19 replies to this topic

[ubi]

Creature Features was a generic title for a genre of horror TV format shows broadcast on local U.S. television stations throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The movies broadcast on the various shows generally classic and cult horror movies of the 1930s to 1950s, the horror and science-fiction films of the 1950s, British horror films of the 1960s, and the Japanese "giant monster" movies of the 1960s, and 1970s.

Who else remembers watching bad horror movies hosted by eccentric hosts on Saturdays? I used to watch Doctor Paul Bearer on WTOG (Tampa/St Pete) on Saturday afternoons in the 1970's and 80's. Good times! Who was your favorite host?

[espie]

I remember two: Dale Dorman on one of the Boston stations (either 56 or 38) back in the 1970's, and 'The Ghoul', of similar vintage. Even as a kid I didn't think The Ghoul added that much to the presentation... he wasn't funny, was probably sky-high on some illegal substance, and used various parts of his body (hand and belly-button come to mind) to "sing" the old 50's classic 'Surfin' Bird'. My father couldn't stand him.

[smittykins]

Syracuse had the Monster Movie Matinee(whose creator just passed away last weekend, strangely enough)on WSYR/WSTM Channel 3 from 1964-80. I never watched it, but my mom did.

(OT: In the "small world" department, Dale Dorman was a popular Syracuse DJ before he went to Boston.)

Edited by smittykins, Apr 24, 2012 @ 3:29 PM.

[Bruinsfan]

Sadly Memphis' local Fantastic Features host, Sivad, was before my time. But some of my older cousins attended publicity events he put on.

[ubi]

Would Elvira, Mistress of the Dark be considered part of this genre?

[magicdog]

Would Elvira, Mistress of the Dark be considered part of this genre?

Most definitely!

Here in LV, we had Count Cool Rider. He hosted bad horror flicks on KFBT Channel 33 all through the 90s. He was a vampire who had a thing for Elvis (he dressed up in flashy jumpsuits, etc) and rode a motorcycle. His theme song was borrowed from Elvis' version of "C.C. Rider".

[espie]

Heh... I just Googled Dale Dorman and I found pictures of him that don't even look like him. I remember the overweight dude with the long straight flyaway hair who was very frenetic and yelled a lot. Some of those photos make him look almost distinguished in later years. (And it was Channel 56 out of Boston... thank you, Google, for once again assisting my middle-aged memory.)

[GypsyBee]

Bob Hoskins hosted Creature Features Saturday nights on KTVU in the SF Bay Area for a couple of decades. The movies were terrible (Plan 9! Creeping Terror!); Bob was awesome.

[espie]

THE Bob Hoskins?

[snowprince]

In Los Angeles we had "Chiller" on saturday afternoons (KTTV Channel 11) in the early/mid 60's. The last line of the intro before the commercial break and the start of the movie was "you have just one moment, to prepare yourself...MUAHAHAHA"

Jeepers Creepers (KCOP Channel 13) was the host of his self titled show, didn't last long.

Later there was Fright Night on saturday nights in the late 60's/early 70's (KHJ now KCAL, Channel 9)hosted by Sinister Seymour. Seymour always ended his show by wishing his viewers a "Bad Evening". Seymour was played by Larry Vincent, who passed away in 1975. Moona Lisa took over the time slot and later, Elvira. Good memories, terrible movies.

Edited by snowprince, Apr 29, 2012 @ 4:50 AM.

[Bruinsfan]

In L.A. you guys had the creature feature host that started it all, Vampira, back in the mid 50s.

[Josette]

Bob Hoskins hosted Creature Features Saturday nights on KTVU in the SF Bay Area

THE Bob Hoskins?

The host was Bob Wilkins.

[AuntieL]

In the Pittsburgh area we had "Chilly Billy Cardilly" a/k/a Bill Cardille who hosted Chiller Theater Saturday nights and, I believe, wrestling. This is back in the 60-70s when I was growing up (yes I am old). His main claim to fame -a cameo in that granddaddy of zombie films, Night of the Living Dead, which was filmed in the PGH area.

edited to spell the name of my home town correctly.

Edited by AuntieL, May 6, 2012 @ 5:15 PM.

[xaxat]

AuntieL, we can be old together! When I was a kid, the best thing about visiting my grandparents was the fact that they would let me and my brothers stay up and watch Chiller Theater. I loved that wacky theme song.

[Kolaka]

In RI we had the Creature Double Feature which had the awesomeness of Gamera (my personal favorite), Godzilla, Rodan, etc. I was a real Saturday afternoon geek who was stuck to channel 56 back then watching all the goodness. I don't think there was a host - don't remember one - but those movies were part of the start of it all, along with my mother letting me stay up to watch Kolchak: The Night Stalker with her.

Edited by Kolaka, May 6, 2012 @ 5:42 PM.

[BooksRule]

I'm close enough to the New Orleans TV market to have seen many a Creature Feature hosted by Morgus the Magnificent. I think he hosted for decades, but I mainly watched in the late 70s. Morgus and his Igor-like sidekick Chopsley introduced movies and conducted their nefarious experiments from the top of the Old City Ice House in N.O.

However, I grew up watching 'The Big Show' (I think that was what it was called), which consisted of old movies shown on a local station during that space of time from when you get home from school and dinnertime. No host, just good old movies. Sometimes detective or western movies, which I ignored, but I always watched when they showed horror and scifi movies. That was when I got hooked on movies such as 'War of the worlds', 'Invasion of the saucermen', 'The monolith monsters' and all of the old Hammer and Amicus films with Chris Lee, Peter Cushing, etc. Good times!

[ubi]

I have a vague recollection of Tallahassee having sucj a show in the mid-early 1990's but I think the host moved to Atlanta after a year or so. He was some sort of mad scientist character, I think.

[Actionmage]

I have been watching Svengoolie on MeTV on Saturdays the last couple of months. Yes, he's corny, but he owns it. The movies range from terrible to actually pretty smart to horribly sexist. (Yes, I realize the majority were filmed before the 1970s, but The Invisible Woman was a hoot and had a very strong female lead!)

I was pretty sheltered as a kid, so I'm glad I "found" Sven and get to watch a very interesting chunk of cinema history.

Berwyn?

[nannyogg]

Have to add Philly's Stella from Saturday Night Dead, which came on after Saturday Night Live in the 80's. Loved her. Often I could only stay awake long enough just to see the show's opening bits & didn't watch the movie. I miss these types of shows.

Anyone remember what cable show in the 90's had Joe Bob Briggs (or something like that)? That was also good. I think it was an answer to MST3000. Also that's around when Dinner & A Movie got started.

ETA OMG now this thread has me going crazy because I recently read some Hollywood (?) guy's memoir & he talks about his dad being one of these hosts somewhere like Detroit back in the 50's or 60's. I'm going crazy because I can't remember who it was! I remember him talking about going back to this city (Detroit?) as a kid with his dad & seeing his dad in a whole new light to suddenly have fans recognizing him. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

MUCH LATER - Figured it out - Paul Thomas Anderson's dad was Ghoulardi in Cleveland (not Detroit). Must had heard it in an interview or something.

Edited by nannyogg, Apr 30, 2013 @ 1:51 PM.

[magicdog]

Anyone remember what cable show in the 90's had Joe Bob Briggs (or something like that)?

Actually he had two shows. Back in the 80s he had a show on TMC, "Joe Bob's Drive-In Theater". When that show ended in '96, he moved to TNT to do, "Monstervision".