Dead and Kind of Famous
The podcast where two friends (one who's a nobody and one who's kinda famous) dive into the life stories of dead folks who enjoyed a touch or two of fame in their time and now reside permanently in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Dead and Kind of Famous
Bon Vivant: Baron Clement Von Franckenstein
Ever wondered what it takes to be dubbed a Hollywood bon vivant? Join us as we kick off "Dead and Kind of Famous" with the eccentric and flamboyant life of Baron Clement von Frankenstein. We'll take you through our amusing adventure in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, where we use Find a Grave to track down the baron's final resting place. Marissa and Courtney share their first impressions of his marble tombstone, the origin of his captivating surname, and even improvise an obituary that will leave you in stitches.
From youthful escapades and inheritance windfalls to a colorful Hollywood career, Baron Clement von Frankenstein's life was nothing if not extraordinary. Learn about his transformation from an English nobleman to a beloved character actor, with memorable roles in everything from "Young Frankenstein" to "Robin Hood: Men in Tights."
This episode also uncovers Baron Clement's unexpected financial rescue from his nanny, his stint as a singing King Henry VIII in an Anaheim theme restaurant, and his general randy antics. We delve into his acting journey, his off-screen exploits, and his final roles, painting a vivid picture of a man who lived life to the fullest. Whether you're intrigued by his inclusion in People magazine’s list of top bachelors or curious about the drama at his own funeral, this episode promises a rich tapestry of stories you won't want to miss. Cheers to the Baron- the most loveable of friends!
Links from this episode:
Vegan Truffles: https://minimalistbaker.com/2-ingredient-dark-chocolate-truffles/
Baron's find a grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/216051539/clement-george_freiherr-von_und_zu_franckenstein
Baron's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clementvon/
The Short Documentary of the Baron by Matthew Ford: https://www.facebook.com/1245812342/videos/10219355947949855/
Sources are listed on Substack at https://deadandkindafamous.substack.com/
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Season 1, Episode 1. It begins the beginning.
Marissa:The beginning.
Marissa:Hello and welcome to Dead and Kind of Famous, where we dig into the life stories of dead folks who enjoyed a touch or two of fame in their time.
Marissa:And now reside permanently in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Marissa:Hello, I'm Marissa Rivera and I know how to get on and off of the 110 freeway without dying. And other than that I know nothing, and I'm Courtney.
Marissa:Blomquist and I know how to make vegan truffles and really it's simple. And they're delicious and no one knows, and I'm not going to give you the recipe, but I will give you a lot of information about today's subject.
Marissa:No, you should post the recipe in the notes, all right, yeah.
Marissa:Today we are talking about Baron Clement von Frankenstein.
Marissa:Whoa yes.
Marissa:What a name. He's got a great name. Yes, what a name. He's got a great name, and we're going to talk about exactly what we can see on his gravestone, because that's all we want Marissa to know. So I want you, marissa, okay, to look at this grave. All right, so the image is a little blurry. We're on Find a Grave right now wait, what that's?
Marissa:an actual, that's a site. We'll be using it a lot for this show because it is how you find graves on the internet and the exact actual maps. Because when I'm going, by the way, when we're finding these people, it's like pretty much me wandering through the hollywood forever cemetery capturing pictures of what I think is interesting, basically just based on people's names. Or if they have a crazy grave and there's like weird pictures on it and I don't know anything that catches my eye, I'm like you seem interesting, let's go. And so this is our first attempt at that, just so everyone knows. But if you go on findagravecom and you're looking for somebody that we talk about, they will show you a map of exactly where to find their grave so that if you are looking for it later, you can find that. And we will include links to all of this in the show notes.
Marissa:Wow, I didn't know this exists, it does it?
Marissa:does. That's wild. So you can see what's written on it.
Marissa:Here is what Baron Clement von Frankenstein's grave says Born the 28th of May 1944. Died the 9th of May 2019. Age 75 years, 11 months and 11 days, if you like doing math. The epitaph reads actor bon vivant, gentleman most lovable of friends. Oh, I love that. Oh, that's really sweet. Yes, what is a bon vivant?
Courtney:It is basically like a lover of life. Let's see, yes, a person who enjoys a sociable and luxurious lifestyle.
Courtney:Ooh Well, for a baron I would expect no less.
Courtney:Yes, exactly.
Marissa:Okay, so I'm looking at the grave and it looks like really, really nice marble Mm-hmm.
Courtney:There is a picture of him smoking a cigar, mm-hmm, looking like he's had a few too many drinks. Yes, yes indeed. Looking like he's had a few, too many drinks.
Marissa:Yes, yes indeed, staring right at you from his grave, looking like a bon vivant. He does look. He looks hella, bon vivant.
Courtney:Yes, exactly.
Marissa:Definition of the word.
Courtney:And can we talk about the spelling of his name? Okay, let's do it. It is Baron Clement von Frankenstein, but the Frankenstein is spelled with a CK, not just a K, the way you would know?
Marissa:Oh yes, it is. It's V-O-N space F-R-A-N-C-K-E-N-S-T-E-I-N.
Courtney:Yeah, so a little different than what you're used to. I don't know what reference you might be thinking of.
Marissa:I don't know. I don't know.
Courtney:Okay, so basically he had a long life and a long name. That's what we know. But do you know anything else about Baron Clement von Frankenstein beyond what his grave tells us, marissa?
Marissa:I don't know, but I'm going to hazard a guess.
Courtney:Yeah. So at this point, this is when, just for all of you and ourselves, getting used to the format of the, show you the ignorant one.
Marissa:Me Marissa the ignorant one.
Courtney:Yes, will judge the book by its cover, judge the grave by its cover and improvise an obituary for Baron Clement von Frankenstein based entirely on your own judgments and assumptions. Yeah, just judge him because this is the time. Okay, and I'll give you a point for everything you actually randomly get right.
Marissa:Or close to correct. Yes, close to correct. Okay, great, let's see. Baron clement von frankenstein was born in 1944 to his mother, baroness mary janet von frankenstein, and father baron Frank von Frankenstein, and he was the first of four siblings two boys, two girls.
