Samuel M. Sherman, a pioneering writer, producer, and marketing strategist known for his collaborations with director Al Adamson, has died at the age of 85. Sherman passed away on Monday in his Freehold, New Jersey home, as confirmed by David Sehring, his creative director and sales agent since 2015.
During his career, Sherman and Adamson launched Independent-International Pictures, a production and distribution company that became synonymous with drive-in cinema. Their notable films include Satan’s Sadists (1969), Horror of the Blood Monsters (1970), Brain of Blood (1971), and Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971), featuring notable actors like Lon Chaney Jr.
The duo ventured across multiple genres, delivering biker films like Hell’s Bloody Devils (1970) and Angels’ Wild Women (1971), alongside Westerns like Five Bloody Graves (1969) and sexploitation titles including The Naughty Stewardesses (1973). Their versatility also encompassed martial arts, blaxploitation, and atmospheric horror.
David Gregory, co-founder of Severin Films and director of the documentary Blood and Flesh: The Reel Life and Ghastly Death of Al Adamson, praised Sherman and Adamson’s talent for creatively retitling and marketing their films, often adapting them to capitalize on emerging trends.
In the 1996 book It Came from Horrorwood, Sherman recounted that most of their films were produced on budgets under $150,000. Notably, their ventures provided essential employment opportunities for seasoned Hollywood actors, including Chaney and John Carradine.
Sherman spoke fondly of his partnership with Adamson, whom he regarded as a brotherly figure, stating, “Al always said that when we were both together in the same place (New York or L.A.), we always made great things happen.” Born on April 23, 1940, in New York, Sherman began his career while attending City College of New York, where he organized screenings for his classmates.
His early experience included writing and editing for James Warren, publisher of iconic magazines like Famous Monsters, where he conceptualized the revival of old Republic Pictures serials, a move that drew significant audience acclaim and influenced later television shows like the 1960s Batman.
Sherman’s Hollywood journey began in 1962 during a project for Screen Thrills Illustrated, leading to his first encounter with Adamson. Their collaboration was solidified after establishing Independent-International Pictures in 1968, with their breakout production, Satan’s Sadists, filmed in California.
They specialized in modifying previous films and marketing them with attention-grabbing titles and campaigns. Sherman believed in enhancing low-budget films with unique and outrageous elements, a strategy that consistently proved successful.
Although Sherman and Adamson did not earn Academy Awards, they contributed to the careers of future Oscar-winner Vilmos Zsigmond, who worked as a cinematographer on several of their films.
Reflecting on his career, Sherman accumulated a notable collection of 16mm and 35mm films, and his memoir, When Dracula Met Frankenstein: My Years Making Drive-In Movies With Al Adamson, was published in 2021.
In a tragic turn of events, Adamson was murdered in 1995, a loss that deeply affected Sherman. He is survived by his daughter, Stephanie, and fond memories of his late wife, Linda, who passed away in November 2022.
Based on reporting by Hollywood Reporter. Read the full story at Hollywood Reporter.