It came from Thomasville!

Not that you should care, but I was born in Thomasville, Georgia. Small town. Pretty place. Hot and humid in the summertime.

By the mid-Seventies, I was living elsewhere. But as a monster-obsessed kid (and loyal subscriber to Famous Monsters Of Filmland magazine), I was damn proud to be a product of "The City Of Roses."

Why? Because Robb White had lived there.

Robb White wrote a number of books, often about naval stuff, that had been hits with younger readers. "Virgin Island." "Up Periscope." "Secret Sea." 21 in all.

In 1958, he teamed up with the great William Castle to write a handful of horror films, true masterpieces of hokum devised solely to scare the hell out of little kids--and make lots of money: "Macabre," "House On Haunted Hill," "13 Ghosts," "The Tingler" and "Homicidal." All featured some sorta gimmick to really drive the thing home. "Macabre" insured you against death by fright. "House On Haunted Hill" gave us Emergo, which floated a plastic skeleton over the crowd. "13 Ghosts" required a Ghost Viewer to see the various spirits. And "The Tingler" put little buzzers under the seats (Percepto) to give you an extra jolt during the climax. If movies ever got any better than this, I haven't heard of it.

Years ago, the Film Forum in New York brought back "The Tingler." My best friend, James Graham, invited me up for a day that ranks right up there with my wedding and the birth of my daughter.

Most of these films are available on DVD, "13 Ghosts" with its gimmick lovingly preserved. You need them.

And here's to Robb White, who really deserves a sign at the Thomasville city limits.