Start of D Listings — BIG page (all those "DR."s), so please be patient while it loads!

Daemon, Baron *

(see BARON DAEMON)

Dale Dorman

(see UNCLE DALE)

Dale, Uncle

(see UNCLE DALE)

Darc, Mr.

(see MR. DARC)

The Daughter of Desire *

(see STELLA)

DAVEY HORROR

(David A. Parietti)

Visit Davey Horror's Little Shop of Terror, the show's official Website.

See Davey Horror's profile page at HORRORHOSTS.com, the official site for the Horror Host Underground.

The Davey Horror Show

Saturday at 11:00 am and Monday at 8:30 pm

Public Access Channel 15 (Burlington, Vermont)

1996 - Present

Magazine reference: featured in an article in the Scary Monsters 2003 Yearbook.

NOTES:

• Davey Horror's profile page on the Horror Host Underground site describes the show as "Pee Wee's Playhouse with a Horror twist".... raised on The Ghoul and Zacherley, Davey Horror has fashioned his family-friendly show as a way to create monster memories for a new generation. He shows short clips from Horror and Sci-Fi related films, and in between he interacts with other inhabitants that live around the Horror Castle. With more than 250 aired, the show has developed a considerable cult following.
  
  
• Other characters on the show include Captain Cartoon (a pirate puppet who introduces a cartoon), Ms. Eerie (a skeleton od puppet who tells the audience about upcoming films in Horrorwood); Chef Boyardead (the castle cook), and Boris (a skeleton hand that delivers "creep Mail" fan letters).
  
  
• Davey Horror produces a live theatrical "spook show" called Spookarama every October.
  
  
• E-gorespondent Jay Williams posts additional details:

  Real Name: David A. Parietti. Add: Other characters on the show include Woofy, a remote-controlled wolf head who hangs on the wall of the set and who also interacts with Davey Horror and other characters on the show by telling bad jokes, etc.

DAVID ALLEN *

(David Allen; "a floating head surrounded by a sea of mist")

Shock

Friday at 11:15 p.m.

WKBN-TV, Channel 27 (Youngstown, Ohio)

1957? - 19??

Elena Watson's Television Horror Movie Hosts reference:
mentioned in Ch. 3, "Invasion of the Ghost Hosts," p. 27.

Magazine reference:

• Mentioned in feature "The Horror of Them All!" in issue #13 (December 1988) of Filmfax, pp. 28-32.

DAVID THE COLOSSUS

(Real name=?)

Name of show?

Early Saturday evening?

CBET-TV, Channel 9 (Windsor, Ontario, Canada)

196? - 19??

Same title?

Early Saturday evening (7:00 p.m.?)

Station?, Channel ? (Detroit, Michigan)

circa 1964 - 1966

NOTE:

• Mark Shanks from Detroit (mshanks@fltdyn.com) remembers: 'David the Colossus' had a show on the Windsor, Ontario, station (Channel 9 - I can't remember the call letters) that was also seen in Detroit circa 1964-1966.... He showed the usual B-grade movies ('Attack of the Crab Monsters' is one I remember for certain) but shifted into the sword-and-sandal 'Hercules in the Haunted World' type of movie. David himself was a youngish man who took to coming onto his set (as I remember, a cardboard arena wall with a sandy floor and a portcullis) to a loud fanfare, wearing a loincloth-type garment. No, I am NOT making this up! I also remember him challenging the audience to 'wet mop fights,' and I believe I even saw one of these fights. The show was on early Saturday evenings, 7:00 or so -- if 'Hockey Night in Canada' wasn't on, that is!

Davver, Uncle

(see UNCLE DAVVER)

Dead, Ned the

(See NED THE DEAD)

DEAD EARNEST (I)

(Bob Chesson; died 1990)

Name of show?

Either Friday or Saturday at 11:00 pm (probably a double feature?)

WRET-TV, UHF Channel 36 (previously WCTU, later WCNC) (Charlotte, North Carolina)

c. 197?-197?

Friday Night Frights

Friday at 7:30 (usually a double feature)

WTCG-TV, UHF Channel 17 (previously WJRJ, later WTBS) (Atlanta, Georgia)

c. 1972-1974 or '75

NOTES:

• E-gorespondent Rudy Stotz initiated this entry with his memories of Dead Earnest's show on WTCG in Atlanta:

  Sometime in the 1972-74 time frame, Atlanta's Channel 17 had a horror host named Dead Ernest.... I don't know how long his show lasted.... From what I remember, he would open his show by rising out of his coffin and facing the camera to talk about the movie he was about to show. He was made up like a vampire with hugh vampire teeth sticking out of his mouth. The funniest thing was that between these teeth and the heavy Southern accent he had, I couldn't understand a word he said! I don't know if he was on the air for any appreciable length of time, but he should be remembered and I would like to know anything about who he was.

• Channel 17 in Atlanta was originally a UHF station called WJRJ-TV when Ted Turner bought it and renamed it WTCG ("Watch This Channel Grow") in 1970. Around 1976-77 he changed the call letters again to WTBS (Turner Broadcasting System), the first cable Superstation. Dead Earnest appeared on Channel 17 during Ted Turner's early years of managing the station.
  
  
• Way back in November 1999, Atlanta hostorian Rod Bennett (editor of a GREAT publication called Wonder, "The Children's Magazine for Grown-Ups") e-mailed a startling suggestion about who had played Dead Earnest in Atlanta:

  Dead Earnest Exposed!
  
  I'm about to blow the lid off the greatest scoop in Horror Host history! First, the back story. Your previous correspondents are correct in identifying one "Dead Earnest" as the host of Friday Night Frights on Atlanta's WTCG (later Superstation TBS) back in the early 1970's. This show (which DID NOT by the way, pre-date Turner's purchase of the station in 1970) came on at 7:30 PM on Fridays and was usually a double-feature.
  "Dead Earnest" himself was, indeed, a pasty-faced guy in a Dracula cape with a thick Georgia accent. Here's what you don't know... DRUM ROLL...
  
  I'm convinced that "Dead Earnest" was, in reality, NONE OTHER THAN STATION OWNER R.E. (TED) TURNER HIMSELF!
  
  I know this sounds incredible. But there were, after all, only about five people working at WTCG in those days...and Ted is a notorious ham. Admittedly, I have no proof. I did watch the show religiously, however, and I can assure you that all of my similarly devoted buddies were of the same opinion as myself. Ted's voice is pretty distinctive... even with plastic vampire teeth in his mouth.
  
  I'm aware that this charge, if substantiated, would make headlines the world over. I think it would provide a public vindication of the much-maligned art of horror hosting... proving, as it does, that even a man who can later donate ONE BILLION DOLLARS of his own wealth to the United Nations in the cause of World Peace was once not above rolling his eyes, honking a rubber skull at the camera, and introducing Bride of the Monster.
  
  However, I'm also aware that I may be endangering my own life by recklessly blowing this particular whistle. Mr. Turner seems to have carefully covered his tracks on this and may, even as we speak, be funnelling large sums of hush-money into the hands of potential TBS stool-pigeons.
  
  Nevertheless, feeling as I do about you, my brother Horror Host fans, I've decided that I can't remain silent about this anymore. We need to band together and FORCE THE TRUTH INTO THE LIGHT OF DAY. Perhaps we can file a Freedom of Information Act request... Anyhow, I say we get to the bottom of this subject no matter what!
  
  Let's send Mr. HOT-SHOT TIME WARNER CHAIRMAN an ultimatum... either PRODUCE THE REAL DEAD EARNEST, Mr. Turner, and present him to the public... or OWN UP TO THE TRUTH! You owe it to the world to come clean!

• In December 2002, Grave Dave Newton dug into the subject:

  I know several people who work for Turner (mainly for The Cartoon Network). A good friend of mine who has some strong connections to the Turner archivists told me that there are no existing videos/stills of Dead Earnest in their records at all. I'm pretty sure he was never featured in any advertising (I wish!), but maybe a picture will show up of him eventually (I can only hope).
  
