“Them!,” Radioactive Movie Memories And Memorabilia

By William J. Felchner

The 1950s was an especially fertile era for science fiction films. In 1954, a one-word picture simply titled “Them!” struck terror into theater audiences with its fantastic story of giant, radioactive-spawned ants breeding in the New Mexico desert.

Although “Them!” (and the exclamation point says it all) is now nearly seven decades old, the movie still retains quite a following, especially among sci-fi fans and collectors who readily snap up all memorabilia associated with this cult Atomic Age film.

Based on an original story treatment by American screenwriter George Worthing Yates, “Them!” was produced by David Weisbart for Warner Bros. Penning the screenplay were Ted Sherdeman and Russell Hughes with Gordon Douglas directing. Serving as cinematographer was Sidney Hickox, with music by Bronislau Kaper.

“Them!” featured a fine cast of actors with James Whitmore (Sgt. Ben Peterson), Edmund Gwenn (Dr. Harold Medford), Joan Weldon (Dr. Pat Medford) and James Arness (FBI Special Agent Robert Graham), in his pre-”Gunsmoke” days, leading the way. Also along for the horror ride were Onslow Stevens,

Sean McClory, Chris Drake, Sandy Descher, Mary Alan Hokanson, Don Shelton, Fess Parker and Olin Howland. One can also glimpse a young Leonard Nimoy of future “Star Trek” fame in a bit, uncredited part as an Army communications sergeant.

Originally conceived as a 3D color picture, “Them!” was eventually shot in standard black-and-white. Filming commenced in the fall of 1953 and featured onlocation shooting in the Mojave Desert near Palmdale, Calif.; the concrete spillways of the Los Angeles River between the First and Seventh Street Bridges; and Mercy Hospital in Brownsville, Texas (now Valley Baptist Medical Center).

The giant, menacing ants seen in the film were constructed and operated by special effects technicians under the supervision of

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placed in the ambulance, the girl reacts to a strange, high-pitched sound emanating from the desert, something which isn’t picked up by her rescuers.

Ralph Ayers. The horrific cries emitted by the ants were actually recorded in 1947 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and featured the calls of bird-voiced tree frogs mixed in with the calls of a wood thrush, hooded warbler and red-bellied woodpecker. The deadly flame throwers used with devastating effect in “Them!” were on loan from the U.S. Army and wielded by actual WWII veterans who had used them in combat.

“Them!” opens in the New Mexico desert, where state troopers Ben Peterson and Ed Blackburn discover a bedraggled little girl wandering alone through the rugged terrain. The girl is in a state of shock, obviously traumatized by a horrific encounter with some unknown entity. With the assistance of a spotter aircraft, the troopers are led to a nearby vacation trailer owned by FBI Special Agent Ellinson. It is here where the little girl was staying, along with her parents and brother. Evidence points to an attack on the trailer, with the little girl surviving but other family members now missing. While being

Troopers Peterson and Blackburn later investigate a general store owned by “Gramps” Johnson, where they find a partially-destroyed wall and the elderly store owner inside dead. Peterson departs the store and leaves Blackburn behind to secure the brutal crime scene. While investigating a strange, pulsating sound outside, Blackburn is forced to use his service revolver, firing several shots at his attacker before going missing himself. Later, an autopsy is performed on the unfortunate “Gramps” Johnson, where it’s discovered that his body contains a large amount of fomic acid.

Arriving on the scene is FBI Special Agent Robert Graham. Outside the Ellinson trailer, Graham and his fellow investigators discover a large impression, which prompts a call to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Enter prominent entomologists Dr. Harold Medford and his daughter, Dr. Pat Medford, who suspect that Camponotus vicinus ants may be at work here. The elder Dr. Medford’s theory is then proved correct when he exposes the little girl to fomic acid fumes, prompting the child to awaken and cry out repeatedly, “Them!”

