Dave F: Ohio is one of the most prolific states when it comes to churning out horror hosts. Therefore, it was not surprising that  several inductees to The Horror Host Hall of Fame would hail from there. One of these was Dick Von Hoene a.k.a. The Cool Ghoul!

Classic commercial horror hosts were also professional broadcasters and Von Hoene was no exception. In the early 1960′s, he worked on Cincinnati radio and was featured on a show called ”Bob Smith’s Monster Mash.” It was there that The Cool Ghoul character was born, though it would not be until the latter part of the decade (after he moved from radio to television) that the character would be given its official “look.”

Aside from professional broadcasting, Von Hoene also had a background in theater from The University of Cincinnati where he received an MA. This would prove a winning combo for Ohio horror fans in the 1970′s as The Cool Ghoul served up lots of campy fun while hosting the “Scream in” show on Saturday nights.

Photo courtesy of Michael Monahan

For outsiders (such as myself) there was some confusion regarding the name “Cool Ghoul” since Von Hoene was not the only one to carry this moniker. Fellow Ohioan horror host, George Cavendar (who played out of Cleveland), would also be named “The Cool Ghoul” though it is important to note that Von Hoene did grant Cavendar permission to do so. Both versions would be characterized by red hair and make-up, but that is where the similiarities would end as both gentlemen brought thier own unique brand of sctick to the hosting genre.

Another Cool Ghoul – George Cavendar

The great Zacherley was also called The Cool Ghoul – one of his many names (Roland, etc). Like Zacherley, The Cool Ghoul also ventured into the world of novelty records and released his own album, ”The Cool Ghoul’s Phantasmagorical Funny Fonograf Record,” on the Artists Records label. I was grateful when my friend, Michael Monahan (Doktor Goulfinger) sent me a copy last year. A lot of fun!

The show opened with a warning to viewers that they might want to consider changing the channel before the theme music played and The Cool Ghoul mad his entrance via an upright coffin. He was also known for his laugh, described by a fan on Egor’s Chamber of TV hosts as “Blih, blih, blih, BLEEAAAHHHH-AH-AH-AHHH!

“Scream in” would only last three years on the air but “The Cool Ghoul” remained a fixture of Cincinnati pop culture making numerous appearances and even being given a jersey from the Cincinnati Reds (Number Zero). Later, in the 1980′s, he would move his character down to North Carolina. Von Hoene died in 2004, and his official Horror Host Hall of Fame plaque will be featured at the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum.

Horror host, Butch Cleaver (Brian Easterling), from Ohio’s MEET CLEAVER THEATER was given the honor of inducting the late Dick Von Hoene a.k.a. The Cool Ghoul. Unlike many of the presenters featured at this event, Butch Cleaver had the distinction of not only growing up with memories of The Cool Ghoul but also the honor of meeting him. TERROR FROM BEYON THE DAVES was delighted when Mr. Easterling agreed to share his recollections with us…

Butch Cleaver (Brian Easterling): I grew up in the mid 70s & early 80s, a little bit after our local horror host, The Cool Ghoul was cancelled from regular air play, but our local UHF station at the time, WXIX would play repeats of his original horror host show.  I would spend my Saturday afternoons drinking in every ounce of monster goodness I could and the Cool Ghoul was my TV pal watching with me. As an only child on a street full of aged people, a horror host takes on the unique role of being your viewing companion, and a welcome and humorous TV pal at that. I developed a deep love of Halloween at an early age and I always looked forward to the new “Cool Ghoul” Halloween special to finish out a bountiful night of trick or treating.

It wasn’t until I was 17 years old that I had the opportunity to meet my TV pal live in the ghoulish flesh at a big Halloween party at an old church in Mt. Adams, a ritzy section of Cincinnati, Ohio.  The Cool Ghoul just happened to be the MC for the evening and it came as a complete surprise to me and my friends. Between sets he would venture down into the audience and enjoy an adult beverage with the crowd. I gathered up my nerve and approached him. He was remarkably warm and friendly, shaking my hand and listening to me as I told him stories of how much I enjoyed his work and what it meant to me as a youth. He seemed genuinely appreciative to meet fans and closed the encounter with a hug and a photo opportunity.

Flash forward to age 20 and I was completing my bachelors in film at a local university. I had an opportunity to meet and work with Dick Von Hoene who was hosting a local affairs talk show in Northern Kentucky. He was an absolute professional and I always admired how he could mingle with the myriad of people and professions. We had another opportunity to discuss his horror hosting work and his charity work throughout the tri-state area. My time spent with Mr. Von Hoene was always very inspiring and I would venture to say, it germinated the seed of horror-hosting that had been planted so many years ago.