  My recollections of him are pretty similar to Rod Bennett's. Dead Earnest did have a thick southern accent — he was kind of like a vampire redneck, with of course some very corny jokes. The production values of his segments were very basic, not a lot of atmosphere, Dead Earnest was always sitting up in a coffin, with a too-large suit and cape. Looking back, he very well could've been Ted Turner — he bore a strong resemblance to him under the makeup (body type, facial structure, hair), and did sound sort of like him. It definitely was '72 -'74 (maybe into '75) that he was on.
  
  I have very fond memories of him, as this was my introduction to a lot of the classics. Love your website — it's the only reference to Dead Earnest that I know of.

• Back in October 2000, CR Andrews, aka Chaz, shared memories of watching Dead Earnest that crossed over into new territory:

  I want to add my memories to your incredible archive of horror hosts regarding "DEAD EARNEST." While looking for info on "Ole Dead," as he called himself, I happened to stumble across your excellent site. I was shocked to find that Dead Earnest appeared on 17 in Atlanta! In fact, I had thought he was a local only in the Charlotte, North Carolina area on Ted Turner's independent station, Channel 36 (formerly WRET, now WCNC Channel 6). Unfortunately, being so young at the time, I don't recall the exact dates, but Dead was definitely the host of a horror theater in the early seventies on Channel 36.
  
  As your earlier correspondents indicated, the opening, commercial breaks and closing of Dead's show initially began with color still images of a tall vampire rising out of a coffin and doing mischief. I don't think there was any sound for the wraparounds in early shows. Later, I seem to recall some voice overs. The show on Channel 36 aired from 11:00 pm on either Fridays or Saturdays -- I'm not sure which. It may have been a double-feature, as I seem to recall the program lasting until 1:00 am or later.
  
  At some point, Channel 36 hosted a mail-in contest to name the vampire. It was through this contest that he received the name Dead Ernest. I am absolutely certain about that. I had thought that the contest winner was from Charlotte, but that particular fact I'm not clear on.
  
  Eventually, Dead became a live-action (as opposed to still image) host. His voice, which I remember very well, was goofy, but was NOT deeply southern. If it was Ted Turner, himself, then he was doing a good job disguising his voice. Additionally, Ted has a habit of pausing often with a deep, rolling "Ahhhh...", which Dead Ernest did NOT.
  
  Turner made a lot of money from Channel 36. My understanding was that it was a money drain until he started showing old movies — particularly westerns, science fiction and horror. It was a wonderful channel! He eventually sold the station for a pile of cash. Supposedly, this was a fundamental part of the money he used to launch WTBS as the first cable superstation. 36 has changed owners several times since then and the old call letters now belong to a different station.
  
  Getting back to Dead Ernest, because of the apparent discrepancies in the voice, and the fact that I so clearly remember the name contest, I now wonder if the character originated on Channel 36, then was recycled later on Channel 17, perhaps with a different actor.
  
  Thanks for the great memories!

• Meanwhile, in August 2003, Sandy Clark, writer/producer of the fabulous, long-awaited American Scary documentary about television horror hosts, had investigated the Dead Earnest controversy by going straight to the source — Ted Turner's home office! He was kind enough to forward the response he got to this website:

  From the desk of Ted Turner's assistant, Suzan Tatum: Info on Dead Earnest:

  Date: Fri Aug 29, 2003 9:57:27 AM US/Pacific
  Subject: RE: Dead Earnest - Ted Turner?
  
  Okay Sandy .... here you go from the "horses" mouth - Ted Turner was NOT Dead Ernest. Ted said it was a guy from Charlotte that introduced scary movies for our sister station WRET and that he also would come and do it for us at WTCG for the Friday Night Frights.
  
  Ted said, "the only thing I did was introduce Academy Award Theatre dressed as Ted Turner"
  ....
  
  Best regards,
  Suzan Tatum

• Despite Suzan Tatum's authoritative statement, I have heard from a number of other Dead Earnest fans who shared Rod Bennett's belief that Ted Turner himself played the role. I've posted several of their comments to show just how widespread this notion was among Dead Earnest's fans.
  
  In August 2004, Ellis Cannon fired off this e-mail:

  I was so glad to see Rod Bennett's account of the days of Dead Ernest. It has been a BURNING question in my mind for years, but I never seemed to take the time to pursue the real answer. I too remember VERY WELL staying up late on Friday nights for the Friday Night Frights with Dead Ernest rising out of the casket to introduce the movie and do his shenanigans on commercial breaks. I have always believed it was Ted Turner. Now I'm sorry I didn't take my curiosity further. Rod is "right-on" with the opinion that Ted has an undeniable southern accent, even in '72, that is a DEAD GIVEAWAY. I agree, Dead Ernest IS Mr. 17.

• In January 2007, Robert Cozine added his support to the Dead Turner Theory:

  I grew up in Decatur, GA (a suburb just east of Atlanta) and I remember Dead Earnest of WTCG quite well. It was a poorly kept secret around here that Dead Earnest was indeed Ted Turner. I remember it took my dad about 5 seconds to figure it out.

• In September 2005, an unnamed E-gorespondent (userid MY63BLKCAD) sent a different but equally positive statement about Dead Earnest's identity:

  Dead Earnest was Larry Sprinkle currently local news or weather person for WCNC Charlotte NC.

• When I e-mailed Larry Sprinkle through the WCNC website, he responded immediately and enthusiastically:

  Great to hear from you! Please give me a call and we can try to "unravel" this mystery of "Dead Ernest." Take care and I look forward to talking to you.

• When I talked to Larry Sprinkle, he was very familiar with the story about Ted Turner playing Dead Earnest, and he did indeed solve the mystery! Here's a transcript of a few of his pertinent comments from our phone conversation (see the next entry for lots more!):

  First of all, that's probably one of the better urban legends about Ted Turner, because there's no truth in it at all.
  
  Dead Earnest was BOB CHESSON.
  
  Bob was on this station back when it was WRET — its original name was WCTU; Ted Turner bought it and changed it to WRET ("Robert Edward Turner"). Ted Turner OWNED the station at the time, but it was Bob Chesson who did Dead Earnest. He started when Ted Turner took over. But Bob had done this character going back into the sixties at other TV stations. Bob passed away a few years back. Dead Earnest was syndicated and taken down into Atlanta, and that's how it ended up down there, because it was a Turner station — but it's not Ted, it was Bob Chesson.
  
  I think Bob got into radio maybe ... late 50s? So he was in broadcasting a long time, a very, very talented man. He did a lot of voiceover work, he had a big voice, you know, BIG Dick Bennick-type voice (see DR. PAUL BEARER).
  
  That's the truth about Dead Earnest.

  
  
  
• In February, 2008, I heard from someone who really has the inside scoop about Dead Ernestt!:

  Hello, E-gor!
  I was married to the late Bob Chesson, who was horror-movie host Dear Ernest on Ted Turner's 2 TV stations. The segments were pre-recorded to air each weekend on WRET in Charlotte. They were then shipped by mail to Ted's Atlanta station for airing the following weekend. Remember -- there were no "digital transfers" back then, and no FedEx. Everything was done on 2" tape. Hence, the weekly mail shipment from Charlotte to Atlanta.
  
  When the late-night horror movies first began on WRET, there was a mail-in "name the vampire" contest. I've forgotten what the winning prize was, but I distinctly remember that Bob chose the name "Dead Ernest" because we both found it hilarious. Many, many entrants suggested "Count Wretula" -- a takeoff on the WRET call letters, which were an acronym for Robert Edward Turner.
  
  Once in a while, Bob would perform the late-night Dead Ernest segments live, and the crew would record in real time for Atlanta. Whenever this happened, Bob was always "in the bag" during the performance. Then he would drive home in full vampire makeup. He was stopped once or twice for driving while intoxicated, but was never arrested. The police officers would recognize him, scold him, and make him promise to drive straight home.
  