Marissa:He was born in Germany, germany, somewhere in Frankfurt, actually Germany. Somewhere in Frankfurt, actually Germany and he realized from a young age that he had a penchant for entertainment and always wanted to go to Hollywood to be a big star. So as soon as he became of age he packed everything up, his measly little belongings, because they came from nothing. They were a wealthy family before, and then they fell destitute, and since he had nothing to lose, he ran off to Hollywood to pursue his dream. And he did, he did. He acted in several feature films and commercials and was one of the first improvisers no, no wait, let's roll it back loved how sunny and beautiful Hollywood was and he quickly became friends with his whole apartment complex. His apartment was the apartment to be at, and all of his friends man, they all said he was the most lovable of all of them and he really did know how to have a good time. He loved enjoying a cigar after a hard day's work on set and he enjoyed life to the fullest. He never married a bachelor till the end, because he liked that free lifestyle.
Marissa:When he passed, he left no one except for his friends. No family survived him. His other four siblings his other three siblings died before him back in Germany. Okay, okay, that's it. That's the end. That's it. That was a lot. Yeah, that was a lot Okay.
Courtney:Okay, I want to get into's the end. That's it. That was a lot. Yeah, that was a lot Okay. Okay, I want to get into everything that you did get right for sure.
Marissa:Okay.
Courtney:As we get to it.
Marissa:Okay, and you can point it out if I don't. Okay.
Courtney:Great, great, great. All right, but your score, I would say, is a four.
Marissa:A four that's out of Out of. Well, Well, I only got four things right.
Courtney:Yeah, out of all of the facts or lies in your case that you shared. Now for the truth and the facts and the real news presented by me. This is the point when I want our guest to introduce himself. So this is the Baron.
The Baron:I'm Clement Baron von Frankenstein. This is interesting. There's me with two very gorgeous models and me with a hard-on. As you can see, if you have a name Frankenstein, you have to have a big dick. Just joking. Heaven and finest land, you have to have a big day. I know it's all right, Just joking Back in the.
Courtney:So, oh my God, there he is. Oh my God, old Clem. Old Clem himself. And for those of you at home who can't see what we were just looking at, as you heard, marissa, he was bragging about a photo of himself as a much younger man with two beautiful models, and, as he mentions, you can see his erection from beneath his shorts quite clearly, quite clearly, yes, and this really is a perfect introduction to this guy. I feel so fortunate that our very first grave that we stumbled upon is someone this interesting. He really really is.
Courtney:So I'm going to put a link to this film that I just played a little bit of in the show notes. It's very short. It was a short, unfinished doc made for him by his friend, the director, matthew Ford. It is the perfect introduction to this guy. It shows him shuffling along the Hollywood Walk of Fame in his signature monogrammed slippers and speaking compassionately with a Johnny Depp lookalike actor who's been sleeping in the park, and then he's bragging the next minute about taking an acting class with Michelle Pfeiffer when he just happens to stumble across her star on the Walk of Fame.
Courtney:So, it just happens to oh yeah, it is a delightful little portrait. Fame. So it just happens to oh yeah, it is a delightful little portrait. Honestly, I'm not sure if every grave, every person we focus on, is going to even be likable, because, like, not all dead people are cool, you know.
Marissa:Well, much like life.
Courtney:Yes, yes, dad, or alive Not everybody's cool.
Marissa:Not everyone's cool, ok, but people really suck.
Courtney:Some people really suck, but Baron Clement von Frankenstein, he was a cool guy and a very likable guy Part nobleman, part prolific character actor of small roles and part dirty old bachelor Ding ding ding.
Marissa:You were right Ding ding ding. I knew it, I knew it.
Courtney:That's the first point Bachelor till the end, for sure.
Marissa:And we will get into that To for sure, and we will get into that.
The Baron:To the bitter end, like kind of a legendary bachelor.
Courtney:Actually, he was not a household name, but if you were lucky enough to meet him, you would not easily forget him, and that is pretty much what everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him said Okay.
Marissa:So very memorable character of a man. Yes, that's awesome. Okay, where was he born?
Courtney:Okay, well, let's get into it. So when I say he was a nobleman and you picked up on this as well I don't just mean he was a nobleman type. I know we're in Hollywood, but he was actually a nobleman. His name just wasn't Baron, like Donald Trump's son, but he was an actual nobleman. Baron Clement von Frankenstein, known more affectionately to his friends as Clem, was born on May 28, 1944, at Sunning Hill near Ascot, berkshire, so in England. Okay, his father and I'm going to butcher the German names so hard His father, sir Georg Freer von Unzu, frankenstein, whoa, had been the Austrian ambassador in London until 1938. Okay, so they're Austrian, not German, they are Austrian.
Marissa:Yes, okay.
Courtney:But disgusted by the annexation of the federal state of Austria into the German Reich, also known, and that event was also known as the Anschluss. Again, I'm so sorry. He renounced his homeland and became a british citizen.
Courtney:Wow, yes and for this he was knighted, hence the sir title. Okay, yes. So shortly after receiving this feather in his cap, sir georg or george it's george without an e on the end, I don't know Married the much younger Editha King or Editha King it's Edith with an A on the end. Yeah, and by the time baby Clem came into the world, his father was a spry young 66 years old. Wow, yep, he was named after his paternal uncle, who had been a director of the Munich Opera.
Marissa:Oh, so a little bit of creativity runs through his veins already.
Courtney:Yes, and if it wasn't already clear, he's got some class in those veins as well and also some intrigue, Though this claim cannot be entirely substantiated.
Courtney:Oh, I love an unsubstantiated claim. Yes, there are several with this guy. Okay, it is believed that Mary Shelley had adapted his family name for her famous novel Dr Frankenstein's Monster, after meeting an ancestor of von Frankenstein's who was in Geneva when she was there. Okay, this is a story that the Baron liked to share a lot. You know whether it was true or not. He liked to talk about it?
Marissa:He sure did, and his family was like a lot At all his parties that he threw at his apartment.