It came as a heavy shock when we learned that Dick Von Hoene had passed away unexpectedly in 2004. The city, which I thought had largely forgotten his early work, came together and the now fox-affiliate WXIX put together a 30 minute tribute show on his life and work as the Cool Ghoul.  It was nice to see him fondly remembered by the generations he touched with his kindness.
Just a year before his death we started our own horror host program, inspired by him and many other Ohio hosts. While we could never ever fill his shoes, we felt our show was a way to not only honor the tradition of TV Hosting but also honor our TV pal, The Cool Ghoul.

Butch Cleaver takes the stage at Horrorhound Weekend 2011

In March of 2011, I had the extreme honor of inducting Dick Von Hoene, Cincinnat’s Cool Ghoul, into the Ripley’s Believe It, Or Not Horror Host Hall of Fame. How could I have imagined that I would have trodden this path with that TV pal of mine so many years later? It was a pleasure to grow up watching him, a treasure to know him and an honor to carry on in the tradition of him.

Butch R. Cleaver
Meet Cleaver Theatre
Cincinnati/N. KY. Horror Host  

Svengoolie autograph from the collection of Richard Church!

In 1970, the original Svengoolie hit the Chicago airwaves and the Windy city hasn’t been the same since! The vampire hippy, with his quick wit, rubber chickens, and hilarious commercial/song parodies made for a night of side-splitting entertainment in a region that had been starved of a horror host since Shock Theatre (Marvin’s) departure a decade before.

Prior to the current (and after 32 years, most prolific) Svengoolie – Rich Koz bringing the name to a national audience, the coffin was filled by professional broadcaster, Jerry G. Bishop. While I was too young to have watched the original Sven, he was very much a presence in our household. My father was a huge fan and I am often reminded that he was watching Svengoolie in the hospital waiting room while my mother was in labor with me (remember this was back when they wouldn’t allow fathers in the birthing room). My mom likes to recount this bit of trivia while citing it as a possible cause for what she would later refer to as “my crazy interests.”

While the aforementioned Marvin would influence native Chicagoan, and Washington DC horror host, Count Gore de Vol, Bishop’s influence was the irreverent and quick-witted Ghoulardi from Ohio. Bishop worked at a Cleveland station during Ghoulardi’s run before later relocating to Chicago’s WFLD. Therefore, the Chicago Svengoolie Dynasty (still in full force on commercial television today) is an off-shoot of the Ohio/Ghoulardi family tree.

Ghoulardi (Ernie Anderson)

Svengoolie debuted on WFLD’s “Screaming Yellow Theatre” which began with Bishop doing voice overs – the popularity of which would not only lead to the development of his character but eventually to “live” hosting.

Bishop enjoyed rock star like fame in the Chicagoland area during his three year run and is still fondly remembered by his fans. He even managed to bring in visiting celebrity guests such as Bette Midler, Neil Sedaka, and Barry Manilow. Much more than a TV show, “Screaming Yellow Theater” became a weekend “event” for the local party crowd here in Chicago.

Bishop left at the height of his popularity due to an abrupt change in station management – who made the grievous error of replacing him with Ohio’s The Ghoul. A direct off-shoot of Ghoulardi, so far as Chicagoans were concerned, The Ghoul’s sudden appearance (made worse by his disparaging on-air remarks towards Sven) was an unwelcome visit from an annoying distant relative. While The Ghoul was successful in other states, Illinois wasn’t going to be one of them and his tenure here in Chicago was short. It would be a few years before Bishop and Koz would convince management to bring the Svengoolie name back but, by this time, Bishop felt he’d exhausted his creative energy and was ready to move on. The mantle was passed to Rich Koz and the “Son of Svengoolie” was born.

Son of Svengoolie

Bishop now resides in California where he owns and operates his own restaurant. While it has been a long time since donning that green wig, he stated in the 2009 horror host documentary AMERICAN SCARY that being Svengoolie was the most fun he’d ever had in his professional life. This past March, Jerry G. Bishop was inducted to the Horror Host Hall of Fame at the Horrorhound Weekend in Indianapolis. “Screaming Yellow Theater” will forever be a part of Chicago Television history while Jerry G. Bishop’s Svengoolie one of its moved loved personalities.

Among Bishop’s loyal base of fans are a small minority who never completely accepted his successor. Perhaps Svengoolies are like James Bond; you always like the one you grew up with best. For these individuals I can only offer these facts; a)Jerry G. Bishop worked closely with and was friends with the current Svengoolie (who helped write and supply material for him), b) in 1996 Bishop gave his whole-hearted blessing for Rich Koz to carry on with the full “Svengoolie” title, and c) he would be the FIRST person to want to see Koz given the respect and admiration he deserves. We can safely say that after finally being able to watch footage of the first Svengoolie, The Daves are fans of both. While they clearly have similarities (along with playful jabs to the city of Berwyn), they also have brought their own distinct styles to their characters and the heart of a horror host fan is certainly large enough for BOTH.