  Ted Turner loved the Dead Ernest character, which is most likely the reason that Bob was able to keep his job at WRET as long as he did. Ted liked the fact that Dead Ernest "fan mail" arrived almost daily at both TV stations -- much of it from inmates at the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, a high-security prison for men.
  
  A couple of corrections to your website -- Bob did not die in 1993. He had been hospitalized for many years at the VA facility in Salisbury, following a head-injury (from a fall on an icy sidewalk) and subsequent stroke. Bob developed pneumonia and died in 1990.
  
  Also, I don't believe that Larry Sprinkle ever filled in for Bob as Dead Ernest. Larry may have performed the Dead Ernest character after Bob's WRET position was terminated, but Bob was the only Dead Ernest during the years he worked at WRET.
  
  Kind regards,
  Nancy (Chesson) Haynes
  Charlotte, NC

  Stay tuned to the next entry, Dead Earnest fans — there's more to be revealed!

DEAD EARNEST (II)

(Larry Sprinkle)

See the Larry Sprinkle, Weather Anchor profile on the WCNC-TV website.

See Larry Sprinkle's Internet Movie Database credits (incomplete).

Read "Laughter is the Lead Story," an article about Larry Sprinkle by his friend and co-worker John Snyder, on the WCNC blogsite.

Name of show?

Either Friday or Saturday at 11:00 pm (probably a double feature?)

WRET-TV, UHF Channel 36 (previously WCTU, now WCNC Ch. 6) (Charlotte, North Carolina)

Filling in for Bob Chesson occasionally c. 1974-1975

NOTES:

• In September 2005, an unnamed E-gorespondent (userid MY63BLKCAD) sent this very positive statement about Dead Earnest's identity:

  Dead Earnest was Larry Sprinkle currently local news or weather person for WCNC Charlotte NC.

• When I contacted Larry Sprinkle, he solved the long-standing mystery of WHO played Dead Earnest (see the previous entry), and told me some amazing things about his own career and lifelong interests. I mentioned that I had seen streaming video on the WCNC website of his Halloween appearance as Count Sprinkula doing the weather report, and I asked him if he had ever done any horror hosting himself. He then gave up another long-lost secret about Dead Earnest:

  That's interesting, because when Bob couldn't make it, that's what I did — I filled in for him.
  
  E-gor [excitedly]: "YOU were Dead Earnest too?!"
  
  I was DEAD EARNEST... (II). That's right! — I didn't think of that! I didn't do it in Atlanta, just on the local version, WRET. I don't have any pictures, because I didn't do it that often.
  
  Well, somebody wrote me and said that Larry Sprinkle was Dead Earnest!
  
  I do get that from people here. It's interesting that I've done so many different things on television. I had a kid's show here on Channel 18 (WCCB-TV), back in the late 70's called "Sonic Man" .... if you look at a Power Ranger, that almost exactly how it looked, and I'm thinking that one of those kids watched that, went on to form the Power Rangers and made a fortune out of it! It was an outfit kinda like that, kind of a cross between Superman and Batman, and I hosted kid's movies and cartoons, and I did that character for about three years. This is the 30th anniversary, this year — 1977 to about 1980 we did that on Channel 18 here in Charlotte.
  
  How about the Dead Earnest appearances?
  
  That was when I was doing freelance. I was in radio, but I was doing freelance in television, and that was in 1974, probably, 74-75.
  
  Did anybody ever notice that it was a different guy behind the fangs?
  
  You know what, that never came up! It never came up. It's interesting... I think because the lighting probably helped... or lack of lighting, in that era of television. It was very unsophisticated, very minimal set.... you had the liberty to go out on a tangent occasionally.
  
  Obviously you're a classic horror movie fan... there's Lugosi AND Karloff in "Count Sprinkula"...
  
  Yeah, definitely so, always have been, and along the way I've done about eleven films, and quite a few were horror movies... some were so bad they weren't released, they escaped!
  
  You must've been pretty young when you were Dead Earnest?
  
  Yes. Bob was an old radio guy, and if he wanted to have somebody help him out it needed to be some radio guy — and I think it was purely because I had always admired him as a radio guy. He just did it because... "You know what, this Sprinkle guy, this young guy here, I like him, and he's a radio guy, and so he could probably do it." So he just asked me to fill in. It was not a lot, but I did, and it was a great experience.
  
  Did you ever do any personal appearances?
  
  Not as Dead Earnest, no. Some of the other characters, definitely... Sonic Man. But Bob Chesson did.
  
  When I was a little kid, we lived in Winston-Salem for about six years, from the time I was six to twelve years old, and I became fascinated with broadcasting, radio and television. I used to listen to WTOB radio, a big top 40 radio station. Even when I was six years old, I was just fascinated with it. Around 1960 or 61 I went to an event at one of the movie theaters in Winston-Salem, and met several of the disk jockeys — one of them was Dick Bennick! (See DR. PAUL BEARER.) He had this incredible voice, BIG VOICE, you know, and I met him, and I met those other guys, and it was like — BING! — from that moment on, "I want to be a deejay!" And then, later on in the same city, I met one of the weather guys at Channel 12, so eventually I ended up going into radio for many years, and now I'm in television.
  
  But I had lost touch, I didn't know what had happened to Dick Bennick — this is before the Internet — I would ask people "What ever happened to Dick Bennick?" Well, most people had never heard of him, because it was so many years ago when he left Winston-Salem. And, FINALLY, when we got the Internet, you could do a search, and BOOM! — there's an explosion of ... HERE's what he became, and I was just so fascinated to know that's what he ended his career doing. And he became a legend at that, in Tampa, the character he portrayed down there.
  
  I wish I could meet some of his family, just to let them know, because I was like six years old, and that's what I wanted to do .... that's exactly what I wanted to do. It was because I met him, it wasn't because I heard him on the radio, but I MET him. At the end of the movie, all the deejays were there, they'd been on stage giving out prizes, and then "C'mon down!" I'm like six years old — "Hi!" It was like, just hello,,, when you're a kid, what do you say to somebody? But just to be able to stand next to them — there were two other jocks, three of them. That was it — "Oh man, I'd like to do all that stuff, that would be great!"

DEADLY EARNEST (I) (Sydney, Australia)

(Ian Bannerman; died 198?)

Visit the Deadly Earnest TV Fan Page, an index providing great information, links, and pictures of all of these Deadly Earnest Australian hosts!

Read more about Deadly Earnest in Sydney!

Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest

Friday and Saturday night

TEN Channel 10 (Sydney, Australia)

1966 - 1968

Magazine reference:

• "Monster Memories" feature by Bill Webb, "Deadly Earnest from Down Under," in issue #7 of Scary Monsters (June 1993), p. 8. Illustrated with a photo of Deadly Earnest and a reproduction of the show's fan club card.

NOTES:

• In the photo illustrating Bill Webb's article in Scary Monsters, Deadly Earnest appears to be a young, cadaverous, palefaced man wearing a black outfit, heavy hornrimmed glasses, and a flower in his lapel (see sidebar photo). He is standing by a coffin bearing a Channel TEN logo.
  
  Bill Webb remembers seeing films like Carnival of Souls, The Slime People, and The Giant Gila Monster on this show.
  
  
• When Bill Webb discovered that I'd reprinted stuff here from his magazine article on Deadly Earnest, he sent e-mail with more information!:

  I was checking out your cool site when I discovered some info about Australia's Deadly Earnest taken from my article in Scary Monsters. Deadly's real name was Ian Bannerman and try as I might I cannot find any info about him regarding his post-Deadly activities; he seems to have just vanished from the Earth. .... It's a shame we don't have any horror hosts here anymore as I would love to see the idea take off again and I'm sure the present generation would go for it as well.
  All the best.
  Bill Webb
  Sydney, Australia.