Courtney:Nope, that one's not as far as I can tell. That one's not real. He was too fancy for his own apartment. I feel like he he went out in the world. He was invited to fancy parties.
Marissa:He was invited to fancy parties and this was his go-to story.
Courtney:Yes, Okay, for sure. Shelley, of course, left out the Vaughn and the C in her characterization of the name, so it was just Frankenstein, not Vaughn Frankenstein, like our dear Baron.
Marissa:Dear, dear.
Courtney:Baron.
Courtney:Dear dear Baron. Many of the tall tales that surround this guy are all kind of in the same category of like. Do we believe it? That surround this guy are all kind of in the same category of like. Do we believe it? Do we not believe it? I want to believe it. I want to believe this one. I feel like this is not the most outlandish of the things that I've heard so far about the Baron. Okay, what else about the Baron? Well, okay, so sadly, when Clem was just nine years old, both his parents were killed in a tragic plane crash. Their plane had caught fire and crashed after taking off from Frankfurt, and the accident resulted in 44 deaths.
Marissa:Oh, that's awful. It's very sad. So he was orphaned At nine years old, really young, oh my gosh. So who did he go live with?
Courtney:He went to live with some family friends, but there was some mystique around the whole crash, according to him as well. This is another story he likes to tell in interviews. Clem has said that there was a theory that a Russian KGB general on board was defecting on the flight and that sabotage may have been involved. But this theory again, was never proven.
Marissa:Interesting unsubstantiated claim Erin, yes, wow.
Courtney:It's such intrigue. It's such intrigue, it's such intrigue. Yes, and in any case, clem was in prep school when he received news of his parents' death and he was not allowed to attend the funeral because the school thought he was too young to attend, which is very sad. That is so sad, and Clem himself said that this decision quote really pissed me off because the British were so fucking uptight in those days. In those days, in all days.
Marissa:And I agree with him.
Courtney:I mean like he was too young to lose his parents is the thing.
Marissa:Oh, my Way too young.
Courtney:But because he did like, let him have a proper goodbye, Exactly.
Marissa:He never got to say goodbye yeah.
Courtney:That's so tragic.
Marissa:It's so crazy. That's awful.
Courtney:You can't be too young for these things. I mean, I just brought my baby to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery where I stumbled across this very grave, so I'm sure she won't remember it, but I wish she did. After his parents' death, clem was grazed in Gloucester, gloucester, gloucester.
Marissa:Gloucester, gloucester, gloucester, gloucester, damn it, all right.
Courtney:Gloucestershire, gloucestershire, it's like Worcestershire, I can't pronounce anything right, close friends of his parents, and I could find nothing to indicate that he had been formally adopted by the Taylors. Okay, but he had a good relationship with them and remained very close with his foster sister, celia Plunkett, throughout his life. Celia Plunkett, yes. So he did not have siblings, he was the only kid of his parents, but he had a foster sister, okay, so, in true posh tradition, the Baron received his education at Eaton College, which is an extremely competitive and well-known British boys school.
Courtney:Sure is, you know of it? Yes, okay, yeah, it is well-known. I didn't know of it, but it is well-known. It's in Berkshire, england. It's for boys age 13 to 18. So this was like his, for our context, like high school years.
Marissa:It's a boarding school.
Courtney:Yeah, it's a boarding school. He seems to have gone to all prep schools and boarding schools. I mean, he's a baron down to the very core, like he is just a baron's baron. He is indeed. Yes, this is just not a typical Hollywood backstory for most people, I would assume, except for all those royals that are out here hoofing it and trying to get those Netflix deals.
Courtney:From there, he joined the ranks of the Royal Scots Greys, a cavalry regiment of the British Army, during which time he used the sex appeal of his uniform to its full extent.
Marissa:Oh, watch out, it's the Baron in a uniform.
Courtney:He was pretty sexy when he was younger. I mean, he kind of had like a young Rod Stewart if he was a brunette thing going on, does he? Do you want to see? I want to see yes. Okay, the caption on this photo where I think he looks like a young Rod Stewart without blonde hair, sort of. He's got that like we can't tell how tan he is he looks?
Courtney:like John Belushi. Oh, interesting, he's a little more chiseled, though, a little bit more, yeah, yeah, and he has puka shells on his picture, which I just realized. Oh, how embarrassing for him. Anyway, but it's a caption.
Marissa:Hey, those were all the rage in what looks like the 1970s.
Courtney:Yeah, 1975.
Marissa:And again in the early 2000s?
Courtney:Yes, which is so embarrassing for all the people, all of us, not me. I didn't ever wear a pick of shells. I did that. You know what? That's? Because I.
Marissa:I 100% did yes.
Courtney:You did, yeah, oh, okay, oh, 100%. Do you know what, though? It's more authentic? That you did because you grew up in Florida and I grew up in Indiana, and that is just like insane to be like it's natural for me to wear shells around my neck. No, it's not.
Marissa:It's not I just want to clarify I did not do all of my growing up in Florida. I'm not a Floridian. I would just like to put that caveat out there. I do not claim Florida.
Courtney:Moving on. This is unsubstantial, okay, okay. So yes, we were just talking about how he used to sex appeal of his uniform. How could you not? Yes, and this habit of partying in his full regalia came to light when he was found in a nightclub in Hamburg, germany, with what several of his obituaries described as quote ladies of the town, and I'm not sure if that means that they were local women or local sex workers, but that's neither here nor there. They're obituaries. You never know if people are trying to, you know, throw somebody a softball or not. The last softball, the last softball trying to. You know, throw somebody a softball or not the last softball, the last softball, like you know. But he wouldn't have cared. That's the thing I think he would have loved the mysteriousness Did I pay for them or not?
Marissa:I don't know. I don't know Depends what story I tell you tonight at this party.
Courtney:Exactly. The point is his reputation as a naughty playboy was taking shape in defense of his bad habits. During this time, clem is quoted as saying I was very much a soldier's officer. I would have been fine in a war, but I was lousy in peacetime. So he was basically like I would have. I'm a man. I'm a man's man. I would have occupied my time with important things like war had there been a war, but since there wasn't, I just decided to fuck a bunch of people.
