Prehistoric Women’s Abarbanel Dies
Posted by: Loren Coleman on August 12th, 2006
Cryptofiction about surviving Neandertals has been around for a long time. One of the writers and producers that made them come alive in 1950 has died in a freak accident caused by the modern world, sadly.
Sam X. Abarbanel, who wrote the screenplay and produced the 1950s’ classic Prehistoric Women, has died in a strange incident.
Please click the above movie poster for fuller version.
Word of the mishap first came from Variety: "Veteran film exec Sam Abarbanel is at Cedars-Sinai following a freak accident in a parking lot where he was pinned against a car. He suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries."
This was followed by this notice a few days later from the obit notices in Hollywood.
Abarbanel, Sam X. Died on August 9, 2006 in Los Angeles at the age of 92. Beloved, devoted, and proud father of Gail Abarbanel and Steve Klein (son-in-law). Born March 17, 1914 in New Jersey, Sam was a publicist, writer, and producer. He was a Founding Member of The Publicist’s Guild and a long-time member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He attended Cornell and Columbia Universities, and received his B.A. from the University of Illinois in 1936. He worked as a newspaperman in Chicago and then moved to New York to work at Republic Studios. He served with the 103rd Division, 410th Regiment, in France, Germany, and Austria in World War II. In 1946, he returned to Hollywood and became an independent marketing specialist, working for Seymour Nebenzal and the Mary Pickford-Buddy Rogers-Ralph Cohn Company. He worked on High Noon and Academy Award campaigns for La Strada, Henry V, The Red Balloon, as well as for other films and actors. Sam produced several films, including Golden Mistress , and wrote and produced Prehistoric Women. In 1963, he moved to Spain where he produced The Last Day of the War and The Narco Men. He remained in Spain for twenty years. Sam showed extraordinary strength, courage, and determination in the face of adversity. He was a kind man who always lent a hand to others. He had a great sense of humor and a generous heart. He taught us, by example, to follow our hearts and pursue our dreams. In accordance with Sam’s wishes, services will be private.
Our sincere sympathy and empathy to his family and friends.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
Sorry, Loren–was out running errands. 🙂 Johann Petursson played Guadi the Giant in PREHISTORIC WOMEN, which Abarbanel produced/wrote. Petursson was in CARNY with Jodie Foster. Foster was in SOMMERSBY with Richard Gere…who was in THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES.
Actually, there’s an even more direct one. Fernando Rey was in SON OF A GUNFIGHTER, which Abarbanel associate produced. Rey was also in THE RUNNING MAN (the 1963 version–not the Schwarzenegger one) with Alan Bates…who was in THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES.
Sorry to hear of the loss.
One of those wonderfully schlocky movies that I loved as a kid. People like Mr. Abarbanel entertained me in my youth when entertainment was my main pursuit.