• Chris Keating provided a much-appreciated overview of four different Deadly Earnests in different areas of Australia, and provided the image of Ian Bannerman as Deadly Earnest (from the footage he possesses) that's used on the sidebar:

  Hiya, love the site.
  Right, info on Deadly Earnest.
  Firstly, the program he hosted was titled Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest. Note the correct spellings of "Awefull" and "Earnest."
  There were four. In order of appearance:
  
  

  1. Ian Bannerman (TEN-10, Sydney) 1966 - ?. One piece of footage is known to exist.
     
     
  2. Ralph Baker (ATV-O, Melbourne) 1967 - 1973(?). Sidekick was Claw (his left hand, in a right-hand glove), and Igor. Two pieces of footage are known to exist.
     
     
  3. Hedley Cullen (SAS-10, Adelaide). Around 1968 till no idea when. Had a skull named Yorick. No known footage. Died in 1994.
     
     
  4. Shane Porteous (TVQ-O, Brisbane). Early 1970's. No known footage, never seen any photos. Went on to become a very well-known actor in the 1980's.

  
  Hope this is of help, keep the flag flying!
  Chris Keating.

• John George Hospodaryk provided great additional details about this host:

  The host of the Aweful Movies shown in Sydney from 1966 to 68 was Ian Bannerman. Other favorites besides those mentioned on your website include Attack of the Puppet People, Reptilicus, Varan the Unbelievable (this being the first film screened in mid or late '66), Robot Monster, The Beast With a Million Eyes, Karloff in The Body Snatcher. Bannerman also inserted running commentaries as subtitles when he screened 40's matinee serials which had been edited into single 3-hour long movies. The comments which stand out in my mind are those observing the fact that when the good guys and the bad guys are having a big fist fight, no-one loses his hat! He also had an occasional offsider whose name I don't remember. They once sang a dirge-like little ditty that went: "Gonna bury my baby, six feet down, six feet down. Gonna bury my baby, under the ground, under the ground." There was also a female offsider called Creepella.
  
  Deadly Earnest also had a brief spell on radio in early 68, with DJ Max Rowley, on Sydney radio station 2CH I think it was. I seem to remember this included stereotyped special effects like howling wolves and thunder.
  
  The TV show didn't even have that: usually it was just the darkened studio and Deadly's coffin. The coffin was a real laugh! If you followed the show week by week - and fanatics like me did - you could actually notice how it was deteriorating: a torn edge here, a dog-ear there. It was ashen-looking and appeared to be made of either 3-ply or even cardboard.
  Regards,
  John from Sydney

• Crazy Joe Bananas adds:

  I've been researching "Deadly Earnest," alias Ian Bannerman (an ex-Pom from Coventry) who came up with the idea of hosting horror & Sci-Fi movies. He approached,the (then) "O-Ten" Network and every Friday nightat 10.30 p.m. he appeared as a ghoul hosting "Aweful Movies." It was a surprise to discover, he wasn't the only "Deadly Earnest," there were four others, in each state that had the "O-Ten" Network, Shane Portious of "A Country Practise" being one!
  
  (NOTE from E-gor: I don't know if Crazy Joe is correct about there being FOUR other Deadlys, for a total of FIVE, when other evidence indicates just four... but pending confirmation or denial, his comment stands for now.)
  
  He was close friends with a radio announcer, John Brindle, who interviewd Ian, alias "Deadly," on His regular AM Radio program "Showbreak." John Brindle also assisted Ian on his 1969 LP "Rave in Peace — Deadly Earnest & the Grave Situation" (an obvious "Monster Mash" / "Bobby 'Boris' Pickett & the Crypt Kicker 5" type Black Humour affair) to promote the LP, He had copies delivered (by "NIDA" students dressed as mourners and a horse-drawn hearse with black-plumed horses) to all the AM radio stations!
  
  One of Deadly's TV sponsors was Ces Cook's Magic Shop, situated in the Imperial Arcade in Sydney. East India Curry Restaurants was another sponsor.
  
  After ratings dropped, Ian approached "O-Ten" with a pilot entitled "This is Australian Content, mate—Don't knock it!" But it never eventuated.
  
  He then,returned to his Mother-England. Rumours abound that he later returned to Australia and became a script writer / editor for the federal government-run:ABC-TV. I'm informed that he died from pneumonia in the '80s. So little is known about him yet, so many baby-boomers fondfly remember him!
  
  Channel 7's "Creature Feature" replaced the void that was "Aweful Movies" for some years, later in the early 70's. "Deadly" would appear in short comedy skits during the commercials, with other characters. He was very popular with the Sydney Uni Set. His show would start with himself and another ghoul, dressed in undertaker's attire, running outside and inside the (then) Artarmon Studios of "O-Ten" to a fast-paced instrumental tune (used also in Rex Mossip's Speedway program) that ALL can remember but NONE know the name of! With a large black hexagonal wooden coffin — specially built by the "O-Ten" Props Department and later featured in his promo photo shots.
  
  Alas, Australia only remembers its sporting and political "heroes," not off-beat types such as "Deadly Earnest"!

DEADLY EARNEST (II) (Melbourne, Australia)

(Ralph Baker)

Visit the Deadly Earnest TV Fan Page, an index providing great information, links, and pictures of all of these Deadly Earnest Australian hosts!

Read more about Deadly Earnest in Melbourne!

Read Hideously Yours, Deadly, an interview article about Ralph Baker, on the Melbourne Sixties website!

Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest

?day night

ATV Channel 0 (now Channel 10) (Melbourne, Australia)

1967 - 1972

NOTES:

• Chris Keating provided an overview of the four different Deadly Earnests in different areas of Australia:

  The program he hosted was titled Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest.... There were four. In order of appearance:
  
  

  1. Ian Bannerman (TEN-10, Sydney) 1966 - 1968. One piece of footage is known to exist.
     
     
  2. Ralph Baker (ATV-O, Melbourne) 1967 - 1972. Sidekick was Claw (his left hand, in a right-hand glove), and Igor. Two pieces of footage are known to exist.
     
     
  3. Hedley Cullen (SAS-10, Adelaide). Around 1968 till no idea when. Had a skull named Yorick. No known footage. Died in 1994.
     
     
  4. Shane Porteous (TVQ-O, Brisbane). Early 1970's. No known footage, never seen any photos. Went on to become a very well-known actor in the 1980's.

• Steven Stevenson watched the show in Melbourne:

  I used to watch him all the time -- the movies were really bad, 'The Screaming Skull was one. Deadly Earnest would fold the fingers of one hand over the forefinger of that hand, and wave it in front of his face, yelling "Craw! Craw!"
  
  There was a stage pit with smoke coming out of it, and Deadly would beat the monster supposedly in there with a stick to keep him in line.
  
  The host was much better than the movies. Funnier and scarier (he was fairly funny and vaguely scary).

• Ralph Baker's comments about the development of his characterization from the "Hideously Yours, Deadly" interview cited above:

  I had seen footage of the Sydney Deadly Earnest. To my knowledge he was the first Deadly to be on TV. A lot of things happened by accident, the first thing I did was to write a rough sort of script. We then went to the wardrobe department to look at what I could wear. We came up with an old funeral directors type outift. I put it all on with the frock coat, hat and so forth, and I then said I can't have my hands like this it looks too good. So they pulled out a pair of grey gloves. I put the one on, and then the other. I then remarked you've given me two right hand gloves, hang on I'll keep them. Once you put a wrong glove on your it immediately looks grotesque, that how "Claw" another part of the Deadly Earnest persona came about.

• Another show fan, Russell Lovell, remembers:

  G'day E-gor!
  Just thought I'd put in my 2 cents worth on Deadly Earnest... He appeared on Channel 0, later to become Channel 10 in Melbourne, Australia. I think it was around the late 60's, early 70's.
  
  He used to rise out of a coffin to introduce horror movies... it also featured "Claw" which was his own hand, which had a nasty habit of attacking him and also "Igor" which was some kind of monster that was never seen, only heard.
  I still remember to this day his reply to my request for photo's of himself.... he wrote on the back of a photo:

  This is all you get and think yourself lucky ...
  All my hate ... Deadly!

  I hope this info has been of some use to you.

