# Boris Karloff does Monster Mash **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [October 31, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877 "2009-10-31T20:15:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/1 "2009-10-31T20:15:32Z")
For years I’d heard that Boris Karloff had done his own version of Bobby “Boris” pickett’s “Monster Mash”. I’d heard it was on Dick Clarke’s American Bandstand. Evidently I heard wrong. This site says it was on the prime-time ABC show _Shindig_, and that the tape, except for a few brief snippets, has been lost. But he’s “recreated” a version of the way it might have looked. It’s pretty good. Unfortunately, it’s not Karloff singing – it’s Pickett. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nXLQAGJoz3k/hqdefault.jpg "Boris Karloff sings Monster Mash on Shindig! Recreated!!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXLQAGJoz3k) this one purports to be Karloff singing it: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ire4QRlMHuM/hqdefault.jpg "Boris Karloff Lost Performance Monster Mash 1965 Shindig") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ire4QRlMHuM) ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/2 "2009-10-31T21:38:18Z")
Someone should sync those. I love the internet. ---
**Author:** ![MediaDoctors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@MediaDoctors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MediaDoctors)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2022, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/3 "2022-10-08T20:30:47Z")
Just wanted to let anyone who’s interested know that this Shindig! footage has now been found, and restored…! ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2022, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/4 "2022-10-08T20:35:03Z")
Excellent news !! Welcome to the SDMB - It’s better than it looks ! ---
**Author:** ![MediaDoctors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@MediaDoctors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MediaDoctors)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/5 "2022-10-08T20:56:06Z")
Oh-- and just for the record, it \*_is_" Boris himself doing the “Monster Mash” vocal at the beginning of the medley… unfortunately, only about 30 seconds worth, but still, better than nothing! And I’ve seen the recreation clip that made the rounds for the past decade or so… I applaud their efforts, but it’s much nicer to have the real thing. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2022, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/6 "2022-10-09T05:26:39Z")
I knew I had seen Boris Karloff sing The Monster Mash on TV but everybody I told insisted only Bobby Pickett had ever sung the song with the Karloff type voice. Glad to find out it was true, Shindig sounds about right I used to watch that when I could. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2022, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/7 "2022-10-09T06:12:18Z")
Do you have any links or info on how to see it? ---
**Author:** ![MediaDoctors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@MediaDoctors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MediaDoctors)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2022, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/8 "2022-10-09T08:54:26Z")
I don’t know where it’s going to end up on the Web-- I only know that it’s going to have a nasty watermark on it, wherever it appears… I assume that we’re not allowed to post photos here, so I’ll just link to a place where I know a picture is posted…: > **["Good Trouble" --A Short History of "Shindig!"...](https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/good-trouble-a-short-history-of-shindig.991171/page-2#post-30581657)** > > September 16, 1964. After a tumultuous period of further re-tooling and behind-the-scenes negotiation with the network, Opening Night was here. > > What... [Boris has just sung “…When my monster from his slab, began to rise…”] ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2022, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/9 "2022-10-09T13:02:03Z")
> [@MediaDoctors](#): > > Just wanted to let anyone who’s interested know that this Shindig! footage has now been found, and restored…! I don’t see the new footage. Can you just link us to the video of him singing it? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2022, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/10 "2022-10-09T19:00:57Z")
[Moderating] Just to be clear, it is permitted, under our rules, to link to a site that has the video. ---
**Author:** ![MediaDoctors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@MediaDoctors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MediaDoctors)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2022, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/11 "2022-10-09T22:43:22Z")
Chronos— thanks for the info. Once I find out the location of the site that got the finished video, I’ll post the link. I just finished the restoration a couple of days ago, and since I’m pretty sure they intend to use it this year, I’m sure it’ll pop up in the next few days. What the folks who put the re-creation together couldn’t have known is that this is actually a 5-minute long, fully-staged production number. Everyone but Boris Karloff is in make-up-- though I’m damned if I can pick out The Blossoms… apart from a couple of The Wellingtons, who are backing Boris, and Ted Cassidy (who, as Lurch, doubles as Boris’ monster in the “Monster Mash” portion of the medley), it’s difficult to know who’s in what costume. And, though it’s unusual for “Shindig”, almost all of the vocals in the clip are pre-recorded-- Boris Karloff does the only live vocals in the sequence. But, I’m sure everyone will be poring over it, soon enough…! ---
**Author:** ![MediaDoctors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@MediaDoctors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MediaDoctors)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/12 "2022-10-10T19:11:23Z")
And here it is…! [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/J45fHh8TP8A/hqdefault.jpg "Shindig! 1965 - Halloween Episode - Boris Karloff, Ted Cassidy - Monster Mash and The Lurch") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J45fHh8TP8A) Enjoy… after 57 years! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/13 "2022-10-10T19:59:50Z")
Amazing! ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/14 "2022-10-10T21:24:29Z")
In the spirit of the thread I have to include more of Lurch dancing. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/F3jnymeJof4/hqdefault.jpg "The Wednesday Dance") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3jnymeJof4) ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/15 "2022-10-10T22:23:43Z")
1. Cheesy. But the kids do their best. That’s supposed to be the Wolf Man? I thought it was the Creature from the Black Lagoon. 2. YCDTI = You Can Dance To It (correct?) 3. I thought Dracula was going to show us the Transylvania Twist. Fraid not. 4. Was there an actual dance to go with the Monster Mash song? 5. Boris has no sense of timing. He seems a bit mortified that he has to do this at all! ---
**Author:** ![MediaDoctors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@MediaDoctors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MediaDoctors)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/16 "2022-10-10T22:31:29Z")
Well, in theory you’d do the Mashed Potato, but I guess that’s up to individual taste… As for Boris, this couldn’t have been worse than some of the stinker horror films that he appeared in, late in his career… and the $4,000.00 in 1965 dollars that he received for the guest spot probably soothed any chafing quite nicely! ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/17 "2022-10-10T23:11:44Z")
Thanks for posting that, @MediaDoctors. I dig stuff like that. I’ll pretend Teri Garr and Toni Basil are under a couple of those masks. > [@TriPolar](#): > > I knew I had seen Boris Karloff sing The Monster Mash on TV but everybody I told insisted only Bobby Pickett had ever sung the song with the Karloff type voice. Mike Love gave it a go… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EtVrMHMKak8/hqdefault.jpg "The Beach Boys - Monster Mash and Papa Oom Mow Mow (Shindig 1964)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtVrMHMKak8) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/18 "2022-10-10T23:29:06Z")
Is there any way to get the Karloff segment of the video without the watermark? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/19 "2022-10-11T21:15:32Z")
Aside: No mortal has ever heard the actual Monster Mash song. We have a song about it, but not the song itself, that all of the monsters are dancing to. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877/20 "2022-10-11T21:18:53Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > No mortal has ever heard the actual Monster Mash song. The Monster Mash is really a dance which goes with the song about it. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-karloff-does-monster-mash/515877.md?page=2)