# When you were a kid, what was your local "horror movie" show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [July 6, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821 "2024-07-06T23:19:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/1 "2024-07-06T23:19:21Z")
In the Mid-South, it was _Fantastic Features_. It ran from 1967 to 1972 with Monster of Ceremony, vampire Savid. (Played by Winston Davis. Savid is Davis backward.) I remember watching this on Saturdays at 6 p.m. and being scared to go to bed afterwards. I loved all the classics but for some reason, when I think about those times, I mostly remember _The Killer Shrews_. I don’t know why that one made such an impression on me. I should find it and watch again. This was the opening. Man, we were easily impressed. The early days of TV. 😄 [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2QgwgDvq3t4/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHmAoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGAgYChgMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBr8iog8YjVc7I2q1HxVcqQw6Q2RQ "Fantastic Features 60-70's WHBQ MemphisTV Intro") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QgwgDvq3t42) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/2 "2024-07-06T23:22:49Z")
Svengoolie. Still is. My older sibs watched it. I was probably too young to watch it. But, heck, I was there. (Scooby Doo mysteries were kinda fun) ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/3 "2024-07-06T23:24:01Z")
Philly guy here, 63 years old. Dr. Shock! > **[Dr. Shock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Shock)** > > Dr. Shock was a prominent 1970s fictional character, appearing on television as a horror host presenter, that was created and portrayed by magician Joseph Zawislak, commonly known as "Joe Zawislak." The character was created as an on-air host for the broadcast of B-rated horror movies for Philadelphia WPHL-TV Channel 17 that included three different show titles during his career: Scream-In, Mad Theater and Horror Theater. Dr. Shock, whose sign-off, "Let there be fright!", became a mantra for l ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/4 "2024-07-06T23:25:12Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > I loved all the classics but for some reason, when I think about those times, I mostly remember _The Killer Shrews_. I was terrified of hyenas for years because I thought they were the same creatures as the killer shrews. Maybe still am… ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/5 "2024-07-06T23:26:51Z")
I found the movie on YouTube. I’ve got to watch it later tonight. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/6 "2024-07-06T23:28:10Z")
SF Bay Area-70’s-80’s [Bob Wilkins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Wilkins) hosted the generically named Creature Features. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/7 "2024-07-06T23:28:16Z")
Cleveland. 1971. Channel 61. The Ghoul. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/8 "2024-07-06T23:32:33Z")
Elvira was on my Cable channel I saw a lot of B horror movies that she hosted. Much later Joe Bob Briggs on TNT. Elvira was my childhood. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/9 "2024-07-06T23:36:01Z")
Originally, _Creature Features._ All the good old monster flicks. Later on, of course, was Elvira. This would be on stations like KCOP-LA. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/10 "2024-07-06T23:41:22Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > The Ghoul Before the Ghoul, there was Ghoulardi, who hosted a show from 1963 to 1966. He was played by Ernie Anderson. Ernie Anderson’s son is the director Paul Thomas Anderson, who is the boyfriend of Maya Rudolph, who is the daughter of Minnie Ripperton. I lived about 120 miles from Cleveland, so it was hard to get the television signal very clearly from the Cleveland station. We had only broadcast television, not cable of course in those days. ---
**Author:** ![We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/We_re_wolves_not_werewolves)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/11 "2024-07-06T23:57:51Z")
Also in Cleveland, but somewhat later, my late night Fridays were taken up by Big Chuck and Lil’ John serving up the horror movie of the week and their hilarious (in my 10 year old mind) skits. > **[Big Chuck and Lil' John](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Chuck_and_Lil%27_John)** > > Charles "Big Chuck" Schodowski (born June 28, 1934) and "Lil' John" Rinaldi (born January 19, 1946) – together commonly known as Big Chuck and Lil' John – are a duo of entertainers who served as late-night horror hosts of The Big Chuck and Lil' John Show on television station WJW in Cleveland, Ohio from 1979 to 2007. In addition to hosting a movie with a live audience, they also performed original sketch comedy routines. At the end of each sketch was a very distinctive laugh (see external links... ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2024, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/12 "2024-07-07T00:10:02Z")
Svengoolie (and Son Of…) for the Chicago area. Rubber chickens and _Berrr-WYN?_ every Saturday ---
**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:** [July 7, 2024, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/13 "2024-07-07T00:10:50Z")
Me too in my teenage years. I knew some local magicians and got to meet him a couple of times without makeup. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2024, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/14 "2024-07-07T00:15:26Z")
I’m not old enough to have watched Vampira, and Zacherle wasn’t broadcast on the West Coast, though I saw numerous photos of him in monster magazines. The first TV horror host I do remember watching is Seymour - [Larry Vincent - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Vincent) - who would sometimes appear in the movie (via blue screen) and seem to interact with the characters in a funny and non-obnoxious way. I don’t recall any other horror hosts doing that. I also remember Grimsley (1976-79), who was pretty intolerable, though he used to turn psychedelic colors before going to a commercial break. It turns out there is a direct line from Seymour (with a 1972-73 detour through Moona Lisa, an “Elvira prototype”) to Grimsley to Elvira - [Fright Night (TV series) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fright_Night_(TV_series)), the last arguably the best known and least funny horror host. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2024, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/15 "2024-07-07T00:25:50Z")
Yes! My son and I watched Big Chuck. Check out the Say It With Flowers skit! ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2024, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/16 "2024-07-07T00:31:22Z")
He lived a few blocks from me. My brush with greatness! ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2024, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/17 "2024-07-07T00:31:28Z")
Australian TV in the 60s-70s had [Deadly Earnest’s Aweful Movies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadly_Earnest). Each of the major cities [Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide] had their own actor doing the pancake makeup on Friday nights and showing whatever horror was on the menu. I remember being fairly terrified by a few of them. The Sydney version of the show opened with a montage of Deadly Earnest’s ghoulish assistants carrying a coffin through the back areas and lighting grid of a TV studio and eventually plonking it on the set, and DE would emerge and start presenting. Great stuff! ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2024, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/18 "2024-07-07T00:38:06Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > I mostly remember _The Killer Shrews_. I don’t know why that one made such an impression on me. I should find it and watch again. I watched it as well. I also had the dubious honor of broadcasting it when I worked for a television station. It’s in public domain so was free to fill time on the air ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2024, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/19 "2024-07-07T00:38:44Z")
In the early 1960s, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Friday nights at 11:30 on WHP-TV Channel 21, we watched “Leroy” on “Tales from the Tomb.” That’s where we first saw the classic Universal horror flicks from the 1930s and 40s. He began the show by singing this little ditty, to the tune of “The Sheik of Araby”… _I’m the ghoul from WHP,_ _Your blood belongs to me._ _At night on your TV,_ _Inside your homes I’ll be._ _The bats that fly on high_ _Will get you by and by._ _You’ll die like Drac and me,_ _I’m the ghoul from WHP – Harrisburg, Transylvania…_ He did virtually the same show on Saturday afternoons on WSBA-TV Channel 43 in York, Pennsylvania. The stations were only about 25 miles apart but being UHF and rather low powered, their signals didn’t much overlap. He also was a weekend disc jockey on WNOW in York, a Top 40 station in those days. There’s a great web site (egorschamber) that talks about Leroy and the horror hosts who delighted us all over the country. Check it out! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2024, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821/20 "2024-07-07T00:44:00Z")
In fact, I’m watching Svengoolie right now. The Angry Red Planet. It’s moving kinda slow. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821.md?page=2)