• There is a waxwork of Ralph Baker as Deadly Earnest at the Gold Coast Wax Museum in Queesland, Australia. It's pictured on the Deadly Earnest in Melbourne page.

DEADLY EARNEST (III) (Adelaide, Australia)

(Hedley Cullen; died November 4, 1994)

Visit the Deadly Earnest TV Fan Page, an index providing great information, links, and pictures of all of these Deadly Earnest Australian hosts!

Read more about Deadly Earnest in Adelaide!

Read a transcript of a 1990 radio interview with Hedley Cullen on Adelaide public station 3D FM!

Check out Hedley Cullen's Internet Movie Database credits — an impressive list!

Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest

Friday at 8.30 p.m.

SAS Channel 10 (Adelaide, Australia)

July 1967 - 197?

NOTES:

• Chris Keating provided an overview of the four different Deadly Earnests in different areas of Australia:

  The program he hosted was titled Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest.... There were four. In order of appearance:
  
  

  1. Ian Bannerman (TEN-10, Sydney) 1966 - 1968. One piece of footage is known to exist.
     
     
  2. Ralph Baker (ATV-O, Melbourne) 1967 - 1972. Sidekick was Claw (his left hand, in a right-hand glove), and Igor. Two pieces of footage are known to exist.
     
     
  3. Hedley Cullen (SAS-10, Adelaide). Around 1968 till no idea when. Had a skull named Yorick. No known footage. Died in 1994.
     
     
  4. Shane Porteous (TVQ-O, Brisbane). Early 1970's. No known footage, never seen any photos. Went on to become a very well-known actor in the 1980's.

• Graham Thomas writes from Canberra, Australia:

  Some feedback on your site regarding the "Deadly Earnest" character who appeared on Australian TV in the early 1970s.
  The show was made by SAS Channel 10 in Adelaide (capital of the state of South Australia) and syndicated to other Channel 10 in Sydney as well as Channel 0 in Melbourne (and possibly in Brisbane as well). The show may also have been shown on Western Australia's Channel 7.
  (NOTE from E-gor: I don't know if Graham is right about the syndication of this version of DE to other states, or if he wasn't aware that other actors were involved on other channels — but until I get some sort of clarification, his comment stands.)
  
  It was shown on Friday nights from 8.30 pm and starred Adelaide actor Hedley Cullen as Deadly Earnest. The character would rise from his coffin to introduce the movies and his echoing laughter (think of Vincent Price in Michael Jackson's "Thriller") would lead into the opening of the movie. At the end of the movie (or sometimes during the movie) Deadly Ernest and his sidekick (a skull called Yorick) would show drawings sent in by viewers or announce competitions.
  MANY of the movies were those classic B=grade American International films such as Panic in Year Zero, the Japanese Godzilla & Mothra movies and the British Hammer horrors. Others I recall seeing between 1973 and around 1977 include The Omega Man, The Last Man on Earth, Planet of the Apes and sequels. Some of the American International films, especially the black and white ones, have hardly been seen on Australian TV since those days. What a shame!

• Ralph Baker was assistant producer on the Channel 10 comedy/drama/romance TV series Good Morning, Mr. Doubleday in 1969, and played Deadly Earnest in one episode with a haunted house plot.

DEADLY EARNEST (IV) (Brisbane, Australia)

(Shane Porteous)

Visit the Deadly Earnest TV Fan Page, an index providing great information, links, and pictures of all of these Deadly Earnest Australian hosts!

See the Shane Porteous profile at the official website for the TV show A Country Place, which Porteous was in from 1981 to 1993.

Check out Shane Porteous's Internet Movie Database credits!

Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest

Day? Time?

TVQ Channel 10 (Brisbane, Australia)

Early 70's

NOTES:

• Chris Keating provided an overview of the four different Deadly Earnests in different areas of Australia:

  The program he hosted was titled Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest.... There were four. In order of appearance:
  
  

  1. Ian Bannerman (TEN-10, Sydney) 1966 - 1968. One piece of footage is known to exist.
     
     
  2. Ralph Baker (ATV-O, Melbourne) 1967 - 1972. Sidekick was Claw (his left hand, in a right-hand glove), and Igor. Two pieces of footage are known to exist.
     
     
  3. Hedley Cullen (SAS-10, Adelaide). Around 1968 till no idea when. Had a skull named Yorick. No known footage. Died in 1994.
     
     
  4. Shane Porteous (TVQ-O, Brisbane). Early 1970's. No known footage, never seen any photos. Went on to become a very well-known actor in the 1980's.

• The webmonster who put together the tremendously informative Deadly Earnest Fan TV Page, from which I cribbed much of the content for all of my Deadly Earnest entries, hasn't yet been able to find out much about Shane Porteous's turn in the role.
  Beside a small picture of the handsome young actor in an un-monstrous role, he laments:

  Closest I could get to a pic of Shane looking dark and sinister... Well, he is back lit and on screen left. If you have a more ominous one, send it in!

  (I, E-gor, echo that request: please send it to both of us; I'm sure we'll share it for the benefit of Deadly Earnest fans anyway!)
  
  Here's what the webpage says about Porteous's performance:

  SHANE PORTEOUS brought Deadly Earnest to the tropics.
  Yes, this is the same gentleman who starred in the long running soapie "A Country Practice," as Doctor Elliot.
  And you thought he was such a nice doctor, but just like Dr Jekyll, he could turn into a Mr Hyde!
  These days Shane keeps the Deadly tradition alive, by killing off characters in "Neighbours"...
  I don't have any material on Shane's Deadly, but there is a waxwork of him at the Gold Coast Wax Museum (in Queensland, Australia)!

Deadly, Jami

(see JAMI DEADLY)

Death, Dr.

(see DR. DEATH)

Death, Uncle

(see UNCLE DEATH)

THE DEBASER and CHERRY PAYNE

(Matt Sanborn, Cherry Payne)

See this show's profile page at HORRORHOSTS.com, the official site for the Horror Host Underground.

Midnight Hour

Day? Time?

Public Access Channel 22 (Haverhill, Massachusetts)

? 2004 - Present

NOTE:

• Rescued: the (now defunct) MonsterFashion site description of the show:

  DATELINE MONSTERVILLE — MonsterFashion Films is proud to announce .... the new MonsterFashion television show MIDNIGHT HOUR! The show will be hosted by MonsterFashion King Matt Sanborn and his beautiful co-host, Cherry Payne. Six episodes are in the can. Sanborn and Payne will introduce and talk about the movies and give some little no fact and actual insight into these great and not-so-great films. The movies to be shown: At Midnight I Will Possess Your Soul, The Brain that Wouldn't Die, The Unholy Three, Horror Express, Night of the Living Dead and Nosferatu.

Desmodas, The Duke of

(see MALCOM THE BUTLER and THE DUKE OF DESMODAS)

Destruction, Dr.

(see DR. DESTRUCTION)

DOKTOR GOULFINGER, aka DOKTOR HIERONYMUS BULLWINKLE GOULFINGER

(Michael Monahan)

Visit The Hip Crypt of Doktor Goulfinger, the official Website.

The Hip Crypt of Doktor Goulfinger

Thursday at 6:00 am, 1:00 pm; Friday at 2:30 pm; Saturday at 2:30 pm

Berkeley Community Media B-TV, Channel 28 (Berkeley, California)

Halloween 2001 - Present

Magazine reference: "Doktor Goulfinger is In!", an interview conducted by Dan Johnson, in The Monster News, October, 2001.

NOTES:

• The Cryptic Hipster himself (!) provided some background info about his show, and continues to keep his entry here up-to-date, with monstrously friendly occasional e-mail (thanks, Dok):

  Howdy!
  Here's a bit of information on Doktor Hieronymus Bullwinkle Goulfinger.
  
  I've been a horror host fan for many years, and have developed a fondness for hosts from all over the country. These characters have always fascinated me, finally leading me create "The Hip Crypt of Doktor Goulfinger." Goulfinger emerged mainly from my childhood memories of Bay Area hosts, Asmodeus and Bob Wilkins, though the actual impetus to produce a show came from Zacherley and Ghoulardi.
  
