Zandor Vorkov’s Appearance is sponsored by SEVERIN FILMS 
Zandor Vorkov was chosen to play the role of Dracula in Dracula vs. Frankenstein by director Al Adamson since the 1970s production could not afford veteran actor John Carradine, who portrayed the Count in Universal’s monster matchups, HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1944) and HOUSE OF DRACULA (1945). According to producer Sam Sherman, Adamson wanted a contemporary looking Dracula who looked of the times. “It was the Age of Aquarius, Hair, Charles Manson and Woodstock when we made DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN,” Sherman recalls. “The film was originally conceived as SATAN’S BLOOD FREAKS and shot as THE BLOOD SEEKERS before we added the classic monster match-up plot and Zandor as Dracula. Al remembered meeting Zandor during a film distribution
financing meeting in New York and felt he looked gaunt, like a devilish Dracula. Ironically, horror fans
have suggested that Zandor’s hippy glam Dracula character looks like a cross between Frank Zappa and Alice Cooper with his curly Afro hairstyle, goatee, and ashen eyes. Vorkov then appeared in Adamson’s next film, BRAIN OF BLOOD.
The screen name Zandor Vorkov was created by Horror/Sci-Fi magazine editor and writer, Forrest J. Ackerman of Famous Monsters of Filmland Magazine. Ackerman also appears in the film DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN and provided publicity for the feature with articles and a cover story featuring Vorkov as Dracula. The name Zandor Vorkov was a combination of Anton Szandor LaVey and Boris Karloff. Anton LaVey was the founder of the Church of Satan. Vorkov, which sound similar to “Karloff”, was named for the British actor famous for immortalizing the role of the Frankenstein Monster in the
1930s.
Zandor dropped out of the film scene after his two films with Adamson and Sherman. Sadly, Al Adamson was murdered in 1995 (the subject of David Gregory’s documentary, BLOOD & FLESH: THE REEL LIFE & GHASTLY DEATH OF AL ADAMSON from Severin Films). Zandor wrote Al’s eulogy for his memorial service.
We’re very happy to welcome Zandor to Monsterama!
