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Thomas Lockyear Graeff was many things in his short and tumultuous life. Best known for 1959 sci-fi caper Teenagers from Outer Space, which he wrote, directed, produced, edited, photographed, and acted in, Tom worked on seven films throughout his life, with a career spanning less than two decades. Though Tom passed away in 1970, his work remains in the popular conscious, and his unique story continues to intrigue fans and film enthusiasts alike.



"I shall make the earth my home ..."

Teenagers from Outer Space may not be a good movie, but it's strangely memorable. Studio films, television, and video games alike have referenced this product of an era that simply refuses to be forgotten. And while Teenagers may exhibit all the standards of B-grade science fiction, it has on thing that most films of the genre lack: heart. Above all, Teenagers from Outer Space is a product of blood, sweat, and tears, and the sheer effort of its crew shines through the stilted dialogue and cheap effects.

then
The film was the brainchild of Thomas Lockyear Graeff, an optimistic young filmmaker with big dreams. Starring Tom's lover, Chuck Roberts (aka "David Love"), former radio actress Dawn Bender, Hollywood newcomer Bryan Pearson, and B-movie veterans Sonia Torgeson and Harvey B. Dunn, Teenagers is often compared with the works of the notoriously bad Edward D. Wood Jr. But unlike Wood, with Teenagers Tom Graeff demonstrates skill with a camera and a knack for directing. As the June 26th, 1959 Los Angeles Times review of Teenagers states, "when he stops spreading himself so incredibly thin, I think his work will bear watching."

Unfortunately, the film wasn't only Tom Graeff's first foray into the cutthroat world of Hollywood, it was his last. By November of 1959, torn by negative reviews and hard-pressed to pay back the film's concerned investors, Tom snapped. Proclaiming himself Jesus Christ II, Tom spiralled into a madness that forced him from public view until 1968, when his last desperate attempt at becoming a player was destroyed by the barbed wit of columnist Joyce Haber.

now
In the 47 years since the release of Teenagers from Outer Space, the film has developed a cult following. But besides for its charming tone and kitschy monster, much of the allure of the film is the mystery and tragedy behind its creation. What made Tom go crazy? What became of David Love? Who started the rumor of Dawn Benders death? There are more questions than there are answers, and this site exists in an attempt to solve the mystery behind Tom Graeff's Teenagers from Outer Space.

" ... and I shall never, never leave it."

Read more about Tom Graeff, his life, and his films, at Tom Graeff.org!

Read more about The Boy from Out of This World, a documentary feature about Tom's life and Teenagers from Outer Space,by adding us on MySpace!

The kind of people I'd like to meet ...