  The show first aired — appropriately — on Halloween 2001, with the trash clas-sick, Brain That Wouldn't Die. From the beginning, the Dok has been something of a horror host historian and archivist.
  
  The set is decorated with photos of Zach, Wilkins, Dr Paul Bearer, etc — as well as signed artwork by Vampira (I), a model of Sammy Terry, a rubber chicken signed by Svengoolie and a skeleton won on the Son of Ghoul show.
  
  The Dok has had folks on discussing their favorite hosts, and aired interviews with Dr Creep, John Stanley and Son of Ghoul, as well as many of the current crop of folks on the field. Basically, doing the show is an excuse to share my love and enthusiasm for the whole genre, and to give audiences a sense of the sheer scope and variety horror hosts in their heyday.
  
  The Dok began as a solo host, but in 2003, he was joined by a few semi-recurring cast members: Shegor (a cheerfully promiscuous hunchback who wears a t-shirt emblazoned with the message "Wanna Hump?"), Professor Nik (a peculiar Peter Lorre version of the "wacky neighbor"), Count Zygote (the world's youngest horror host — and a bid to hook the Fright to Lifers), and Lil' Satan (just as the name implies).
  
  Another new element to the show are periodic episodes of "The Noggins," which is sort of like "I Love Lucy" — only with two dismembered heads. By mixing footage from Brain That Wouldn't Die and The Head we create the incredible illusion of a lovable disembodied married couple, kept alive by a steady flow of nutrients delivered through the tubes in their necks.
  
  Doktor Goulfinger has made a number of live appearances at a local revival theater in Oakland, CA, known as The Parkway. A regularly scheduled film series called Thrillville features a broad range of genre features, from Earth Vs the Flying Saucers to Fulci's Zombie. The host of these events, Will the Thrill, has invited the Dok down to co-host a couple of Creature Feature Nights, featuring the Bay Area return of Bob Wilkins and John Stanley, and even staged a Doktor Goulfinger Birthday Bash, with Monster From Piedras Blancas as the present.
  
  Since starting the show, my personal experience has been that people still love to see a host. They come out in large numbers to see the ones they grew up with, and there are creative communities who offer immediately support when a horror host project is discussed. Despite the wholesale evisceration of local programming by syndication and mega-mergers, this is a genre that's not going away anytime soon.
  
  Doktor Goulfinger
  "Scaring is Caring"
  Visit goulfinger.com

• Most recently, Dok wrote:

  Long time no type. I hope all is well on your end. Despite my best efforts to stay buried, things continue to pop like crazy around here and I figured it was time to shoot you an update.
  
  This last October, I co-produced a three day hosted movie event at the Castro Theater in San Francisco called "Shock It To Me" (in tribute to ASMODEUS) which went over extremely well. So much so, in fact, that they've asked us back for next October and are expanding the event to two weeks. We'll be booking our own film series for the weekends and contribute to a weeklong 3D festival that will be promoted under the "Shock It To Me" banner.
  
  My partner, August Ragone, was a regular on BOB WILKINS' Creature Features and Captain Cosmic shows, and the current Castro theater manager was a film editor at KTVU and worked with JOHN STANLEY during his Creature Features era. So this all has creative roots deep in our local TV history, which makes me very proud to be a part of this.
  
  I also had the pleasure of joining Wilkins and Stanley for another year at the Wondercon convention in San Francisco, where we chaired a panel called "The Secrets of Horror Hosting," which was very well attended and enthusiastically greeted. This year, we added an extra touch, something I'd suggested after last year's show. Following out panel, we invited a couple of people from the audience to come up and be horror hosts. We let them choose their names from a prefix and suffix columns, with an additional descriptive tag on the female, ala ELVIRA's "Mistress of the Dark" moniker. Hence, we wound up with (male) "Baron Von Spooky" and (female) "Countess Frankenatix, Queen Beer Whore of the Dead." Ah, the kids are going to go far. The Countess even came up with her own catch phrase: "Welcome, Maggots!" I want that on a shirt...
  
  MR. (ERIK) LOBO, a satelitte host from Sacramento, took point on that part of the show, and pulled it off quite well.
  
  My buddy, Tom Wyrsh, the guy behind the Bob Wilkins and John Stanley Scrapbooks, talked to me about making a Creature Features documentary this year, something we can premiere at next year's Wondercon. So between that and planning the next "Shock It To Me," it's going to be a busy year.
  
  And just to top it, I was asked to write an introduction for ZOMBOO's new book. It's all good.
  
  I'm heading out to Cinema Wasteland next month for SON OF GHOUL's 20th Anniversary celebration. I can't recall now if you've ever made it out to the convention there, but this would definately be a good year for it. It would be great to see you there.
  
  But even before that, there's yet another high point at the Castro on March 11th. They're premiering the newly colorized Plan 9 From Outer Space with a red carpet event featuring available cast members. Apparently VAMPIRA is a strong possibility. I would love to see her again.
  
  Anyway, that's all the craziness here -- and I didn't even get to the story of how we got both SON OF GHOUL and THE GHOUL out here in October about a week apart from each other. Now THAT'S crazy...
  
  Take care -- your site is still the all-time best. I mentioned it at the panel -- hopefully some of the curious will seek it out.

  Thanks again, Dok,
  Dead gratefully, E-gor

DOKTOR TOM B. STONE

(Rodney Budell)

See Doktor Tom B. Stone's profile page at HORRORHOSTS.com, the official site for the Horror Host Underground.

Spookaroonies

Saturday night from 9:30 - 11:30 pm

WJTS-UPN Channel 27 (Jasper, Indiana)

November 6th, 2004 - Present

NOTES:

• Spookaroonies features Docktor Tom B. Stone (Rodney Budell), Fred Ascare (Timothy Troutman), and Sir Perceival P. Peabody, Vampire Slayer (Steve Scott) hosting classic sci-fi and horror movies on Channel 27 WJTS-UPN in Jasper, Indiana, every Saturday night from 9:30 - 11:30 pm.
  
  
• From the Horror Host Underground website profile:

  Somewhere between states of consciousness… between asleep and awake… between your last breath and death, you will encounter "Doktor Tom B. Stone." Throughout the centuries, thoughtsmiths have pondered this ethereal realm, but to no avail. The omniscient Doktor has vowed to lead his faithful viewers on their sojourn seeking answers to all of these timeless questions concerning "what lies beyond?"

• E-gorespondence from Doktor Tom B. Stone himself:

  Hello.....
  Doktor Tom B. Stone here. I just wanted to let you know that I have a horror host show here in Southern, Indiana. I host a weekly show entitled "Spookaroonies" on WJTS-UPN 27 here in Jasper, Indiana. It is on Saturday Nights at 9:30 p.m.
  Dok Tom......aka Rodney Budell

• Each weekly show includes 5-6 minute horror/comedy skits and interviews with local celebrities and guests, interspersed with horror movies like Night of the Living Dead, Horror Hotel, The Screaming Skull and House On Haunted Hill.
  
  
• According to the official website, the show's "Unfaithful Staff" includes Dwight (a fly?), Rod Budell (writer/host & set designer), Richard E. Buckner (director), Dana Buechline (producer), Jeremy Markos (camera) and Josh Houchin (special effects).

DON KENNEDY

(Don Kennedy)

Visit the websites for Big Band Jump and the Don Kennedy Show, the nationally-syndicated radio shows Don Kennedy hosts.