We’d like to not only extend our heart-felt appreciation and congratulations to Mr. Bishop on a job well done, but to also take this opportunity to wish him today (August 3rd) a VERY happy birthday!

NOTE: In the spirit of all Horror Host Hall of Fame inductees, we encourage any and all fans of Jerry G. Bishop Svengoolie to share their own personal memories via “comments” on this post.

Dave F.

We’re pleased to announce that just a few hours ago, Horrorhound Magazine writer and events organizer, Jason Hignite, launched the official G.O.T.H.I.C. (Gathering of Television Horror Hosts Internet Cinema) website!

Hignite with The Daves Horrorhound @ Weekend Indianapolis 2011

Hignite grew up with the legendary Dr. Creep and is an avid fan of horror hosts! He has used this passion to help make Horrorhound Weekends some of the most host-friendly events on a horror fan’s calendar. Since 2010′s awe-inspiring Vampira Tribute, the March conventions in particular have been boasting large gatherings of hosts. Last year it also saw a permanent new feature; The Horror Host Hall of Fame (see story HERE).

The G.O.T.H.I.C. site compliments the official Horrorhound Weekend page and was created with no small thanks to Joel Sanderson a.k.a. Gunther Dedmund from The Basement Sublet of Horror! Sanderson’s technical skills made him the ideal choice… and the fact that he’s been a horror host himself for over ten years made it even more special.

Gunther Dedmund & The Daves

Fans of hosts can visit the site to view information and footage of all horror host related activities that took place at past Horrorhound Weekends as well as a sneak peak at what’s in store for the future. This year’s theme revolves around the infamous “Shock” package of films  – a collection of Universal classics that lead to the proliferation of commercial TV hosts in the late 1950′s.

The Horror Host Hall of Fame is also chronicled with video footage (courtesy of Count Gore De Vol) of last year’s very FIRST event as well as summaries of each host written by Dave Fuentes & David Albaugh from TERROR FROM BEYOND THE DAVES.

But enough about all that…go and check it out yourself. Click HERE!

The Terror Daves~

While Vampira & Zacherley are often thought of as the “mother and father” of all horror hosts, many prominent Midwestern hosts can credit their true lineage to Cleveland’s Ghoulardi. Never taking himself nor his film presentations seriously, radio announcer/disc jockey Ernie Anderson would create an irreverent template of wit and sarcasm many hosts still use today.

Today’s viewers take for granted the criticism of a “Z-grade” movie being presented by a host, or playful jab at a celebrity. To a 1960′s audience, however, this was virtually unheard of. Ghoulardi appeared as a disheveled beatnik, completely unafraid to bash the local establishment. Rarely following a script, and often being aired LIVE, Station management held their breaths wondering what their unlikely new sensation would say on air.

Ghoulardi’s reign (three years) may seem relatively short, but he was to spawn two major protege’s; one was “The Ghoul” who would retain many of Ghoulardi’s physical traits (with Anderson’s blessings) and the other was the original Jerry G. Bishop, Svengoolie, who worked at a Cleveland station during the height of Ghoulardi’s popularity. While Marvin was Chicago’s host at the time, he was never the influence on Svengoolie that Ghoulardi was. Just as Ghoulardi routinely made fun of the Ohio town of Parma – Svengoolie made the Chicago suburb of Berwyn his target. This practice can be traced back to Ghoulardi and is still alive via the current Svengoolie – Rich Koz. His practice of blowing up plastic models would live on via The Ghoul.  Despite their shared ancestry, The “Ghouls” and the “Goolies” would not always have a harmonious relationship (but that’s another story).

Jerry G. Bishop Svengoolie

At last year’s Horrorhound Weekend in Indianaopolis, Ghoulardi was officially inducted to Horror Host Hall of Fame by Ohio’s Son of Ghoul. Son of Ghoul was, as his name would imply, a protege’ of  The Ghoul….how fitting that he should be the one to pay homage to his host “grandfather,” Ghoulardi.

In 1966 Anderson retired his Ghoulardi character and moved to California where he would enjoy great success doing “voice-overs” for ABC. Regardless of where he found his fortune, his fame will forever be linked to Cleveland and the iconic character he created. Horror host fans from Ohio, Chicago, and Michigan (where The Ghoul had influence and has links to Wolfman Mac’s Chiller Drive-in) should have no argument with the induction of Ghoulardi to the Horror Host Hall of Fame.

Ghoulardi is featured on the new G.O.T.H.I.C. website where you can review a Reader’s Digest version of what I wrote here as well as see the Son of Ghoul induction speech in its entirety! That portion should be up soon but check out G.O.T.H.I.C. by clicking on the banner below!

Dave Fuentes~

Hard to believe, but we’re now heading into the final week before the March Horrorhound Weekend in Cincinnati! It’s a bittersweet event for me as this is my fourth straight year attending this event and had always been done so with friends while, this time, I’m the lone Terror Dave. That  should not imply that I won’t still have a blast nor be surrounded by friends and I’m  looking forward to seeing many of  them. Especially my pal, Brian Maze, who will be making regular appearances on this site and I think is one great guy!

