Harold ‘Herk’ Harvey; Made Cult Film ‘Carnival of Souls’

Harold A. “Herk” Harvey, 71, industrial filmmaker best known for his cult horror feature “Carnival of Souls.” A native of Colorado, Harvey became attached to Lawrence, Kan., when he was stationed there during World War II. He later majored in theater at the University of Kansas and taught there briefly before joining Lawrence-based Centron Films. He made about 400 industrial and educational films during his long career, but his only feature film was the ghoulish “Carnival of Souls” in 1962. An unscrupulous distributor put the motion picture into a few theaters and made illegal copies, which gave the low-budget film an unprofitable but enduring popularity on late-night television and Halloween shows for decades. In 1990, the movie enjoyed a renewed following when it played several film festivals and respected houses such as Laemmle’s Monica Premiere Showcase complex in Los Angeles. “Carnival” at long last earned favorable reviews in such publications as The Times and the New Yorker magazine, and was made available to consumers on a legal commercial videotape. On Wednesday in Lawrence, Kan.