Marissa:I've decided to occupy my time with a bunch of women. Yeah, to occupy women.
Courtney:Clem was also pretty lousy with money. He loved to gamble and have a good time, and this led him to breezing through his inheritance before he ever hopped across the pond to Hollywood.
Marissa:Wow, and if there was ever a town that you needed an inheritance? Oh yeah, oh man, that would have gone so far here, totally.
Courtney:It's such a boon to be a trust fund kid here, truly so. He lost that chance and he was pretty broke for a stretch of years and made ends meet working for nightclub owner Harry Meadows, who apparently had several well-known nightclubs in Britain, until, in an unexpected and ironic twist, his nanny left him a legacy.
Marissa:What.
Courtney:Yes, so his nanny left him money in her will.
Marissa:What? Yes, and this detail His nanny. Wait, his nanny, that his, like foster parents had.
Courtney:It would have had to been unless it was his nanny from his earlier years, which I guess it could have been either way. I mean, he was nine when he lost his parents. I didn't find that what era she was from or if he had the same nanny the whole time. It's the only detail about the nanny I could find. Do we have a name?
Marissa:No, Just this mysterious.
Courtney:Just the mysterious nanny.
Marissa:Just a mysterious benefactory? Yeah, what's the word? What's the word Benefactor? Yes, this mysterious benefactor Of the Baron, of the Baron who also wiped his ass at some point.
Courtney:Yes, yes, which is bizarre, and I feel like that detail only makes sense to me if I imagine that the nanny is Fran Drescher, and I think that the reason that makes sense is because she married the like father of the children she was watching. So really, she would just be giving them his money, exactly which makes sense. That's how my brain works.
Marissa:I am sorry oh my gosh, but the reality is is that this woman was not married into the family, she just no, okay. No, ok, she just left him something. So he did come to Hollywood with some money he did.
Courtney:Yes, wow. And after his tenure as a soldier he went to study opera for three years Whoa OK, so he could sing.
Marissa:He can sing. I mean sang, yeah, that is opera is very intense, right, and he did it for three years.
Courtney:He did ask his teacher when tenors get good, because apparently he was a tenor, which is like a little surprising to me after hearing his voice.
The Baron:Yeah.
Courtney:You know, I thought he would be a, not a bass, but a baritone, baritone.
Marissa:Yeah, bear in the baritone, bear in the baritone. If only he could have been so much better.
Courtney:But I guess maybe he just I think he smoked a lot. To be honest, I think we're seeing him talk like later in his life yeah, so earlier earlier, before the tobacco had gotten Right.
Marissa:He had a lovely resonant voice.
Courtney:A lovely tenor, a lovely tenor. So he asked his teacher when tenors get good? So I guess he was having some doubts about his ability, and the teacher said that they don't really get good until age 34.
Marissa:What an arbitrary age. First of all, Very specific.
Courtney:That feels like a voice teacher thing to say, though, to be honest. Yeah, because you grew up doing voice yes, and so I think that that, yeah, I remember someone telling me like you don't have to worry about like your voice not being good until 36. So I guess for women it's the opposite which makes sense.
Marissa:As women, we do lose our value as we age. So that totally makes sense. Fade away slowly but time out 34 specifically, that's what his teacher told him, and not 35.
Courtney:34.
Marissa:That's very interesting.
Courtney:I don't know. Think that that feels like a personal thing to say, like where the teacher was, like I didn't feel like anything came together for me until I was 34.
Marissa:Yeah, me speaking as a tenor and your teacher.
Courtney:That's like a very yes. Just I don't know. Voice teachers are Not to offend any voice teachers Not to offend any voice. They're a little self-absorbed, so.
Marissa:Well dang, that's a very large, blanket statement. Feel free to be offended. I feel offended on your behalf.
Courtney:I think, when you have your own experience, it's hard not to speak from your own experience. It could happen to anybody. That's very true.
Marissa:So we're assuming his teacher was also a self-absorbed tenor who only got good at age 34.
Courtney:I mean, how would he have those specifics otherwise? It's true, it doesn't feel like something that would be in a book or be backed up by any form of science or anything like that, the science of song. So, getting this news, the Baron said, quote fuck that. And decided to abandon his singing pursuits for an acting career in Hollywood because he didn't want to wait.
Marissa:Wow, he said, fuck that, I'm hopping across the pond. That's what he did. Yes, so it was 19.
Courtney:With his nanny inheritance. With his nanny inheritance, yeah, assuming you didn't blow all of it on studying opera, which you know. He was probably still gambling during that time. I don't have exact financial records, but we assume he had some money from his inheritance. It was 1972 when Clem arrived in California, but it was not in Los Angeles where he first found work, but in Anaheim where he was hired to play a singing Henry VIII in a Tudor-themed dinner theater experience called 1520 AD called 1520 AD what I was expecting you to Disneyland.
Marissa:I was expecting you to go Disneyland and we just turned a hard left to move you in time.
Courtney:Not just the outskirts of Hollywood, this man, the outskirts of Anaheim.
Marissa:That's where we are, and just so you people know. So this was like the off off off Broadway of Anaheim. That's where we are, and just so you people know. So this was like the off off off Broadway of.
Courtney:Anaheim yes, and I did find a little bit about this place. It was a review for after he was employed by this theater. But it gave me an idea of the experience. But what we can assume is that Clem could be found there in the main role, because that's the main role for this, I mean so.
Courtney:He played the king. He played the king and he could be found singing I'm Henry VIII, I am and Danny Boy, while diners banged metal spoons on their table to get the attention of their waitress, or in the you you know terms of this particular establishment, wench so wow, yes, their, their table wench would come.
Courtney:When they banged things on the table, they bang, bang, bang. I want my wench, yes, and they didn't even say like here, wench, and like have someone come over, which would feel very disrespectful. It's like you don't even deserve for me to give you any kind of name at all. I'm just going to bang a metal spoon on a table until you decide.
