Low budgets can mean small paydays to horror actors. Universal Studios founder Carl Laemmle became disenchanted by movie stars demands for perks and high salaries. Horror movies were an antidote, if Invisible Man or Mummy demanded too much you could hire someone else and public wouldn't know difference. One casualty was Boris Karloff who endured having make-up applied by Jack Pierce for four hours a day to play Frankenstein's Monster. Although he loved creature Karloff, who founded screen actors union, complained publicly about Frankenstein movies," I was only in three of them but I get blamed for all nine." He also said," I get all fan mail but somebody else gets check." Each Halloween Boris's resentment grew when neighborhood kids in Beverly Hills would ask him to go trick or treating.

The two young filmmakers were very different in demeanor. Coppola a legend at UCLA film school was 27, a loud boisterous mixture of mogul and marxist, who prided himself in dressing like Fidel Castro. He impressed film executives at first with his bravado, but later would upset them with his reckless overspending. Five years younger, Lucas, who went to USC, was quiet and introspective. The only guys at Warners who were below 30 and wore beards, they hit it off instantly with Coppola taking mentor role. Lucas had made a thirteen minute science fiction film project called THX 1138, a dark look at a computer controlled future. Coppola convinced his protégé to extend it into a full-length film and talked Warner Bros. into financing it.

Over next few months wily Coppola played both sides. "I'm telling you this kid Lucas is making a great film." Coppola told Warner brass. "Don't put pressure on yourself, they don't expect anything," He reassured Lucas. When they saw completed THX 1138 Suits were furious. "Francis what is this?" "I don't know, I've never seen it." replied bewildered producer. To Lucas's dismay studio cut out parts from THX 1138 before they released it. "They're cutting fingers off my baby."