Ever since the 2010 Vampira Tribute (covered HERE) it’s been featuring a list of classic hosts to be inducted in Ripley’s Horror Host Hall of Fame. I’m still not exactly sure where that is but, as I said in my Rondo nominated article (that was a shameless plug for you to vote for me btw) in Scary Monsters Magazine #84, “…events such as these do keep horror hosts from a bygone era alive while allowing us fans to all come together, regardless of which one we may have grown up with.” As it so happens, the one that I grew up is being inducted this year. Unlike previous years, none of the inductees will be present and there will be no plaques to go around. The ceremony will be hosted by Count Gore De Vol. This will also mark the last Horror Host Hall of Fame I’ll be attending.

So here are the list of the 2013 honorees…

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Unlike the last few years, 2013′s March Horrorhound Weekend featured only a sparse number of horror hosts which, in many ways, seemed like a “last stand.” After the Vampira Tribute in 2010, Jason Hignite continued the Horrorhound Weekend/Horror Host tradition with a Zacherley Tribute in 2011 along with “inducting” at least ten horror hosts into the Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Horror Host Hall of Fame. The tradition of choosing ten random hosts for induction would continue in 2012 and, despite the lower turn-out, took place again this year.

Halloween Jacqueline the Belle of the Horror Host Ball!

While the Vampira Tribute (covered HERE) was a fantastic experience that not only energized interest in horror hosting in general but also helped inspire the creation of this blog, things seemed to go downhill soon after….and this year I think it’s finally hit the bottom!

The majority of classic horror hosts were professional broadcasters who proved their versatility to TV stations by adopting their own characters and presenting packages of films. They often stole the show by being more entertaining than the movies themselves and amusing their young viewers via macabre humor and skits. Growing up at a time when monster movies weren’t so readily avaialble, this made them nothing short of gods and goddesses in our horror fan’s eyes. I’m not sure how to explain this phenomenon to those who didn’t grow up with one as you either understand this devotion or you don’t…though that doesn’t make it any less real for those of us who do.

People often tease me regarding my enthusiastic fandom of Svengoolie but my fervor is not unique amongst his nor any other classic horror host fan. I just happen to be more visible and have my own soapbox…not to mention the rare honor of having my host still operating on commercial TV today.

That being said, I am a staunch believer that the ONLY people who can properly “induct” or pay tribute to ANY horror host is their fans. I first became alarmed with this event in 2011 when one host induction speech featured something along the lines of, “I didn’t know who (the host) was, but I Googled him and he looked cool.” For the record, I wasn’t familiar with that horror host either but, never the less, it made a lasting impression and from that moment on I was mortified.

I started imagining a future induction ceremony where my host, Rich Koz’s Svengoolie, was being “honored” by some PA host from Schenectady who stands up and says, “I never heard of Svengoolie, but his YouTube clips sure look amazing!” This frightening image is followed by my hurling a chair at him; thus turning the entire induction ceremony into an episode of the Jerry Springer Show complete with make-up. I’m sorry folks, you just don’t go around messing with an adult monster kid’s childhood host!

Aside from that were mounting questions being muttered behind the scenes such as where exactly is this Horror Host Hall of Fame,  if it’s part of “Ripley’s Believe it or Not” what exactly is their contribution, why haven’t living hosts (unable to attend) inducted in past years STILL not been notified of their inductions, and when will those “temporary”  plaques given in previous ceremonies (in some cases misspelling the honorees name) be converted into actual statues as  promised during the 2011 show? Of course, that last question would not be an  issue this year as the plaques were dropped entirely in favor of a PowerPoint presentation. This was considered an acceptable alternative in lieu of none of the inductees being present.

Despite these unanswered questions, along with the growing concern that this year’s ceremony was much more of an afterthought as opposed to an anticipated event, my entire purpose for attending the Horrorhound Weekend in Cincinnati was to participate in it. You see, this was the year that my host would finally be inducted and, in keeping with my self-imposed destiny, I successfully campaigned to give the speech.

Some participants were told that the ceremony would take place on Saturday at 10am which was the earliest it had ever been. This immediately caused stress among many hosts by hindering their plans to party Friday night and made even more frustrating by the follow-up announcement that there’d be a “rehearsal” an hour before. All information at this point was spread via hosts and myself as we’d randomly bump into each other on Friday. Unfortunately, our horror host “Pony Express” was far from perfect as Dr. David Lady and Dr.Gangrene were under the impression it was still in the afternoon (as in previous years) and missed it entirely.