At last, a giant ant reveals itself at the Ellinson campsite, where Peterson and Graham shoot off the ant’s large antennae, effectively blinding the monster, and then finish it off with blasts from a tommy gun. The elder Dr. Medford then conveys his theory: atomic testing in the desert and the resulting

Two Different Shows At Two Historic Sites Set For March 4 And 5

By Karl Pass

The first weekend in March kicks off Pennsylvania antiques show season with two great primitive country shows. Only a stones radioactivity has spawned a colony of giant super ants, who are now on the prowl and responsible for the recent destruction and carnage. When Peterson, Graham and Pat Medford journey down into the ant colony nest, Pat reports that apparently two queens have hatched and are now on the loose, establishing colonies elsewhere.

A government task force is quietly assembled as strange reports begin to surface: a civilian pilot in Texas, now confined to a mental hospital, tells investigators that UFOs in the shape of giant ants forced him to land; monster ants have attacked a freighter in the Pacific, killing most of the crew; a large sugar theft has occurred at a rail yard in Los Angeles, where the mutilated body of a father is also found near the city’s storm drains, his two young sons missing.

Peterson and Graham later descend into the storm drains beneath Los Angeles, where they encounter the two missing boys and a nest of giant ants. Army reinforcements also arrive, where a titanic battle ensues. The movie ends with this haunting observation from the elder Dr. Medford: “When man entered the Atomic Age, he opened the door to a new world. What we may eventually find in that new world, nobody can predict.”

“Them!” premiered in New York City on June 16, 1954.

Variety reported: “This sciencefiction shocker has a well-plotted story, expertly directed and acted in a matter-of-fact style.” “Them!” proved to be a big hit for Warner Bros., grossing over $2 million during its initial release and earning an Oscar nomination for Best Special Effects.

“Them!” is big mojo in the movie memorabilia field, with a variety of “radioactive” artifacts available to today’s collectors. Leading the way is the film’s standard one-sheet movie poster (27-by-41 inches), which features the garish, tongue-twister blurb: “A Horror Horde of Crush-andCrawl Giants Clawing Out of the Earth From Mile-Deep Catacombs!” One restored example on linen in very finecondition sold for $3,120 at auction.

One of the more desirable promotional items is the rare Style Z poster (30-by-40 inches) whose come-on reads: “Kill One And Two Take Its Place!” Pictured are giant marauding ants wreaking havoc in Los Angeles, with one creature clutching a terrified woman in a red evening dress in its deadly mandibles. One rolled example in fine/very fine condition brought a top bid of $6,572.50 at auction.

A little more affordable is the movie’s insert poster (14by-36 inches), whose secondary blurb reads: “An Endless Terror! A Nameless Horror!” One example in folded fine+ condition sold for $525.80 at auction.

Always a fan favorite is the eight-card movie lobby set which features various scenes from “Them!”, including the team’s first deadly, illuminated foray into the ant catacombs in the New Mexico desert. One example in very fine+ condition brought $1,135.25 at auction.

For those collectors who like their memorabilia big (we are talking about giant ants here, after all), there’s the film’s three-sheet poster throw apart, the Governor Wolf Historical Society (GWHS) show celebrates its 14th year and the Chestnut Street show, its 8th year. As Helen Bryan, one of the dealers at the GWHS Show, puts it, “We are looking forward to it! (and it has) the nicest people.” The two events are being held Saturday and Sunday, March 4 and 5, in Bath, Pa.

(41-by-82 inches). One restored example on linen in very fine- condition sold for $1,673 at auction. And, if the three-sheet doesn’t quite fit the bill in terms of size, there’s the picture’s resident monstrosity, the giant six-sheet poster (81-by-81 inches), whose blurb screams: “No Terror Like ‘Them’ Ever Known By Man Or Beast Before!” One example in fine/very fine condition realized a top bid of $776.75, and more than likely now adorns an entire wall in the buyer’s home.

