Herk Harvey
Directing
Born 1924-06-03
Died 1996-04-03
Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
57 credits
Read biography
Harold Arnold "Herk" Harvey (June 3, 1924 – April 3, 1996) was an American film director, actor, and film producer.
Harvey is best known for his sole feature film, Carnival of Souls, a low budget 1962 horror film starring Candace Hilligoss. It was produced and directed by Harvey for an estimated $33,000. Harvey had witnessed the recent success of Elmer Rhoden Jr. and fellow industrial filmmaker Robert Altman in producing low-budget feature films in nearby Kansas City, and began to secure backing from local investors in order to mount a similar project in Lawrence. While returning to Kansas after shooting a Centron film in California, Harvey developed the idea for Carnival of Souls after driving past the abandoned Saltair Pavilion in Salt Lake City, Utah. Hiring an unknown New York actress, Lee Strasberg-trained Hilligoss, and otherwise employing mostly local talent, Harvey shot Carnival of Souls in three weeks, on location in Lawrence and Salt Lake City, using a script penned by Centron associate John Clifford. Harvey also played an uncredited role as the film's most prominent "ghoul." Originally marketed as a B film and released by an upstart distribution company that quickly went bankrupt, Carnival of Souls never gained widespread public attention upon its original release but today has become hailed as a cult classic. Set to an organ score by Gene Moore, Carnival of Souls relies more on atmosphere than on special effects to create its mood of psychological horror. The film has a large cult following, built up primarily via late-night television screenings, and has been released on DVD by the Criterion Collection (complete with a host of special features, including an hour of excerpts from Harvey's Centron productions). To this day, the movie is still discussed by film buffs and occasionally has screenings at Halloween and art film festivals.
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Filmography
Directing
51 credits
Carnival of Souls
The Gossip
Star 34
The Griper
Cheating
The Procrastinator
Why Study Home Economics?
Why Study Industrial Arts
The Snob
The Sound of a Stone
George Tackles the Land
Responsibility
Dance, Little Children
None For The Road
What About Juvenile Delinquency
The Innocent Party
What About School Spirit?
Korea: Overview
Health: Your Cleanliness
The Good Loser
Why Study Science?
A Life to Save
Rebound!
Halloween Safety
A Citizen Makes a Decision
Cindy Goes to a Party
Buying Food
Operation Grass Killer
Manners in School
Health: Your Posture
Caring For Your Toys
The Trouble Maker
The Show-Off
What About Drinking
What About Prejudice?
What About Alcoholism?
To Touch a Child
Street Safety Is Your Problem
Understanding Others
Case History of a Sales Meeting
Pork: The Meal with a Squeal
Signals: Read 'Em or Weep
Manners in Public
Your Junior High Days
Tell It Like It Is
Jamaica, Haiti and the Lesser Antilles
The Reluctant Witch
Exchanging Greetings and Introductions
Take a Letter... From A to Z
Make Your Home Safe
Shake Hands with Danger
Acting
16 credits
Carnival of Souls
Star 34
Murder Ordained
Why Study Home Economics?
exposer
What About School Spirit?
Korea: Overview
Rebound!
The Movie That Wouldn't Die! – The 'Carnival of Souls' Story
Operation Grass Killer
What About Prejudice?
Speech: The Function of Gestures
Case History of a Sales Meeting
Pork: The Meal with a Squeal
Manners in Public
Speech: Platform Posture and Appearance
Writing
2 credits
Other credits
1 credit
Producing
1 credit
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