
Though at murder his gifts they'd concede.

In Theatre of Blood, Vincent Price is demented actor Edward Kendall Lionheart. With poor Harry Andrews and Diana Rigg. Title by David "Cutting Edge" Cairns.

Not-So-Free Expression

Either nervous or shy, who knew which
Always furtive, on byways he'd hitch
The stress of the chase
He'd express on his face
In a curious smile like a twitch.

The Fugitive was the always anxious David Janssen. Fugitive Fridays is smiling at you, kid. Image source: The Phantom Asthmatic. 

Davy Jones, R.I.P.

The Monkees were pre-fab achievers
who made us all daydream believers
Farewell, Davy Jones
We'll miss your sweet tones
You've left us all daydream bereavers

---Norm Knott; Ezmeralda Schwartz

The Heart of the Splatter

The performer, unbalanced, was miffed:
In awards for his talents he's stiffed
How he feels is expressed
When he steals from a chest
A warmed over valentine's gift.


Playing Shylock and rewriting The Merchant of Venice, Vincent Price removes a pound of flesh from critic Harry Andrews in Theatre of Blood. Lending a hand is Diana Rigg.