One of the more offbeat “Them!” items is the picture’s standee (32-by-59 inches), a movie lobby artifact that rarely comes up for sale. One example in folded very finecondition sold at auction for $2,151. Foreign movie posters are quite attractive to collectors. One of the best and most valuable is the Italian 4 folio (55-by-78 inches), which features killer artwork by Luigi Martinati and the title “Assalto alla Terro” (“Assault on the Earth”). One restored example on linen in very fine+ condition realized $4,481.25 at auction. Another superb foreign job is the British quad poster (30-by-40 inches), which features no artwork but simply the main blurb: “No Terror Ever Like Them!” One restored example on linen in very fine- condition sold at auction for $507.88. The “Them!” Belgian poster (14-by-22 inches), titled in French “Demons Atomiques” (“Atomic Demons”), is a real knockout. One example in very finecondition sold for $299.

Auction results and images are courtesy of Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas.

William J. Felchner is a graduate of Illinois State University. His work has appeared in a number of periodicals, including Hot Rod, True West, Movie Collector’s World, Corvette Quarterly, Big Reel, Old West, Sports Collectors Digest, Illinois, Goldmine and Pennsylvania Magazine.

The unique feature about the GWHS Show is the period room settings that the dealers create in the restored 1785 Ralston-McKeen House. A cut-stone, center hall home, the house with six corner fireplaces is the perfect backdrop for 18th- and 19thcentury antiques. An added bonus is the hearth cooking demonstrations. They are done with period hearth cooking implements by GWHS members in the large walk-in fireplace. Not sure what certain antique kitchen tools were meant for? This is the place to ask and see them in action. The society volunteers have also compiled a small booklet of favorite Colonial recipes.

On the GWHS site there are two other historic buildings that will be filled with antiques dealers, the 1785 Wolf Academy, birthplace of public education for all boys and girls in Pennsylvania, and the Monocacy Schoolhouse, which also contains the society’s new museum highlighting the accomplishments of the seventh governor of Pennsylvania, Gov. George Wolf. In the Monocacy Schoolhouse, lunch will be available from Daily Grind and will include homemade soups, loaded sandwiches, freshbaked cookies, and more.

Just one and a half miles to the north is the Chestnut Street show. The show is held in one of the region’s earliest churches in Historic Bath, Christ Church, built in 1876. The main room of the show is Fellowship Hall, which has a tall, arched wooden ceiling. Homemade soup, barbecue, and fresh baked goodies will be offered by the ladies of the church in the Garden of Feedin’ Café. Every building on South Chestnut Street dates between 1799 and 1899. An added bonus are the three antiques shops on the block within walking distance.

On Sunday, the GWHS show will feature its popular appraisal clinic from noon to 2 p.m. Attendees may bring one or two items to have verbally appraised at a cost of $5 each by a veteran antiques dealer. The hours of the GWHS show will be Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $6 ($5 with an ad, a card, or a printout from www.govwolf.org or a stamp from the Chestnut Street show). The GWHS show is at 6600 Jacksonville Road, Bath, Pa. For additional information, email ckbh@ptd.net or call 610-390-0555.

The Chestnut Street Antiques Show is Saturday only from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

With this being a one-day show and the dealers setting up the morning of the show, shoppers get first pick of offerings. Admission is $5 ($4 with a card or a wrist band from the GWHS show). The show is held at 109 S. Chestnut St., Bath, Pa. For further information, email ddh1@ptd.net or call 610-390-3276.

Don’t miss out on this historic weekend of antiques show excitement. Mark calendars now.

19711 Newark 302-454-8007

AUNT MARGARET’S ANTIQUE MALL, 294 E. Main St. Mon- Sat. 10-5, Sun 12-5. 2 floors. Antiques, collectibles, vintage, primitives, much more! www.auntmargaretsantiquemall.com

19711 Newark 302-733-7677 MAIN STREET ANTIQUES, 23 Possum Park Mall. Hrs.: Mon.-Sat. 10-8, Sun. 11:30-5:30. Over 45 Showcase/Room Dealers selling quality antiques & collectibles. mainstreetantiques.com

21901 North East410-287-8318 5 & 10 ANTIQUE MARKET, 115 S. Main St. Daily 10am-6pm. Cecil County’s largest! Approx. 65 dealers, variety & nostalgia. Buying/ selling antiques & collectibles. Local honey available.