Marissa:Until my needs are met.
Courtney:Yeah, until my needs are met and you figure out that I'm talking to you. So that's how that place worked.
Marissa:Wow, okay, so this was Clem's first day job.
Courtney:Yes, in California.
Marissa:In California. Yes, Exactly.
Courtney:He found some other interesting ways to make money. If you can interpret this next clip, I'm going to play for you the way I'm interpreting it. It's a little bit hard to identify his exact verb here. Okay.
The Baron:Back in the 70s, $100 a day was quite a lot. So I was broke and they'd give you $100 a day to roll around in bed with this girl with a huge boob. So I thought, why not? It was fun, you know.
Courtney:So I can't tell. And there's one paper that quoted him as saying that he would pay $100 a day when he was broke to roll around in bed with a woman with huge boobs. But I don't think that makes any sense, because if they're saying he's broke, he would get paid to roll around. Do you want to listen again?
Marissa:Yeah, I want to hear it again. All right, hold on.
The Baron:If you have an amfranis line you have to have a big dick, big dick. Back in the 70s, $100 a day was quite a lot. So you know it was broke and they'd give you $100 a day to roll around in bed with this girl with a huge boob. So I thought, why not? It was fun, you know.
Courtney:They gave you $100 a day to roll around.
Marissa:In bed with a woman with a huge boob. I think he's talking about his co-star, like the co-star that he was the woman he was with one of the women he was with for this show oh no, boobs, they give, they give, he said. He said they. They gave me 100 a day to roll around they did.
Courtney:He did say that so, so I'm where I have this story lined up. Is not like he's not talking about working at that restaurant in this video? Okay, in that interview before this point. Okay, so this is just him talking about being in california in the 70s so it's the same time period but he was like whatever job I got it's like 100 bucks a day. Yeah, he was like I was broke. Sometimes I would I that what I'm hearing.
Marissa:OK, is what is the Baron telling you?
Courtney:What I think makes sense and what I think he's saying is when I was broke, I would take a hundred bucks a day to roll around in bed with a woman with huge boobs and it was fun, so I didn't care. To me that's someone saying I did porn and I'm not ashamed.
Marissa:That's what I'm hearing. The Baron was a sex worker.
Courtney:I think that the Baron was. That's what I'm hearing. Yes, ok.
Marissa:Well, you're the, you're the gal with the information. I mean, I don't know, that's what you got from it then.
Courtney:That's the clip. That's the only reference to this. And he is not. He is a mumbler, so it's hard to uh tell exactly, but I heard that they would give you a hundred dollars a day is the verb. I heard like they'd give them to give you a hundred dollars a day yeah, something like that big boobs that's what I heard. Yeah, so I again unsubstantiated information, but uh, that's what I think. I think you did some porn. I think the baron did some porn.
Courtney:Oh, baron yes cheeky, cheeky baron cheeky old clem showed some cheek for a check, wow, but eventually. Eventually the Baron started to work for real and get booked on a regular basis, though he was technically uncredited. One of the Baron Clement von Frankenstein's first roles was, ironically, in Mel Brooks' 1974 spoof Young Frankenstein.
Marissa:You know, he only got hired because of his last name. You know that the producers were like, oh, wouldn't it be so funny to have this. Or Mel Brooks himself, honestly, or Mel Brooks himself.
Courtney:yes, we were like that's hilarious.
Marissa:Hire this guy.
Courtney:Yes, and so he's not actually credited, but according to IMDb, his part was that of the quote villager screaming at the monster from the bars I don't know if those are like drinking bars or behind bars Very vague, but that was his part and it is easy to imagine, as you were just saying, him charming casting directors.
Courtney:He's clearly very charming, even just in the clips you can hear with his lore and trying to get in that way, because he did like to tell that story. And despite the small part he must have made a good impression on Mel Brooks because he was cast again almost 20 years later in his 1993 film Robin Hood Men in Tights as the royal announcer. Oh, wow, yeah. So that's kind of like that's a long game, that's a long relationship, wow yes.
Marissa:So that's kind of like that's a long game, that's a long game relationship. Wow yes, he networked the shit out of Mel.
Courtney:Brooks yeah, he did.
Marissa:He was like remember me, the Baron von Frankenstein and Mel Brooks was like ah yes, I do, you are quite unforgettable.
Courtney:You are quite unforgettable. You are lovable and unforgettable, as all of your friends say. So when he was credited, Clem often chose to drop his title from his name so as not to be intimidating.
Marissa:So you'll often Wow, thank you.
Courtney:Thank you so much. She's like I deserve. Listen, I know that you should bow to me, but I will not require it.
Marissa:In fact, I will hide this fact. In fact, I will hide the fact that I am royal adjacent. You're welcome as to maintain a veneer of professionalism.
Courtney:Yes, he's had a few drinks before this audition. Exactly exactly that tracks.
Marissa:Whilst on this, mel Brooks set.
Courtney:Yes, yes, yeah, he would drop his title. You'd often see him on the cast list simply as Clement von Frankenstein, so he's credited many times that way. If you are looking for the Baron's credits note, that is how they are often presented. And on that note, he had no expectations of friends using his title because, again, he was a humble Baron. But a certain Austrian bodybuilder always followed decorum, as Clem said himself. I rarely use my title in LA, but Arnold always calls me Baron.
Marissa:Oh, my God, Perfect Just casually slipping in oh yeah, God.
Courtney:Perfect.
Marissa:Just casually slipping in.
Courtney:Oh yeah, arnold Schwarzenegger, he's first name only, by the way, the biggest name dropper, wow. Yes. Throughout his career, clem's casting was varied, but after reviewing his resume, I define him as a tarnished silver spoon. He was classy, but he was also unmistakably grimy. That tracks, yes, that tracks. It does Much like his own name. His higher class characters often had some sort of title. For instance, he was cast as a lord more than once, which actually could be the title for a baron as well.
Marissa:Yeah. As well as doctors, doctors, commissioners, colonels and judges so he was typecast as like either a lord or like a white collar yes, like somebody who had some level of like gravitas or reverence to them a little bit, got it okay um this makes sense for the baron?
