December 4th, 1955 to June 8th, 2026 by Robert Long II

Susan Svehla  was known in the Baltimore, MD area as an incredible pulp culture titan, specializing in publications about the history of horror and science fiction movies. The home she shared with her husband Gary was a museum of movie and television industry. For decades they hosted conventions, published pop culture books and magazines, directed motion pictures, and produced documentary DVDs. The duo brought together 1,000s of fans and celebrities to celebrate the history of Tinseltown.

In early June of 2026, Susan Svehla became ill and was rushed to a local Baltimore hospital. She hadn’t been in the best of health for years. One June 8th, she succumbed to her illnesses and passed in the presence of her family and friends. She is survived by her husband Gary, and her vast extended family.    

The FANEX Years

For 15 years, the Svehla’s ran an annual Fanex convention in Baltimore. These conventions were a celebration of vintage cult, horror, and science fiction motion pictures, serials, and television programs. Celebrity guests included William Marshall, Janet Leigh, Ingrid Pitt, Robert Wise, Christopher Lee, Jim Danforth, John Saxon, Forrest J Ackerman, Michael J. Pollard, Veronica Carlson, Paul Naschy, Roger Corman, Kevin McCarthy, Samuel Z. Arkoff, Ray Harryhausen, Anne Francis, Caroline Munro, Dee Wallace, and many more. Stories, panels, interviews, and workshops at these FANEX conventions brought together people from all over the world. 

The Midnight Marquee Years

For over 25 years, Susan and Gary Svehla were prolific publishers of countless books, magazines, and DVDs. The vast majority of these publications centered around old Hollywood, Tinseltown personalities, and all its marvelous weirdness. The books are available through Amazon.com, and the movies and DVDs can be found through Oldies.com.

The Motion Pictures

Terror in the Tropics (2005): An island of mystery and death awaits two intrepid reporters and a private detective. This is a throwback to the film noir/screwball comedies/adventure serials of the 1930s and 1940s. Somewhat in the vein of “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid,” this motion picture is a mix of old archival footage of classic movie celebrities mixed with modern actors in a vintage environment, utilizing era appropriate wardrobe and props. The cast includes Mark Redfield, Jennifer Rouse, Wayne Shipley, Barry Murphy, and Leo Wayne Dymowski. Special integrated footage of Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Lon Chaney, Jr appear as characters in this production. Directed by Sue Svehla. Available through Alpha Video.

Terror in the Pharaoh’s Tomb (2007): Two intrepid reporters and a private detective join an excursion to Egypt to solve the mystery of a lost civilization. This is a throwback to the film noir/screwball comedies/adventure serials of the 1930s and 1940s. Somewhat in the vein of “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid,” this motion picture is a mix of old archival footage of classic movie celebrities mixed with modern actors in a vintage environment, utilizing era appropriate wardrobe and props. The cast includes Wayne Shipley, Barry Murphy, Jonathan Rickman, George Stover, Leanna Chamish, and Leo Wayne Dymowski. Special integrated footage of Bela Lugosi, Peter Lorre, Leo Gorsky, and Lon Chaney, Jr appear as characters in this production. Directed by Sue Svehla. Available through Alpha Video.

Stellar Quasar and the Scrolls of Dadelia (2016): In the vein of the sci fi serials of the 1930s, as well as Star Wars, this film by Susan Svehla is very much a comedic science fiction adventure. Stars Nicole Chemere, Veronica Carlson, Caroline Munro, Matt Harding, Jason Presson, Louanna Lee, Wayne Shipley, Leo Wayne Dymowski, George Stover, and Barry Murphy.

We follow Captain Stellar Quasar and the crew of the Aticus Lem as they embark on a journey into the Uncharted Quadrant. They face threats from various factions – including a repo ship, a mega corporation, and a cult leader. What makes this production different from the Svehla’s other movies is that there is no archival footage used in this movie. Available through Alpha Video. Directed by Sue Svehla.

Susan and Gary Svehla  also allowed their home theater to be used as the main set for the Spooky Movie Television Show, Helmed by Curtis Prather, the show featured independent horror film shorts hosted by comedian John Dimes and Scream Queen Leanna Chamish. The show had hilarious skits intermixed with the shorts, and actor Richard Dyszel sometimes joined the fray.

Susan and Gary also did a pilot for a cooking show hosted by actress Leanna Chamish. Sue was a dynamo that couldn’t be stopped. 

A. Susan Svehla lived several lifetimes in her life. She was a powerhouse in publishing about Hollywood history, directed three motion pictures, and was a true sweetheart to all those that knew her. A celebration in her honor will be held July 5th, where family and friends will gather to regale one another with tales and stories of Sue over the years. We here at Smash or Trash would like to send our deepest sympathies to Gary Svehla, as well as Sue’s family and friends. MidMar website.

I would like to thank my 2026 producers for backing this site, allowing me to continue to create articles and videos for Smash or Trash Indie Filmmaking.