Turn of the Century Wax Museum- Lon Chaney

(1883-1930)

With Halloween just two days away, here's another moderately scary image from another defunct wax museum. The Old Town Mall in Torrance California once housed this small museum dedicated to early Twentieth Century. Lon Chaney kneels as Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre Dame. The wax museum doesn't seem as cheap as I have heard people remember it. I am too young to have ever experienced it, yet the few pictures I've seen are, like this one, simple yet detailed.

A closer view. This figure is actually pretty freaky looking. I could imagine a kid back in 1973 being fairly afraid of this figure. The hairy chest alone could do it.

View more information on Lon Chaney here.

Tags: Turn of the Century Wax Museum Wax Figure Lon Chaney Hunchback

News- Notorious B.I.G. Shoots Into Madame Tussaud's

Madame Tussaud's New York unveiled a new figure Thursday. This new statue is of former rapper Chris Wallace. The figure is quite amazing, and shows off the excess and extravagance that the rapper was so proud of. Although the face looks half asleep, the detail is exceptional.

They got the "toughness" level just right.

It might seem kind of creepy making a figure of a dead guy who is most famous for dying in a silly east coast, west coast "rap war", but it is Halloween time after all.

Although Wallace was very successful, I guess Madame Tussaud's couldn't find a picture of him smiling for their sculptor.

Visit the Madame Tussaud's website here.

Tags: Madame Tussauds Wax Museum Wax Figure Wax Biggie Smalls Chris Wallace

Denver Wax Museum- Colorado Maneater Alfred Packer

(1842-1907)

Happy Halloween season! And to keep with the spirit, here's a shot of Alfred Packer, the Colorado Maneater. Although there was some controversy to whether he murdered the men he ate, or ate them out of necessity, this is still a pretty gruesome scene. Imagine walking through the historic scenes of the Denver Wax Museum and seeing this guy with his bloody bones.

The look in this figure's eyes is enough to scare most people. Funny how starvation makes you do crazy things.

Not only was Alfred Packer a Cannibal, he was a very hungry cannibal at that. These men had their bones picked clean!

All Denver Wax Museum entries here.

View more information on Alfred Packer here.

Tags: Denver Wax Museum Wax Figure Wax Alfred Packer

Palace of Living Art- David

A recent news story was published this week that reveals where the new home of the giant statue of David that once guarded the Palace of Living Art will be. The statue found its way to the Ripley's Believe it or Not! museum in St. Augustine Florida, and will be missed by everyone who visited the late great Movieland Wax Museum. This vintage postcard shows the statue with a bit more covering than it usually has. The leaf is a nice touch!

This shot shows the statue shortly before the auction in 2006. It continued to watch over the empty building after the museum closed. The developers who planned on remodelling the property bought the statue at auction for $120,000! Unfortunately, the plans fell through and David was without a home.

David in the buff. He will be unveiled at his new home on November 2nd.

Amazing craftsmanship went into this recreation.

A night shot shows the perfect man. He must be cold up there.

Read the article about David's move here.

Visit the Palace of Living Art in San Fransisco here.

Tags: Palace of Living Art Wax Museum Michelangelo David Statue

Hollywood Wax Museum- Dracula

In honor of the season, here's a shot of Bela Lugosi (1882-1956) as Dracula from the Hollywood Wax Museum. This figure is very detailed, and the likeness is quite remarkable. The only down side is how a very disrespectful museum guest broke off the figure's finger. The wax figure stands eerily close to visitors, and the bars which protect him don't actually provide much protection.

Visit the Hollywood Wax Museum website here.

Tags: Hollywood Wax Museum Wax Figure Wax Bela Lugosi Dracula

Madame Tussaud's D.C. Opens

On October 4th, Madame Tussaud's Washington D.C. opened to the public, and the world has one more historically themed wax museum. Although their numbers are dwindling, historically themed wax museums once populated this great country of ours with scenes of Lincoln's assassination, recreations of the Alamo, and views of astronauts . In recent years. . . not so much.

Washington D.C. is across the country for many of us, but for those who are lucky enough, realistic recreations of famous politicians (and a few celebrities) await them at Madame Tussaud's!

Visit the Madame Tussaud's D.C. website here.

Tags: Madame Tussauds Washington DC Wax Museum Wax Figure Wax