Courtney:yes, I think so, and when he was playing a lower class character, because he also did that.
Marissa:Oh, he's got range.
Courtney:He's got range.
Marissa:The Baron's got range.
Courtney:His roles usually contained at least some level of that same gravitas or elegance still so. For instance, he often played announcers, maitre d's and butlers.
Marissa:Okay, yes.
Courtney:But somewhat unsurprisingly, he was also convincing as a sleaze and a cad. You had to really stretch for those roles, oh yeah, yeah, absolutely Like the time he played a Danish pervert on an episode of Californication that was aptly titled Perverts and Whores. That was aptly titled Perverts and Whores. Basically, if I had to compare Clem to a cocktail, he'd be a filthy martini made with top shelf gin. Classy but a little gross.
Marissa:Oh, I love that.
Courtney:Yes, Now, although he himself, I think, preferred cognac but you know that's a wannabe move Clem Does.
Marissa:He Is that, yes, oh. He did prefer cognac, that is a fact, yes, Well, he likes.
Courtney:I know from the documentary that I've referenced that you all should watch. He drinks a sidecar at Hollywood's oldest bar, which is a treat for him. He said but then what's Hollywood's oldest bar? I don't know this. You know what? I don't know. We'll put it in the show notes. I don't remember, but it was because it's just in the video he drinks it in hollywood's oldest bar.
Marissa:Okay, I just googled it really quick. The oldest bar in la is the king eddie saloon, which opened in 1906.
Courtney:Hmm, Try oldest restaurant.
Marissa:Okay, the old, hollywood's oldest yeah.
Courtney:Restaurant.
Marissa:Restaurant Musso and Frank. That's it Okay.
Courtney:Yes, that's the one I knew. It began with an M.
Marissa:Proudly serving Hollywood since 1919.
Courtney:Okay, so the oldest bar is a little older than the oldest restaurant is what we know yeah, so he was drinking at.
Marissa:The oldest bar is a little older than the oldest restaurant, is what we know.
Courtney:Yeah, so he was drinking at the oldest restaurant, yeah, and then there's pictures like this on his Instagram, with an empty bottle of cognac and a half-burned cigar outside of what I'm assuming Not a bottle, a glass, an empty glass of?
Marissa:Okay yeah?
Courtney:And I think this is from in the documentary you can see like what the exterior of his apartment looked like. So he did live in an apartment. He did live in an apartment. He lived in an apartment since 1981, I believe. So he lived there for almost 30 years I think actually just about 30 years and rented from the same friend for a long time. So I feel like you got that detail.
Marissa:I did.
Courtney:Because he was friends with everyone in his apartment building which was pretty much just his landlord, because it's just like a building with an apartment on top. Okay, but like I think the landlord lives underneath.
Marissa:I was right. Yes, I was right.
Courtney:Another point for me yes, but yeah so he preferred cognac, but I thought he was a dirty martini. I think I'm right. Fight me, clem Ope, you can't, you're dead.
Marissa:Anyway, just kidding, love you.
Courtney:Just kidding, we respect everyone. He would appreciate it. He would appreciate it. He makes fun of himself. Over the course of his 40-year career, some of his roles were notable. For instance, he played Senator Sestimus Amidius in the Coen Brothers film Hail Caesar. Alongside George Clooney, he shared scenes with him, yes film.
Courtney:Hail Caesar alongside George Clooney. He shared scenes with him and he is often remembered as France's head of state, president D'Astier, in Rob Reiner's 1995 film the American President. But he also had roles that were more on the nothing end of the spectrum. Don't we all Yep, like the time he played a corpse in Murder? She Wrote it was a corpse with a name, but it was still a corpse. It was still a dead body. Yep, oh my gosh, he played the victim. He played the victim. I think the whole episode was built around his death, which is like that feels bigger, I guess. But also he played a dead body. So, but Clem didn't. He didn't turn up his nose at any role and he prided himself in being a working actor. So if you asked him to play dead, the Baron was going to fucking play dead.
Marissa:Oh my God, me and Clem have so much in common.
Courtney:Yes, take the money, take the money. Take the money, work on set Absolutely, and this resulted in an IMDb resume that topped out at 128 credits.
Marissa:Wow, so I mean some of them are like what is that?
Courtney:And other ones you know it, yeah, you know, so it's impressive.
Marissa:I think it's impressive. We're a steadily working actor For 40 years. I mean goals, I think right, yeah, I bet he qualified for insurance.
Courtney:I'm sure he did. If you look at this IMDb, it is lengthy, it is long. This is his credits.
Marissa:Wow, I want to see his headshot.
Courtney:Is there a headshot on there?
Marissa:Yeah, okay, this might be a headshot. It might be. I mean, he's not looking at the camera, it's black and white. It's black and white, but black and white was the standard for a while for the longest time actually and he's wearing a suit and he's gazing. He's gazing off.
Courtney:Into the sunset. Yeah, he's really, he's contemplative. He's contemplative Hundred, and he's not a bad looking man, no, he's not. I mean he, he sort of like he gained weight later and you know, you can see that, but he he was, he always had a presence, for sure, and he had, yeah, this huge. What was his last credit, his last credit Interesting? His last credit? His last credit interesting, you should ask is a film called Starfucker, with an asterisk for the? U, that features a lot of people who are like playing themselves, and Andy Dick was in it playing himself.
Courtney:And so was oh my God, it's Nicolas Cage's son.
Marissa:Weston Cage Coppola, who I did not know was a person I did not know that either, and he looks like.
Courtney:He looks like Nicolas Cage's son in the.
Marissa:I mean look at him. He's got those like icy blues. We are side barring. We're side barring really hard.
Courtney:But like, yeah, I mean you asked about the last credit and I already went down this rabbit hole, so I just wanted you to know. I'm kind of just priding myself about the fact that I didn't talk about how, in Young Frankenstein, the monster was played by the same guy who played Frank Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond. Oh yeah, that was him. I was like what I did? Know that?
Marissa:I did know that. I did know that, yes.