07901 Summit 908-273-9373 SUMMIT ANTIQUES CENTER, 511 Morris Ave. 2 floors, 50+ dealers. Antiques, collectibles. Smalls to furniture. Open 7 days 11-5. Free Parking. www.thesummitantiquescenter.com

To place your classified ad Call 1-800-428-4211

07052 West Orange973-323-1711

VALLEY VINTAGE, 168 South Valley Rd.

Open Mon-Sat. 11-6, Sun. 12-5. 2100 sq.ft., 25+ dealers. Antiques, vintage, collectibles, furniture, decor, kitchenware, jewelry, books, LPs, ephemera.

08005 Barnegat609-698-3020

BAY AVENUE ANTIQUES, 349 S. Main.

Open Wed.- Sun., Noon - 6 PM. Book Seller, Pottery, Glass, Furniture, Holiday, Decoys, Antiques & UniquesPLUS Chalkpaint & Iron Orchid Design.

08016 Burlington609-747-8333

HISTORIC BURLINGTON ANTIQUES & ART EMPORIUM, 424 High Street. Open 6 Days: T, W, F, Sat., Sun: 11A-5P & Th.11A- 7P. www.antiquesnj.com

08037 Hammonton609-561-1110

BERNIE’S ANTIQUES & ARTIFACTS, 18 Central Ave Tues.-Sat. 11-6 & Sun. 11-5. Trains, Pottery, Lenox, Breweriana, Fenton, Petroliana, Van Briggle, Albums + Neon

08525 Hopewell609-466-9833

TOMATO FACTORY ANTIQUE & DESIGN CENTER, 2 Somerset St. We Have It All! Open Mon. thru Sat. 10-5, Sun. 11-5. We have 38 Dealers. www.tomatofactoryantiques.com

08753 Toms River732-349-5764

MAIN STREET ANTIQUE CENTER 251 Main St. Open Mon.-Fri. 10am-3:30pm, Sat. 10am-4:30pm, Sun. 12-4:30pm.

16686 Tyrone 814-684-5088 I-99 ANTIQUES, conveniently located off the Tyrone Exit of Interstate 99, 1222 Pennsylvania Ave. Quality antiques & collectibles. 40 Dlrs. Open Th., Fri., & Sat., 10:30am - 4:30pm, Dlrs. welcome.

17062 Millerstown717-589-7810

STITCH IN TIME ANTIQUE & GIFT

MALL, 43 N. Market St. Antiques, Collectibles, Furniture, Quality Handmade Crafts & Gifts. Open 7 days 10-5, Fri. til 8. Millerstown exit off RT 322.

17307 Biglerville717-503-4264 furn. & smalls. See our Thielemann’s Antqs. Facebook page for photos & info. Open Sat. 10-4 & Sun. 12-4.

THIELEMANN’S ANTIQUES, 1 N. Main St. Wholesale & Retail. 4,500 sq. ft.

17350 NewOxford717-624-3800

OF COLLECTABLES, 368 Cross

Rd. Open Wed.- Sat. 10am6pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. 12,000 sq.ft Antique & Arts Mall, over 100 dlrs. www.carnivalofcollectables.com

TREASURE TROVE, 6 S. 7th Street.

Estate jewelry, furniture, linens, vintage clothing, glass, china, books, toys, kitchenware, advertising, postcards. Primitives to Deco. Dealers Welcome. Mon.-Sat. 10-5. In business 42 years.

18962 Silverdale215-453-1414

THE FACTORY ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, 130 West Main Street, Rt 113, Bucks County. Featuring 45 Dealers. Open Wednesday thru Saturday 10 -5, Sundays 11-4

19543 Morgantown610-913-1953

ZELMA’S EMPORIUM (Formerly Golden Lane) 11 N. Water Street. Antiques, Americana, Art, Asian, Primitives, etc. Closed Mon., Tues.-Sat. 10-5, Sun. 12-5 or by appt. ZelmasAntiques.com

MORGANTOWN MARKET, 2940 Main St.. Hours 10-5 daily. Berks Co. Largest Antique Boutique. Antiques,Collectibles, Vintage Home & Garden Decor.