With Larry Underwood a.k.a. Dr. Gangrene

The next morning I awoke at 7:30am and Brian went on-line and reported to me the negative comments he saw on FB regarding the lines at Horrorhound. I wasn’t surprised. While full of costumed monsters, the event itself was comparable to Godzilla! After eating a quick breakfast (which the hotel I stayed at provided), I headed over to the convention center. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get in there early as a long line had already formed but, thankfully, I was to be provided my own beacon via Halloween Jack and Halloween Jacqueline. Their customary bright orange costumes made finding horror host activities MUCH easier so I’d like to give a big THANKS to them.

Show me the way!

We teamed up and confidently walked past the line, entering the event via the front door (basically strolling with “purpose” prevented confused volunteers from stopping us) and found the ballroom where the induction was slated to take place. Inside was Jason Hignite along with Jamie Lee Cortese dressed in her signature Svengoolie attire. At least there’d be one person who’d appreciate my speech.

A half-awake Dr. Destruction with Jamie Lee Cortese

The other hosts arrived on time save Dr. Destruction who, amid a fury of angry texts, eventually trudged in around ten. As it turned out, he was smarter than the rest of us as technical issues prevented the rehearsal entirely and we all sat around yawning up until show-time.

Awaiting the ceremony with pals, Russ Wrangler & Brian Maze

At last the PowerPoint presentation was operating and we were finally ready to begin.  Prior to this, Jason quickly sought out a few people to induct hosts who didn’t have presenters.  This was to make up for absent hosts (like the aforementioned ones who weren’t updated on our start time) as well as others that simply weren’t filled prior to the occasion. It didn’t make much of a difference either way as, with the exception of Dr. Destruction (who was inducting ToLouse NoNeck), Halloween Jack/Jacqueline (Commander USA), A. Ghastlee Ghoul (I, Zombie), and myself…NOBODY had any clue who the hosts were they were honoring anyway. Even the Emmy Award winning, Fritz the Nite Owl, had his assistant tossing him last minute facts regarding Australia’s Deadly Earnest prior to hitting the stage.

With Suspira and A. Ghastlee Ghoul!

It begs yet another question…who picked these inductees? I’m not suggesting that any of them didn’t deserve the honor but wouldn’t it make sense to have a fan make the pitch for his/her host and then agree to give the speech or send a pre-taped presentation? This is something that could have been worked out months before the event with very little effort. Instead it seemed to be more about choosing a host last minute and then seeing what costumed host was available to do the speech. I do understand wanting the stage to be more “colorful” but how about having knowledgeable fans pay tribute while having the hosts entertain the audience with skits in between?

As the show was about to begin, something seemed to be noticeably missing…like the audience! This wasn’t too shocking since an empty theater would be the natural consequence of having a show slated for 10am at a convention that opens at 11. It’s like going to a department store and seeing a large sign that reads, “BIG ONE HOUR BLOW-OUT SALE AT 8am! Doors open at 9!” The only real spectators outside of myself and the hosts themselves was my friend Russ and Jamie’s parents…all of which had to literally be rescued from the crowd since the convention volunteers had no clue what they were talking about when they said they wanted to attend the Horror Host Hall of Fame.

Me with the bulk of the audience

Count Gore De Vol emceed the show and I was the first to go up there. Gore would later hurl a chicken at me which I should have stolen and had Svengoolie sign for me later. Actually, in lieu of the situation, Sven should be more compelled to stand up and whack me over the head with it. Other than standing in front of that aforementioned PowerPoint, I hope I did okay but, in the end,  my fears were still realized as my host and his fellow inductees were far from given the proper ceremony they deserved.

With zero audience, most of us tired, along with the overall lack of knowledge creating uninspired presentations we may as well have all just gone out to breakfast and toasted our hosts with a glass of orange juice.  There were a few warm moments that revolved around I, Zombie as well as a “behind the scenes” tribute to Uncle Lars (see my memories of him HERE) but despite these brief instances of integrity, its unlikely many felt a sense of satisfaction from this event nor that the newly inducted hosts should feel “honored” by it.

Paying Tribute to Uncle Lars

If I appear overly negative, let me state that I get no pleasure from it. I literally wrestled for the past week on whether I should just write up a quickie/white-wash report or the truth as I see it. This is one of those times when I hate being the lone Terror Dave. Before I’d have sought David’s advice on matters such as these and, in this instance,  he’d probably of told me to put a cork in it! At the end of the day, however, I decided it was better for me to be authentic even if left standing alone.

Jason is a really nice guy and, personally, I really do like him. Contrary to what I’ve heard from others, I don’t believe he’s trying to create his own “horror host brand” nor does this for his own glorification. At the core, Jason is an adult Dr. Creep kid who really just wanted to share his fervor of horror hosts and, in doing so, provided both Terror Daves lots of fun & laughs over the years. I also know he’s shelled out a lot of his own money for these events while enduring flack from hosts who didn’t believe he was treating them fairly nor like the superstars a few deemed themselves to be. I also realize that he’s been ready to walk away from this event for months but wants someone else to take it over so it can continue.