Courtney:But, as I think I've already made evident, his life off screen was far more interesting than any of the roles he played, and the stories of his antics often preceded him. Clem was a dear friend to many in Hollywood and, as you might expect from someone with such a pedigree, he ran in some elite circles. Ooh, ooh.
Marissa:Yes.
Courtney:Many of his obituaries mentioned that he was a longtime member of the Hollywood and Beverly Hills Cricket Club, playing on an improvised pitch under the Hollywood sign with Mick Jagger, hugh Grant and Julian Sands. So Hugh hello team. Yes, he was not at the level a lot of the people he was friends with I think he was just one of these people who was such an interesting guy that no one minded having him around. No, he got invited to stuff too, like they've. Definitely people wanted to be his friend.
Marissa:That's the impression I want to be his friend why he seems so great.
Courtney:But perhaps the most treasured aspect of being clem's friend were the stories you'd amass in the process. For instance, these are my favorite once he ran into friends after being stood up for a date and had an impromptu dinner with them, but it soon became clear that he had already popped a viagra in anticipation of the date. Oh, my God, and I love that these stories show up in, like all of his obituaries, which is so funny to me. It's like everyone's like. This is what I'm going to talk about now that you're dead.
Marissa:Oh, my God. That's so funny I know, Imagine having a raging heart on while you're just having dinner with your friends. Nope, nothing's wrong, little lightheaded.
Courtney:I'm fine. Another popular story about Clem that I only half understand is that, quote poor innocent drank the contents of a bottle of Spanish brandy that Clem had used to sterilize himself after enjoying some sexual deviances in Tijuana. So what I can imagine, that he thought he was sterilizing himself by, like, dumping the Spanish brandy on his dick. Right, that's how you would.
Marissa:That's how I interpret this.
Courtney:That's not also something you should do? I mean, I hope no one's listening to this podcast for medical advice, but pretty sure that, please don't. Pretty sure that doesn't work. But also so, if someone drank the contents of that bottle and they're saying the story like it's so gross, does that mean that he like, saved it and then put it back in the bottle to reuse, to sterilize himself again? Oh God, just what do you think?
Marissa:Because I really Well, he clearly brought that bottle from Tijuana back into.
Courtney:California, and he was like this has to be used again. I don't want to waste any more liquor on this, so let's just reuse this. Put it in one of those little like cat bowls, that or no, like fountains, that filters water, just keep it going yeah, just keep it going.
Marissa:That's right and you can say what you want about the Baron, but he's a waste, not want, not kind of a guy.
Courtney:He knows what he's been wealthy, but he also knows what it's like to be broke.
The Baron:He doesn't waste liquor.
Marissa:He doesn't.
Courtney:So he's got his drinking brandy and his dick, brandy and then some poor innocent girl. It just said poor innocent, so it could have been a guy, we don't know. Somebody drank it. Okay, I assumed it was a girl. I mean, who knows, who knows it could have been, we don't know. So here's another cute story. One of Clem's friends recounted that when he was formally announced as the Baron Clement von Frankenstein upon entering the Viennese opera ball at the Beverly Wilshire again fancy party.
Courtney:OK, fancy party means name of that monster, and at that point the Baron turned to her and bellowed my dear madam Frankenstein was the doctor, and he later shared in confidence with his friend that the loud woman's red dress made her look like a quote London bus, Dang, scathing bus, scathing, scathing, baron, sick burn, clem, sick burn. And when it came to his love life, which we've been dancing around so far, we sure have, yes, the baron's exploits were expansive, but he never chose to settle down, as we have discussed. Yeah, he was a lover of all women, though, and he stated once in an interview that I've had quite a few interesting girlfriends. I like women of all colors, white and black and brown.
Marissa:Any color of the way, as long as there's a hole, I'm in it to win it. But any color of the way, as long as there's a hole, I'm in it to win.
Courtney:Oh yeah, he loved women, for sure, but he has preferences OK. So he had very taste, but he had his preferences, and he said specifically that he was looking for a woman who was over 40, smart, independent and buxom. Oh yes, he clearly was a titty boy. Yes, and he went on to say I can't abide skinny, stupid women.
Marissa:So he must have felt he wouldn't have liked you then, Courtney.
Courtney:No, I know I'm just a fangirl. I'm not his wife of choice, but nobody was.
Marissa:Nobody could meet his standards. No one could meet his standards.
Courtney:She could be any color of the rainbow, but she had to be buxom and she had to be smart. That was his requirement, and he also warned that any woman who kicked off the conversation with a Frankenstein joke was destined for the reject bin he was not amused by that.
Courtney:He thought that was a cheap shot. He was not amused by that. He thought that was a cheap shot. Funnily enough, in 2001, clem made it onto the People magazine's list of America's top 50 bachelors. Oh my God, can you imagine reading that list? There's all these names you recognize. I think, like Josh Hartnett was on the same list or something, and then it's like which in 2001 was you know? That was that was, that was the shit. Yeah, he was the shit, he was the shit. And then baron clement.
Marissa:I wonder if, I wonder if he was 50th.
Courtney:I want to know the rank, I want to know the right, I know it's it's surprising, but I think it delighted him. He was very excited about that I could imagine so yes to be on any hot anything list.
Marissa:Totally, I'd also be ecstatic. Oh my god he was.
Courtney:He was so into it, um, but, but nobody met his standards. And he had actually mentioned that he wanted to pass his title on, which is hilarious to me, because I think he's been like I don't have a title for his whole life.
Courtney:And then he's like now I want to pass my title on of and I, honestly, being a baron, it's if you look it up it's or a lord, it's like the lowest nobility it's. I mean not to look, I don't have any nobility. I'm not trying to, you know, hate on his nobility, but it's not like he's not like the king of England, obviously, because that just happened and his name is Charles.
Marissa:Oh gosh, side note the pictures from the coronation. Those crowns have to be reworked. Oh my gosh, everyone looks fucking miserable to be there.
Courtney:It's not a glamorous event. You know, he's not a young king, by any means no.
