Max Showalter

He was in Broadway shows, movies, television, recorded albums as Casey Adams, directed and produced theatre, and painted oil miniatures.

Max Gordon Showalter, born June 2, 1917, in Caldwell, Kansas, was a gifted performer whose early years foreshadowed a life in the arts. His mother, Elma, was a music teacher who played piano for silent movies, and her son would accompany her to the local theater, where he developed a lifelong passion for performance. After studying at the Pasadena Playhouse in the late 1930s, Showalter made his Broadway debut in Knights of Song and went on to feature in prominent productions such as This Is the Army, Make Mine Manhattan, and The Grass Harp.

The Monster That Challenged the World (1957)

Distinctly chilling. So real that it is nearly incredible.

“The Monster That Challenged the World” (1957) is a classic science-fiction horror film from the 1950s, a time when giant monsters dominated cinema screens in the wake of atomic anxiety. Directed by Arnold Laven and produced by Arthur Gardner and Jules V. Levy, the film exemplifies the era’s fascination with creatures spawned from scientific mishaps. Laven, who had a background in both film and television, crafted a film that, while modest in budget, resonated with fans of the genre due to its engaging plot and intense suspense.