So the purpose of my rant is not to chastise Jason but to say enough is enough. Just walk away quietly and please don’t bother passing the torch. Unless the convention, Ripley’s, or some philanthropist is willing to provide the ceremony with an actual budget while assembling a small group of enthusiasts to provide proper planning (preferably more than two weeks before the event), then it’s time to close the doors on this hypothetical Horror Host Hall of Fame once and for all. The inductees deserve better and the participating hosts could certainly come up with more entertaining things to do (plus get to sleep in!).

In fact, I’d like to see the hosts that attend these events gather on their own accord, choosing an event for which they can all commune and party, ala’ Cinema Wasteland from days of yore. As these are fun people and many are my friends, I really hope they won’t mind inviting an un-costumed civilian like me along too; sort of like a decisively less attractive Marilyn Munster.

As for the classic, commercial hosts, they’ll have their own devoted fans and archivists to see to it they’re given proper tribute and respect. If any of these fans should be reading this, I also encourage you to share your tributes on this site. No, it ain’t the Hall of Fame, but it will give outsiders a chance to learn what really made your host special to you (something a Google search can not provide) and why they’d belong in one…a real one!

Dave Fuentes~

Special thanks to Joel Sanderson for sharing photos and for videotaping the event in its entirety which you can watch below…

Coming up next…Rock n’ Roll all Nite, with the KISS Gals!

Ever since watching the quintessential horror host documentary, AMERICAN SCARY, a couple of years ago I’ve been enthralled with Stella Desire. Most people site Elvira as the bawdiest (and bustiest) of the 80′s hostesses but, just as The Mistress of the Dark was the irrefutable “Queen of Camp” on the West Coast, there was another who would dominate the East.

The iconic “Saturday Night Live” would provide a death blow to many commercial hosts, as viewers began gravitating towards their brand of sketch comedy versus the weekend creature features. Stella, on the other hand, would make it little more than an appetizer to her main course. Her wonderful ”Saturday Night Dead” immediately followed SNL (and on the same channel, NBC) thereby allowing Philadelphia viewers an opportunity to keep their laughs going well beyond the witching hour.

Karen Scioli auditioned for the part of Stella after local TV execs decided to seek out an “Elvira” of their own. “My audition was on a Sunday morning at 9:30 am, at KYW studio in Philadelphia,” Karen reflects. “Philly has a huge market (was 4th in the nation at the time) so the audition was a big deal, and this Sunday was the last of the audition days. I think they had them over 4 days. I was nervous as hell, especially trying to be funny at 9:30 Sunday morning.  I was in NYC the night before doing my very first paid stand-up gig at a club and was more excited about that than the audition.”

After landing the part, however, Scioli would make the character inherently her own. “Here’s something I never told anyone in the press before,” says Karen. “When I got the part, I knew my costume would have to be sexy. But I was a nervous wreck about it because, believe it or not, I am a very modest person!!! I NEVER showed my cleavage before in public!! I still don’t unless I’m dressed as Stella! So I was mortified that not only did I have to expose myself, but my tits were talked about like they were props and belonged to KYW!!!”

Stella & Rip Taylor!

Saturday Night Dead comes alive with Roland/Zacherley!

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Well, gang, this is our final post regarding the Ohio 2012 Horrorhound Weekend before we aim our focus at future events! As mentioned prior to this gathering, David and I were asked by Jason Hignite to participate in this year’s Horror Host Hall of Fame ceremony by doing an induction of our own. Not for a specific host, but for a unique package of films that lead to their proliferation.

For those who may have missed it, the full story of this event will be covered in an upcoming issue of Scary Monsters Magazine and written by yours truly. Its already been submitted/approved though I have no idea how publisher Dennis Druktenis will be able to fit it all in one Scary issue as, when printed, it took up about nine pages not counting photos. We will definitely keep you posted as to when that story gets published. Below is a special “sneak peak” featuring our portion of the event…

In 1957, Universal Studios released 52 (one for each week of the year) of their wonderful monster classics  to commercial TV stations. I am, of course, referring to The Shock Theater Package! At the time, many stations made the historic decision of having these films presented by a horror host.

Tom Leahy “The Host

This was beneficial to stations for two main reasons; for one thing, nervous station managers weren’t sure how the general public would react to these films and felt having a host present them would alleviate some of their fears (remember this is the 50′s). Another advantage of a host was that they could help fill up the time that shorter films and their commercial sponsors could not. For the next 30 years horror hosts would introduce many if us monster kids to these fantastic films before their near annihilation at the hands of corporate TV who began swallowing local channels.

After a brief introduction by Jason Hignite, David and I were up first to induct these films. Prior to this big moment, David and I planned on rehearsing our speech on the long ride from Chicago to Ohio. Instead we found ourselves chatting about almost everything else, but. Ready or not, we nervously made our way up the stage.