Marissa:By any stretch of the imagination.
Courtney:Nobody cares anymore. Really truly, meghan, tore it down.
Marissa:Like the American she is.
Courtney:Yes, she was like this is not the shit anymore and we were like, ok, you're right, you're right, meghan, you're right. And we were like okay.
Marissa:You're right. You're right, megan, you're right.
Courtney:But still, the only woman who ever had a longstanding presence in his life was his beloved cat Tallulah.
Marissa:Tallulah, I love that name. Yes.
Courtney:She's so cute. She's on his Instagram too. I'll show you Tallulah, and she died just two months before he died.
Marissa:I wonder if he died from a broken heart.
Courtney:Look at, this is him and Tallulah.
Marissa:Oh my gosh. So right now we're looking at his Instagram.
Courtney:Yes.
Marissa:And it's a photo of him in aviators holding Tallulah, who is a white yeah, mostly white. She's got a few tan spots With blue eyes.
Courtney:She's got a few tan spots.
Marissa:A few tan spots with blue eyes. She's a gorgeous little lady.
Courtney:And he shared information about her. He gave a eulogy. He gave a eulogy, yes, okay. And he lovingly said Tallulah has been my rock for 18 years. An actor's life is an emotional roller coaster full of hills and valleys. Oh my God, costures just the same. Better than any other pet I've ever had, she was the greatest cat.
Marissa:Oh, my God.
Courtney:So really the love of his life was Tallulah for sure.
Marissa:For sure. Tallulah is rapidly becoming the love of my life.
Courtney:Goodness gracious Tallulah is what every actor needs. That's really what he's saying.
Marissa:Yeah, you need an emotional support animal to be in this game. Goodness gracious, I myself have one.
Courtney:Yes, an emotional support animal to be in this game.
Marissa:goodness gracious I myself have one, yes, two, two one that qualifies and one that is legally my emotional support animal?
Courtney:yeah, one, that one that gets to go on the plane oh my gosh, but I love tolu la.
Marissa:I love old, old women, old people. Names for for animals is the best. Courtney has a cat named Eleanor and then her second cat is named Ralphie.
Courtney:Ralph, ralph who is now Wreck-It Ralph, because he broke a lot of my dishes the other day by knocking the whole drying rack off of the counter. But yes, I love, I also love those names.
Marissa:I love it, and my dog's names are Trudy and Gus.
Courtney:Yes, which is very fitting for them. We will share pictures eventually as well, of all the animals, of all the fur babies. Yes, right, and to finish his story off, the last Baron Clement von Frankenstein tall tale occurred at his funeral and I fucking love this. I want to quote his obituary from the times. Exactly okay, because they recount it perfectly okay, at the start of his funeral, a woman in her 20s, matching von frankenstein's requisite which, as we've discussed sidebar is being buxom and smart and smart. So at the start of his funeral, a woman in her 20s, matching von Frankenstein's requisites and known to his friends, placed herself in the front pew. Then another arrived and announced it was she who was Clem's girlfriend, something of a contra-tempts. Contra-tempts ensued and then this whole obituary ends with well, nobody's perfect. Basically, we all think he had two girlfriends in their 20s and that they both were at the funeral fighting over which one of them was his actual girlfriend, which is like such a dramatic way to end your life.
Courtney:I mean, what a play. It to the end, absolutely, clem. Just he was such a dirty bachelor. Up until the very end he was. He was truly like confusing the ladies right until he was all the way out death's door. Wow, so, wow, clem. That has uh been the story of baron clement von frankenstein, and if you'd like to pay your Wow, wow, clem, it's very close to the Johnny Ramone grave. For those of you who need an obvious reference point, no-transcript oh, such a sweet guy, wow.
Marissa:And for those of you who want to internet stalk him, his instagram handle is clement vaughn. Clement vaughn yes, um, I want to see what his last picture is.
Courtney:That yeah, this is almost it.
Marissa:His second to last was the one with his cat. It's him at a fancy party with, like other people with titles oh my gosh. Yes, it's him at a fancy party with his dear cousin, countess michelle sirzin von schuddenzitz.
Courtney:Wow, clem really, just he ran in all the circles he ran in the hollywood circles. He ran in the royal circles. I don't feel at all sad that clem died. A bachelor, I feel like he went the way he wanted.
Marissa:Yeah, he died how he lived. He died how he lived.
Courtney:It's not. Yeah, he was definitely like, he was definitely happy, I think, with the way he did it.
Marissa:I'm happy with the way he did it. I'll tell you what. Yeah, do we know how he died?
Courtney:Yes, that's true. Sorry, I didn't mention that he died of a heart attack.
Courtney:Um, when he, I mean all those cognacs and cigars, cognacs and yeah there was another story I didn't even mention about him, um, because again it's like it was basically just he was drunk, that's the story. But it was like he had a bunch of vodka at a party and called someone and told them that he was at the hospital and they're like wait, what? What's all that sound in the background? He's like, actually, I'm still at the party. So he was a hard drinker, he was a hard liver, he, he was pretty, he was pretty fabulous, though, and actually you know what, now that I'm thinking of it, I didn't include this in my notes, but I know it exists and I want to mention it. And this is from one of his many friends is the way that this quote is attributed. Okay, he talked too loud, he drank too much, he cursed like a sailor, but he also sang like an angel, let strangers crash on his couch and cried like a baby when his kitten was sick. He offended some, charmed many, but was forgotten by none.
Marissa:Isn't that sweet? Oh, my gosh, that's so sweet. Clem. It sounds like Clem lived a very full, happy life. Yes, and I am here for that. And let's all raise a glass Of cognac, of cognac specifically. Yes To the Baron Clement von. I already forgot.
Courtney:It's a long name, let's okay, let's all raise a glass to the Baron Clement von Frankenstein Ding. Cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers. If we've piqued your curiosity, please subscribe on Substack at deadandkindoffamoussubstackcom. We list each episode there, along with photos, newsletters, sources and more. You can also find us wherever you get your podcasts. Until next time, you might not be famous, but you got a story to tell and you're not done yet.
