This week during my Halloween Countdown I'm focusing on the classic "sold my soul to Satan" story.
First up is Poor Devil, a pilot for a TV series that was never picked up. It starred Sammy Davis Jr. as Sammy the Poor Devil and Christopher Lee, typecast as Lucifer. Sammy plays a bumbling assistant to Satan who hasn't gotten a soul for him for 1400 years. Lucifer gives him one last chance when Sammy sets his sights on a a disgruntled accountant, played by Jack Klugman. Here's the intro to Poor Devil...
Adam West plays Jack Klugman's mean boss and has never given the loyal Jack a promotion – which Jack thinks he deserves. Feeling slighted Jack tries unsuccessfully to steal money from his job. Sammy, sensing Jack's desperation, convinces Jack to sell his soul to Satan. In return, all of Jack's dreams will come true. Looks like the Poor Devil may get on Lucifer's good side.
Here's the scene where Jack signs Satan's contract...
Sammy and Jack scheme a way to get Jack's boss fired and Jack is promoted to Chief Accountant. Seems as if Jack's dreams have come true and Sammy can finally stop working in Hell's fiery furnace. But Sammy has second thoughts about taking Jack's soul and finds a loophole in the contract giving Jack his soul back. Lucifer is none too happy with this outcome and orders Sammy back to Hell's fiery furnace for eternal damnation...poor devil.
Here's the ending to Poor Devil...
In 1973, in appreciation for his balanced approach to Satanism in the film Poor Devil, the Church of Satan made Sammy Davis Jr. an Honorary Warlock. The award was presented to Davis on stage during one of his performances at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, CA.
2 comments:
I would have watched the hell out of this, no pun intended. With that cast?? They couldn't go wrong! What were they thinking? And it's cheesy in the good way, too.
Sorry, it was lame then and it's lame now.
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