Whatever apprehension we may have felt initially soon dissipated at the sight of our macabre audience; a room full of horror hosts as well as host fans such as ourselves. The realization that this was definitely our crowd suddenly made it less about “public speaking” and more like addressing ones own family (albeit more “Adams Family” than “Brady Bunch” but we aren’t complaining).

David reminded everyone of those bygone days of of fighting with our rabbit ear antennae in an effort to alleviate the “snow” on our UHF stations so we could watch our hosts present these great films. We also made a point of mentioning how, during the 1990′s  when horror hosting was nearly obsolete, these films were kept on life support by us die-hard fans as well as periodicals – the best example of which I mentioned earlier and will rightfully have the FULL induction story.

Believe it or not, the other Dave DID talk at this event

Last Spring, our childhood host, Chicago’s Svengoolie, went national via MeTV and (as of this date) is being aired in most of The United States as well as parts of Canada.

As Sven had been presenting many of these Universal classics prior to his ascension, they too would be joining him on the national stage. Consequently, many of original “Shock Theater Package” films can now be enjoyed, once more, on Saturday night commercial television! This will create new opportunities for younger fans (who wouldn’t otherwise seek them out) to discover these classic monsters for the very first time.

Therefore even in an age where you can streamline these films or purchase them online, it is still the horror host that remains their greatest ambassador.

Dave Fuentes~

Hall of Fame Logo design created by Basement Boy*

This year’s Indianapolis HorrorHound Weekend was noteworthy for featuring multiple events centered around the art of horror hosting. Perhaps the most significant of these was the addition of horror hosts to an actual “Hall of Fame” sponsored by “Ripley’s Believe It or Not.“

HorrorHound events organizer, Jason Hignite, oversaw this ceremony and his devotion to horror hosts can not be overstated. Any horror host able to look outside their own personal interests can  not deny that his making one of the country’s largest horror conventions a venue for them to not only feel welcome, but also an opportunity to share their work with a larger audience, has helped rejuvenate this nearly extinct art. It has also encouraged younger fans to appreciate the work of commercial hosts from a bygone era, as well as introduce those of us who did grow up with a host to become acquainted with some of the other personalities our fellow fans were watching across the country. Perhaps none of the host-related events at HorrorHound best illustrated this than the Hall of Fame Inductions.

G.O.T.H.I.C. logo created by Basement Boy*

Mr. Hignite also works with a sister website of HorrorHound called G.O.T.H.I.C. (Gathering of Television Horror Hosts – Internet – Cinema).  Though no official plaque design has been created for the awards, G.O.T.H.I.C. will be holding a contest for this express purpose and we’ll definitely keep you posted on how to get involved with that. Once created, the awards will see their way to their proud owners while those who have passed away will have their awards housed at Ripley’s.

Jason Hignite

This year, thirteen horror hosts were to have the honor of being the FIRST Inductees to the Horror Host Hall of Fame. They are Vampira (Maila Nurmi), Zacherley/Roland (John Zacherle), Marvin (Terry Bennett), Sammy Terry (Bob Carter), The Cool Ghoul (Dick Von Hoene), Dr. Morgus the Magnificent (Sid Noel), M.T. Graves (Charlie Baxter), Count Gore deVol (Dick Dyszel), Ghoulardi (Ernie Anderson), Sir Graves Ghastly (Lawson J. Deming), The Bowman Body (Bill Bowman), Svengoolie (Jerry G. Bishop), and the recently deceased Dr. Creep (Barry Hobart) in one of the evenings most emotional moments.

The Daves with Count Gore de Vol

The first host inducted was, appropriately enough, the very first horror host. Ms Monster had the honor of inducting Vampira whom she described as “The first mythological creature of the Atomic Age.”  Maila Nurmi’s Vampira began hosting in 1954 and, last year, was the subject of her own HorrorHound Tribute (covered in greater detail HERE). A few years later, hosts would be popping up across the country! This was due to the “Shock” movie package – a collection of over 50 classic monster movies given to 142 media markets across the country.

Ms Monster inducts Vampira!

The addition of a horror host was something that could benefit the station on two major points; for one thing, nervous TV execs weren’t sure how these movies would play to a general audience (this was the 50′s/60′s after all). Not wanting to literally scare their viewers away, a comical host might help alleviate anxiety a bit by providing some cheesy laughs. Hosts could also serve to help fill up some time on movies that ran shorter than their program slots provided.

Bela – Not ready for Prime Time?

As a result, the late 50′s/early 60′s saw some memorable, classic horror hosts enter American popular culture. These men and women were professional broadcasters who, by exercising their versatility, afforded them a bit of job security along with a relatively cheap method for promoting these old films.

