"Friday Night Frights" host Dead Earnest
Posted on 10/24/2020 3:26:11 PM PDT by Twotone
Once upon a time, pretty much every city had their own "horror movie hosts" — those hammy guys (and one particular gal) who'd introduce schlocky public-domain flicks at midnight at the local station.
I've complained about my hometown before, but am obliged to say at this juncture that in humble Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, we actually had something better.
The Hilarious House of Frightenstein was produced in 1971 by our one and only TV station, CHCH. This hour-long, 130-episode kids' show combined the mid-century sensibility of Famous Monsters of Filmland with the then-hip look and sound of psychedelia: kaleidoscopic "special effects" plus Top 40 hits spun by "The Wolfman," an affectionate rip-off of legendary DJ Wolfman Jack. The show's "plot" concerned a banished count's attempts to revive his comatose monster, Brucie, but that was just a flimsy excuse to mount a fast-paced series of corny sketches, semi-serious "educational" segments, and — years before The Simpsons and Pixar — "over the kids' heads" jokes aimed at adults who might find themselves awake at dawn, or earlier.
(Excerpt) Read more at steynonline.com ...
The Ghoul Ruled!
Svengoolie still Stands Tall (unless you throw a rubber chicken at him)
Ghoulardi!
When I hear of Hamilton Ontario, I always think of an old friend of mine. Wen I as in my early 20’s, an old man started coming to our church and wound up sort of being adopted by us 20 year olds.
He became a Christian at about the age of 80 and quickly became one of the gang.
He was short, fat, out of shape and had an amazing personality and sense of humor.
He was born in Hamilton Ontario. He spent years as a vaudeville comedian and performing on the Borscht circuit at the Jewish resorts. I don’t know his real name. His agent had him change it to Hal Hamilton.
Even when he was laying in his hospital bed shortly before he died he was entertaining the nurses with quick one liners.
Vincent Price would narrate the show. Remember Harvey WALLLBANGER!!!! And Igor with the Bat Guitar grooving to “Wanna Take you Higher” by Sly and the Family Stone.
Back in Philly in the 70s, we had Doctor Shock on UHF station channel 17 WPHL.
He was very funny, and showed all the classic - and B-grade - monster movies.
“pluck your magic twanger Froggy”.....”overday”....ahahahahah
Ah yes. I vaguely remember this but I never watched it. I was in my teens and high school when it came out. Vincent Price at the time didn’t mean anything to me and the rest just looked like a weird mishmash. Shows I was watching back in 1971 were All in the Family, Flip Wilson, Mannix, Mary Tyler Moore, Hawaii Five O, Mod Squad, Laugh In, Carol Burnett, Doris Day.
Of course there was Elvira...Mistress of the Dark!
Sounds like a perfect new name for Anthony Fauci's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. :)
Part of a staple of growing up Canadian in the 1970s and 1980s. This show was typically on on Saturday mornings and during the summer holidays weekday mornings in my locale. The Librarian’s music scared me as a kid, lol.
Sir Cecil Creep, WSM, Nashville, Tennessee.
I think if I look in enough closets and boxes I can find a t-shirt that featured a glow-in-the-dark “Chicken Who Ate Berwyn”!!
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