I see where Blob director Irvin Shortless Yeaworth, Jr. died today, July 30. Following is his Obituary as it appeared on the AP wires:
MALVERN, Pa. – Irvin Shortess "Shorty" Yeaworth Jr., who directed the 1958 cult movie The Blob and later made hundreds of films with religious and social messages, died July 19 in a car accident in the Middle East. He was 78.
Mr. Yeaworth was traveling in Jordan when his vehicle went off the road near Petra, said his wife, Jean Bruce Yeaworth.
Mr. Yeaworth was completing a major entertainment complex in Jordan called Jordanian Experience at the Aqaba Gateway, which was to open next month. For 25 years, he took tours to the Middle East and aspired to help bridge the gap between Arabs and Israelis.
He produced more than 400 education, entertainment and motivational films, including theatrical features released by Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures. Yeaworth also was an accomplished musician and composer and led a local concert series for 22 years.
He often struggled with his legacy as director of the camp sci-fi classic, much of which was filmed in his Chester County back yard in Pennsylvania.
But fan adoration of the film endured. Last week, the annual BlobFest tribute was held at Phoenixville's Colonial Theatre where a scene was filmed of moviegoers screaming and fleeing the phlegmatic monster.
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