Tennessee’s Sivad

Cinema Insomnia’s Mr. Lobo (who had the privilege of inducting Count Gore de Vol) also pointed out that the “Shock” package of films weren’t alone in creating a legion of hosts.  “The Creature Feature” package brought about some of the most legendary names (such as Bob Wilkins in California) as well as happy monster memories for young fans like myself  across the country who saw these films both with, and without, a host.

Both Daves grew up with their own Creature Features back in the 70′s!

Chicago’s Son of Svengoolie

Because these hosts were fairly isolated, it is unlikely that anyone (outside of a horror host buff) would be familiar with everyone inducted at this ceremony. Even many of the presenters themselves, inducting individuals clearly before their time, had only a vague understanding of whom they were honoring.

TERROR FROM BEYOND THE DAVES isn’t going to pretend to be any more savvy…and we’re certainly not going to pretend to be older. We would, however, like to offer a special post to each of the inductees and, when possible, gain the perspective of an actual fan of the host’s as well. Anyone reading who may have their own memories of the aforementioned classic hosts, please contact either Dave via our contact link.

Count Gore De Vol, like Vampira, was covered in more detail in an earlier piece which you can read  HERE . The remaining inductees, however, will be given spotlights in the coming weeks. When possible we will share pictures, clips, and fan anecdotes. We’d like as many folks as possible to contribute so PLEASE send those memories and help us give these Horror Hosts the tributes they deserve!

Dave Fuentes~

* Basement Boy is not only a Horror Host but, as you can see, a talented Graphic Designer! If you are in need of a branding campaign, promotional posters, business cards, assorted graphics for your host shows (need a fake beer label or custom packaging for a fictional product?) please contact him at BasementBoyDC@gmail.com!

Shout! Factory has done it again with their latest blu-ray offering, the 1985 George Romero classic DAY OF THE DEAD. I have always been a fan of Romero’s Dead Trilogy, and to be honest, this is my favorite of the three and I was very excited to hear that it was finally getting its long-overdue blu-ray release. Of the three films this one, in my opinion, is the darkest and why it works so well.

Most of the film takes place underground in an abandoned missile silo where a group of military personnel and scientists have gathered together to try and figure out what is going on above. The characters are perfectly cast and this film is interesting to watch as the group breaks down and collapses; much like the world on the outside did. You really get a sense of how bad things are in this movie whereas, in the two previous films, there seems to be actual hope. This is evident right from the beginning when a visit is made to Florida in search of survivors. The streets are empty and it’s obvious it has been this way for quite some time. The only signs of life are animals such as alligators and tarantulas who have now moved into the once-populated areas.

The picture quality of this release is superb though I did notice two scenes in particular that seemed grainy. I checked these scenes out on the DVD release and it was the same way so I’m guessing it had more to do with the filming as opposed to the transfer. The movie still holds up very well and, after repeated viewings, I find myself liking it more and more each time.

I think one of the reasons this film stands out for me is that over the years, I have met most of the cast as well as George Romero. When this film was released it received very mixed reviews, especially among the Dead fans. This for the most part has changed and people seem to be finally seeing this film for what it really is; a great chapter in zombie film history. I should probably add that people may respect this movie more because of how bad DIARY OF THE DEAD and SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD were.

Me with George Romero 2011

Upon meeting the cast it’s obvious how much they appreciate the fans of the film and they do love meeting us and sharing their stories. I have been fortunate enough to meet Lori Cardille twice and both times she was very charming. Interestingly enough, the first autograph I had ever gotten of her was received the old fashioned way: I found out her address and wrote her a nice letter requesting one. When I conveyed this story to her in Massachusetts at the Rock & Shock convention she said that she was actually surprised that I got one as she does not make it a habit of sending autographs in the mail. She also added that she was glad she did because if I had conveyed this story about writing to her and didn’t receive the autograph, she would’ve felt like a jerk.

Lori Cardille 2012 

The second time I met her was at the HorrorHound Convention where there was not only a DAY OF THE DEAD reunion, but Lori’s father, Billy Cardille (Chilly Billy), was being inducted into the Horror Host Hall Of Fame; something neither Billy nor Lori knew anything. Though the Daves were not surprised by this, we did take the initiative to tell Lori about it and convince her to show up and receive the plaque. She readily agreed and, regardless of what your thoughts are on the Horror Host Hall Of Fame, her heart felt speech was the highlight of the event!

Lori Cardille with the gang from Freakhouse Flicks!

This blu-ray release also features commentary by Romero, Cardille, and Tom Savini who did the amazing effects. Savini states that this movie is his swansong and, upon seeing these effects, it’s no wonder. There’s also a great documentary filmed just for this release called “World’s End: The Legacy Of Day Of The Dead,” that features a lot of great behind the scenes moments as well as recent interviews with the cast and crew. It was also nice to see Tom Savini joking around and laughing (something you rarely see him do at convention appearances).

I cannot recommend this release enough. It is a must have addition to any horror movie collection!

David Albaugh