The Shock Show

Friday at 11:15 pm

WSB-TV, Channel 2 (Atlanta, Georgia)

Fall 1957? - ? 1958/59

NOTES:

• E-gorespondent Charlie Walker remembered this host first, writing:

  In the Fall of 1957, the Screen Gems "Shock" series was shown on WSB-TV in Atlanta. I was 10 years old at the time and was not allowed to watch. It aired at 11:15 PM on Friday night. I do know the host was Don Kennedy, who also did news and later became Office Don, host of the Popeye Club, a children show that featured cartoons and games, etc. I finally was allowed to watch the show, which was called the Shock Show, in the summer of 1958 which was near the end of its run.
  Don Kennedy is now the host of a popular syndicated radio show named Big Band Jump. .... I e-mailed him about the show and he answered me with fond memories.
  By the way, great site!
  Charlie Walker

• Atlanta-based radio-tv broadcast personality and entrepreneur Don Kennedy was inducted into the Georgia Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2001. Kennedy and two partners created the pioneering FM radio station WKLS ("K" for "Kennedy") with an easy-listening format; they sold it and it is now 96 Rock. He also ran Atlanta TV station WATL, which is now WB36.
  
  
• Don Kennedy also does cartoon voices for the Cartoon Network, including characters on Space Ghost Coast to Coast and Aqua Teens Hunger Force.

Doren, Baron Mondo Von

(see BARON MONDO VON DOREN and EL SAPO DE TEMPESTO)

Dorman, Dale

(see UNCLE DALE)

Doug Graves *

(see SON OF SVENGOOLIE and DOUG GRAVES)

Drac *

(see FRANK and DRAC)

Dracula, Count

(see COUNT DRACULA, aka TV's COUNT DRACULA)

DR. ACULA

(Jay Robert Jennings)

Visit The Official webpage of L.A. Horror Host... Dr. Acula -- videotapes of shows are available!

E-mail Dr. Acula! (DoctrAcula@aol.com).

Dr. Acula

Saturday at midnight

Cable public access Channel 3 (Los Angeles, California)

January - December, 1989

Dr. Acula's Halloween 1990 (one-hour special)

Saturday at 9:00 p.m.

Cable public access Channel 3 (Los Angeles, California)

October 31, 1990

NOTES:

• From Dr. Acula's website: "'Dracula?...No, Dr. Acula!' Back in 1989, host Jay Robert Jennings muttered these words, dressed in his black vampire cape, but looking more like a hack TV actor than vampire, as he hosted this popular 30 minute horror show which aired on Saturday nights at midnight on public access Channel 3 in Los Angeles. The show made like a vampire bat and flew away into the night after only 1 year, not because of poor ratings, but because the cable channel went bankrupt and had to stop taping any more shows. Talk about a stake through the heart! In the course of the show's 30 minutes, Dr. Acula would introduce that night's movie and then appear in funny little segments in-between. Due to time constraints, the movie would be a 22 minute version of an old, black and white classic like 'The Human Monster' with Bela Lugosi, or the silent 'Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.'"
• From the website: "Dr. Acula also hosted 'Halloween 1990, ' a one hour special which was broadcast live with an audience and was one of the station's most watched shows ever! The show featured various video stories on horror movies & make-up, a costume contest, musical performances, comedy and two special guests: Angus 'The Tall Man' Scrimm and the star of 'The Fearless Vampire Killers, ' Ferdy Mayne."
• From the website: "Now, just recently discovered at the Video Vaults of that extinct cable channel, after being considered lost for 10 years, comes the release of the first 2 'Dr. Acula' shows & 'Dr. Acula's Halloween 1990.' All 3 are now available for trade or for $10 each at this webpage. For more info, please e-mail Dr. Acula at DoctrAcula@aol.com." (see mailto link above)
• The name "Dr. Acula" is a venerable one that predates this show by more than 30 years at least. A property of that name, to star Bela Lugosi, was one of the unproduced projects of notorious Z-movie auteur Edward D. Wood Jr., and Lugosi mentioned it by name when he appeared on the TV show You Asked for It in the mid-50's. After Lugosi's death, Wood used the name for the phony medium played by western and serial stalwart Kenne Duncan in his feature film Night of the Ghouls, a sequel to Bride of the Monster made in 1959. Duncan's "Dr. Acula" succeeded Lugosi's "Dr. Vornoff" (in Bride) as the master of the hulking "Lobo" character played by Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson in both films. Night of the Ghouls was publicized in a photo feature in Famous Monsters of Filmland #3, and Tor Johnson mentioned it (by it's alternate title Revenge of the Dead) as his latest film when he appeared on Groucho Marx's TV quiz show You Bet Your Life -- but the film was shelved after an unsuccessful preview, and was never released until Wade Williams brought it out on video in 1982. Forrest J Ackerman, the founding editor of Famous Monsters, the magazine that made horror fans of several generations of American kids (including E-gor), often used "Dr. Acula" as one of his many Ackernyms. Since Forry was Ed Wood's agent at some point, it's a toss-up who coined the name...does anybody know for sure?
• Dr. Acula himself(!) sent e-mail responding to the preceding note: "That's exactly where I got my Dr. Acula name. When Lugosi on 'You Asked For It' mentioned that Ted Allen was going to produce a new TV show called 'Dr. Acula' starring himself, he said: 'Dracula?..No, Dr. Acula." It's kind've like my tribute to the Bela show that never was!"

Dr. Alexander Morgus *

(see DR. MORGUS)

DR. ATOMIC

(Jeremy Savage)

Dr. Atomic?

Friday night from 10 p.m. - 2 a.m.

WHCT, Channel 18 (Hartford, Connecticut)

1980's - 1990

NOTES:

• E-gorespondent Dan C. contributed the initial information about this host:

  On channel WHCT 18 Hartford, CT all through the 80's and briefly in 1990 on Friday nights from 10pm-2am they used to show really wild public domain films hosted by Dr. Atomic.... He played a lot of old AIP-TV titles (first place I saw any of the Larry Buchanan films).
  Then on Saturday 6am they would play AIP-TV Japanese monster films (without Dr. Atomic).
  The doctor had a incredibly low budget set (dry ice smoke and maybe two of those electric orbs you get at the mall) and he wore a lab coat, an afro wig dyed white, glasses, and fake teeth extensions.

• Subsequently, Dr. Atomic himself (!) sent the following comments — hopefully he'll send more!:

  Was on your horror movie host site... Saw a listing about my old show Dr Atomic! I played Dr Atomic at WHCT Ch 18 in Hartford, I also did the booth work there as well.
  It was nice to see this listing, as I really had so much fun back then doing it!
  Regards,
  Jeremy Savage

DR. BELA ZARBO

(Real name=?)

Wide Scream Theatre

Saturday at 11:30

KIII, Channel 3 (Corpus Christi, Texas)

c. 1971

NOTES:

• Eric Ridenour submitted sketchy preliminary info about: "a host that we used to watch on (I think) Saturday nights in Brownsville, Texas around 1971 or so. I remember his name as 'Doctor Belazarbo,' and he was at least as important as my Sunday school teacher in my upbringing. Any ideas on how to search for him?"
  Can anybody provide more information?
  
  
• Another show fan from Texas provided great new details, a good lead to more info, and a correction to the spelling of his name:

  Dear E-gor, You asked for more info on this horror host. The person providing your current info said he saw him in Brownsville, Texas around 1971! Well, when I stayed up late on Saturday nights/Sunday mornings in the early 70's, he was based in Corpus Christi, Texas (about 60 miles north of Brownsville ), so he may have been receiving a strong feed from there or on a translator station. Also, the TV station was K-III (triple I ) TV in Corpus!
  The name of his show was "WIDE SCREAM THEATRE", and he used the old 1940's "The Shadow" radio show music (with the eerie organ) as a background opening . He drove a real hearse around Corpus for events (it was parked in his driveway once, but I was too scared at 11 years old to go knock on that scary guy's door). He also had a pet purple great dane named Argona on his show ! I tried to track down more info on him about a year ago, and found that the Corpus Christi Caller-Times (the local newspaper) had done an article about him.
  (See note and link below — E-gor.)
  Also, I have found no pics of him anywhere, and his name was displayed as DR. BELA ZARBO (two names, not just one long one) ! Hope you can track down more on him with these recollections!
  Loving your website,
  Jay Blancq
  Abilene, Texas

• "The Shadow" radio show music Jay Blancq mentions is from a classical piece by Camille Saint-Saens, "Omphale's Spinning Wheel."
  
