Introduction to Samuel M. Sherman
Samuel M. Sherman, a renowned author, producer, and marketing mastermind, has passed away at the age of 85. Sherman was known for his collaboration with director Al Adamson, with whom he produced several low-budget films, including Satan’s Sadist, Brain of Blood, and The Naughty Stewardesses.
Early Life and Career
Sherman was born on April 23, 1940, in New York. He developed an interest in filmmaking at a young age and made a short film called The Strange Stranger for a class project. During his time in college, Sherman worked as a film editor and writer/editor for James Warren, the publisher of magazines like Famous Monsters and Wildest Westerns. He also had the idea of re-releasing old Republic Pictures in theaters, which gained a large audience and allegedly inspired the 1960s Batman TV series on ABC.
Partnership with Al Adamson
In 1962, Sherman met Al Adamson while working on a project for Illustrated Screen. Two years later, he became involved in the distribution of Adamson’s film The Scarlet Letter. The two eventually realized the need for their own sales company and, in 1968, founded Independent International Pictures with former theater owner Dan Kennis. Their first production was Satan’s Sadist, a ruthless motorcycle gang film shot in California in 1968.
Film Productions and Marketing Strategies
Sherman and Adamson produced a wide range of films, including horror movies like Horror of the Blood Monsters and Dracula vs. Frankenstein, biker films like Hell’s Bloody Devils, and sexploitation films like The Naughty Stewardesses. Sherman’s marketing strategies often involved giving films catchy, easy-to-identify titles and promoting them with dynamic, attention-grabbing campaigns. He believed that incorporating bizarre and crazy elements into low-budget films could make them stand out and attract audiences.
Legacy and Later Life
Although Sherman and Adamson never won an Oscar, they employed several notable individuals, including cameraman Vilmos Zsigmond, who went on to win an Academy Award. Sherman collected an impressive collection of 16 mm and 35 mm films and published his memoirs, When Dracula Met Frankenstein: My Years Making Drive-In Movies with Al Adamson, in 2021. He is survived by his daughter Stephanie, and his wife Linda, who passed away in November 2022. Sherman’s creative director, business affairs and sales agent, David Sehring, remembered him as a character and the "Broadway Danny Rose" of the drive-in business.
