Ed Wood; B-Movie Cult Icon & Poughkeepsiean

By Bill Kleppel

In 1980, two film critics, the brothers Harry and Michael Medved, wrote the book, The Golden Turkey Awards. It was written to identify the very worst that came from the history of the motion picture industry.

Two of the most hallowed awards in this pantheon of mediocrity were “Worst Film Ever” and “Worst Director.” These prestigious awards were bestowed upon Ed Wood…and both for the same movie: Plan 9 from Outer Space.

Before you ask: Yes! Ed Wood was born and raised in Poughkeepsie, New York!

The Medved Brothers didn’t know at the time, but their book would help elevate Ed Wood to a cult status that still resounds through to this day.

Ed was born in Poughkeepsie in 1924. His father worked for the post office, and the family lived at 35 Delano Street. For his twelth birthday, Ed was given a Kodak Cine Special movie camera. One of the first scenes he filmed was the Hindenburg on May 6, 1937.

The enormous German airship flew over Poughkeepsie as it made its way south to its intended landing site in Lakehurst, New Jersey. Later in the day, the hydrogen filled zeppelin exploded, killing 36 people.

Ed’s first job was as an usher for the Stratford Theatre. He had a passion for comic books, pulp fiction magazines, and especially movies (westerns and occult movies were his favorite). Bela Lugosi, famous for playing Dracula, was one of Wood’s favorite actors.

When movie stills and pieces of film were occasionally thrown out behind the theater, young Ed would pocket and collect them. As he learned more about the art of film making, Ed became a master at using discarded materials to use in his own movies.

Since childhood, Ed also had a penchant for cross-dressing. He signed up with the US Marine Corps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. Ed served in the Pacific Theater. Like most other soldiers, he had a tremendous fear of dying or being wounded. Ed was also fearful of being injured because he didn't want doctors to discover the feminine underwear that he wore, which included a bra. After the war, Ed returned to civilian life… And in 1946 he moved to Hollywood!

Glen or Glenda:  1953

Wood, under the alias Daniel Davis, wrote and directed this docudrama, about life as a transvestite. It incorporated parts of his own history as a cross dresser, and his experiences of having to lead a double life. Other actors in the film were Dolores Fuller (Ed’s girlfriend at the time), and Bela Lugosi.

Another narrative thread to the film was based on the life of Christine Jorgensen. Born George William Jorgensen in 1926; George was drafted into the US Army in 1944 and served in World War II. After military service, she traveled to Denmark to obtain special permission to undergo a series of operations for sex reassignment. The surgeries proved successful. She returned to the United States in 1951. Christine was known for being one of the first advocates for transgender people throughout the world.

The film was essentially a plea for tolerance, and trans-gender acceptance, in an age that was incredibly intolerant to any sexual orientation other than heterosexuality.

Plan 9 from Outer Space: 1957

Originally called Grave Diggers from Outer Space, Plan 9 was released in 1957. The movie’s premise? Space aliens are afraid that human beings were producing a doomsday weapon that would eventually destroy the universe. A UFO lands in a California cemetery, where the aliens dig up, re-animate, and brainwash corpses. The aliens do this in order to make Earth’s inhabitants “listen to them,” or be annihilated by their newly resurrected zombies.

Ed made many of his B-movies on the cheap. He would recycle old clips from tossed out stock footage and splice them into the films he was working on. This is how Bela Lugosi became one of the stars of Plan 9 from Outer Space… even after he was dead.

Lugosi starred in previous Ed Wood productions such as The Vampire’s Tomb and The Ghoul Goes West. Old and drug addled,  the Hungarian born actor died of a heart attack in August of 1956… Plan 9 began shooting in November of 1956.

The major motion picture biopic Ed Wood was released in 1994. It was directed by Tim Burton, starred Johnny Depp, and was a great box office success. It also garnered two Academy Awards, for Best Make-Up and Best Supporting Actor for Martin Landau. Landau played the morphine addicted Lugosi.

Other fine films in the Ed Wood oeuvre are Bride of the Monster, The Night the Banshee Cried, Night of the Ghouls, The Astounding She-Monster, ‘Necromania’: A Tale of Weird Love!, Nympho Cycler, Devil Cult, Anatomy of a Psycho, and many more.

In his later years, Ed and his second wife, Kathy O’Hara, had difficulty getting any films made. What little they did accomplish cinematically didn’t bring in much money. Unfortunately, the attempt at laying the groundwork for future projects was squandered in pursuit of rampaging alcoholism. Ed died penniless at a friend’s apartment in North Hollywood in December of 1978.

The Church of Ed Wood

The Church of Ed Wood started online in Oklahoma in 1996. The following declaration is listed on the Church’s website:

You might think that it's silly or stupid, but Woodism currently boasts over 3,000 legally baptized followers worldwide! That's over 3,000 who have joined Reverend Steve Galindo in keeping Ed Wood's spirit and message alive! You might think we're silly or stupid. And that's fine with us. After all, we don't expect you to believe in Woodism. We expect you to respect OUR belief in Woodism.

Ed Wood Historic Plaque in Poughkeepsie

In 2024, students from Arlington High School in Poughkeepsie, along with their teacher, Robert McHugh, teamed up with the Millbrook Historical Society to apply for a New York State historical marker to be placed in front of Ed’s boyhood home at 35 Delano Street. They were successful in working with the William G. Pomeroy Foundation to achieve this goal.

Many people have benchmarks on what they deem as acceptable or tasteful when it comes to the creative arts. Some embrace art no matter what it is or who makes it. Others could give a rat’s fart about your taste or mine.

But there is no denying that Ed Wood, a birthright Poughkeepsiean, has achieved greatness in…something. And his work has continued to outlive him for decades.

References

• Webster, Donovan. “What Really Felled the Hindenburg?” Smithsonian Magazine, www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/80th-anniversary-hindenburg-disaster-mysteries-remain-180963107/. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
• Blackburn, Paul. A Young Ed Wood. https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/ed-wood-angora-fever-kathy-wood. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
• “Glen or Glenda.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 July 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_or_Glenda.
• “Christine Jorgensen Named ‘Woman of the Year’ - Digital Transgender Archive.” Digital Transgender Archive, Christine Jorgensen Collection, www.digitaltransgenderarchive.net/files/hq37vn82z. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
• Harrity, Christopher. “Happy Birthday to Christine Jorgensen.” Com, Advocate.com, 17 Nov. 2015, www.advocate.com/women/2012/05/30/happy-birthday-christine-jorgensen.
• Jung, Tom. “File:Plan 9 Alternative Poster.Jpg.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Apr. 2013, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plan_9_from_Outer_Space#/media/File:Plan_9_Alternative_poster.jpg.
• “Home of The Church of Ed Wood.” Org. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.