Sir Graves Ghastly was a character created by Cleveland-born actor Lawson J. Deming with the intention of becoming the star of his own television show of the same name. Sir Graves Ghastly had its longest run at WJBK in Detroit, from 1967-82.
Sir Graves Ghastly was a middle-aged vampire with a deep voice that reminded many of Boris Karloff. Each show began and ended with Deming climbing out of and back into a coffin to vamp up the vampire character. The program included classic horror films with unusually thorough inside information on the production and actors.
Other characters on the show included Sir Graves’ sidekick, Baruba, a ghostly apparition known only as The Glob, and a cemetery caretaker named Reel McCoy, who traditionally opened each episode by unearthing a movie reel from a grave. The show followed a format of back-to-back horror films, mixed with sketch comedy pieces featuring the show’s countless characters.
The series aired on WJBK in Detroit from 1967 to 1982, and the show was so popular that it was aired in Cleveland and Washington D.C. where Sir Graves Ghastly continued his reign of terror. Due to a change in studio management, the series was canceled in 1982.
At end of the show he wished viewers “Happy Haunting,” and gave an evil laugh as he lay down in his coffin
Oh yes! The Ghoul!!
Channel 62 (UHF) Detroit.
“Hiya Hiya Hiya!” And Froggy……..great stuff.