  
• I, E-gor, checked the Corpus Christi Caller-Times website and discovered that you have to register to get to the archives, but registration is free. Click the following link to register and access Boys and girls, remember Col. Christopher and Snow Job?, a wistful tribute to long-gone regional TV kid shows by William J. Chriss, originally published on November 15, 2003. The spirit of Dr. Bela Zarbo's show is fondly invoked.
  
  
• FreeX, posting to the alt.horror newsgroup on November 22, 1997, remembered:

  Okay, here's a flash to my youth: in the early '70s in Corpus Christi, Texas, every Saturday night at 11:30 (on the ABC affiliate, as I recall), the host was DR. BELA ZARBO. The doc was pretty lame. Definitely sub-Count Floyd, though his incredibly fake laugh still haunts me....

• So the search goes on — so WHO was this guy? Anybody got a picture? Dr. Bela Zarbo, where are you?

Dr. Belazarbo

(see DR. BELA ZARBO)

DR. BRAIN

(Lee Kleinpeter, Jr.)

Theatre of the Mind

Saturday at 10:30 pm - midnight

KLFY-TV, Channel 10 (Lafayette/Lake Charles, Louisiana)

Fall 1979 - Spring 1980

NOTES:

• E-gorespondent Jeff Lanoue initiated this entry, remembering:

  His assistant Quzi Boudreaux [sic, see following note] (its a Louisiana thing) .... I don't recall the name of their show but it aired from 10:30 to 12:00 every Saturday night until about 1980. This was before the days of cable TV so only some nights could I pick up Channel 10 from Lafayette (45 miles from Baton Rouge).

• Show fan Shane K. Bernard sent a very likely correction:

  I see you have a listing for "Quzi Boudreaux" -- I think it was actually spelled "Quasi Boudreaux," which was a play on "Quasimodo" of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and the quintessential Cajun surname "Boudreaux," since the show aired in the heart of Cajun Louisiana.

• Lo and behold, I heard from Dr. Brain himself in January 2008, and he filled in some very important blanks in my entry! :

  Dr. Brain's show was Theatre of the Mind.
  
  Brain was played by Lee Kleinpeter, Jr., and Quasi-Boudreaux by John Brockmeyer. We wrote are own scripts, some improv, it was directed by Kathy Anderson.
  
  We were on Saturday night from 10:30 til Midnight, in fall '79/spring '80; on CBS affiliate in Lafayette, La. -- KLFY Ch. 10 (at the time owned by Sugarland Broadcasting -- Lady Bird Johnson was an owner.)
  
  Regards,
  Lee Kleinpeter, Jr.

DR. CADAVER and IGOR

(John Melillo and Dave Rogers)

Visit Dr. Cadaver's Monster Horror Theatre website!

Dr. Cadaver's Monster Horror Theatre

Friday night at 11:30

WTWN, local access Channel 19 (Pompano Beach, Florida)

February 13, 1998 - March, 1999

NOTES:

• During the show's run the producer, Paul Rogers, e-mailed: "I think you would love a television show that I currently produce. It's called Dr. Cadaver's Monster Horror Theatre and it airs in South Florida every Friday night at 11:30 p.m. It is a delightful mix of humor and horror that any regular visitor to this website is sure to enjoy! Dr. Cadaver and Igor introduce the films and then return at each commercial break. They are always getting into some kind of trouble!"
• After the run was over, producer Rogers wrote again: "Dr. Cadaver is one of my close friends, his name is John Melillo. Igor was actually played by 3 different people but the main (and best) Igor was Dave Rogers, my brother. Dr. Cadaver's Monster Horror Theatre ran from 2/13/98 until sometime in March of '99, when I left the station-mainly because they had stopped production on Dr. Cadaver for no good reason - they stopped airing it. There were only 11 episodes produced so the show was really just finding it's identity when production was halted, But we had a nice following as we recieved quite a few e-mails and phone calls, and there was a lot of word of mouth. Anyway I do hope to start up production again sometime in the not-too distant future."
• During the show's run, WTWN's website noted: "Unexpected guests often drop by the 'Haunted Mansion' (sometimes with fatal results!), and the doctor's faithful pet Igor is always 'on hand' to get the doctor into trouble!"
• Eleven episodes of the show, featuring Dr. Cadaver hosting public-domain features, are available from Paul Rogers, who would be happy to trade copies of Dr. Cadaver for other Horror Hosted Shows from around the country. See list and contact information at the Horror Host Trading Post.

DR. CADAVERINO *

(Jack DuBlon: born October 28, 1929; died July 25, 1988)

Visit Milwaukee Hosts of Horror, horror hostorian Dick (Nitelinger) Golembiewski's fabulous web tribute to Dr. Cadaverino and all the other TV horror hosts and shows of that area, for great information and loads of audio-visual treats.

Nightmare Theatre

(Listed as The Late Show)

After Saturday Night Movie (about 11:30-midnight)

October 10, 1964 - July 10, 1965

Nightmare Theatre

(Listed as The Late, Late Show until March 8, 1969, when it was first listed under its real name)

After The Late Show and The Late Show News

July 17, 1965 - September 24, 1977

Farewell Nightmare Theatre (Halloween one-shot)

12:15 a.m. - 1:15 a.m. Saturday night/Sunday morning

October 29-30, 1977

Dr. Cadaverino's Halloween Special

Friday at 11:00 p.m.

October 31, 1980

All on WITI, Channel 6 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

Elena Watson's Television Horror Movie Hosts reference:
mention (pp. 158-159) and whole chapter Ch. 9, "It's Dr. Cadaverino, Stupid!", pp. 70-72.

Magazine references:

• Show discussed in depth in "Monster Memories of Dr. Cadaverino" by Dick (Nitelinger) Golembiewski, an excellent article with many illustrations (photos, promotional handout, and advertisements) in issue #20 (September 1996) of Scary Monsters, pp. 126-132.
• Show discussed again in "Milwaukee Horror Errata," by Dick (Nitelinger) Golembiewski in Scary Monsters' Monster Memories 1999 Yearbook, pp. 124-125. Illustrations include the first ad for the show and the front of a vintage "Nightmare Theatre" postcard.
• Show discussed at length in "Dr. Cadaverino's Sidekick Igor Speaks!" by Dick (Nitelinger) Golembiewski in issue # 40 (September 2001) of Scary Monsters magazine, pp. 64-89. Included are many pics, promo cards and the memories of one of the folks who played Igor.
• Show discussed, and autographed promotional card reproduced, in editorial by Dennis Druktenis in issue #6 (March 1993) of Scary Monsters, p. 1.
• Discussion and three pictures in article by Larry Widen, "Late Night Horror in Milwaukee," in issue #8 (September 1993) of Scary Monsters, pp. 14-15.
• Wonderful memories from frequent Nightmare Theatre guest, Milwaukee magician David Seebach, in a letter which appeared in issue #21 (December 1996) of Scary Monsters magazine (pp 12-13).

NOTES:

• Some incredible inside information from a Nightmare Thespian!:

  My name is Tracy Lesch, and I just came across your site. I started reminiscing about the past and felt compelled to drop you a line. I made a number of appearances on WITI-TV6's Nightmare Theatre in the 70's. My nom de plume was BARON VON FINKENSTEIN. I used to send Dr. Cadaverino lots of art which he always featured. One day, Jack Du Blon called me and very casually asked, "hey, how'd you like to be on the show?" Of course, who wouldn't? So, over the span of the next two years, I appeared on and off in character, sometimes with another Cadaverino fan, Mr. Mystery. Jack became a good friend, and I was crushed to hear of his passing years ago. He was a sweet, multitalented guy. He also did the weather during the 6:00 news as Albert the Alleycat (a puppet). He had a morning kids show with Albert called Albert's Alley, where he did multiple puppets in between cartoons.
  He had a sidekick on the show, a headless silent giant named Igor. Igor always added tons of comic relief due to the fact that he was always doing things in the background to cause trouble, like threatening guests with bodily harm, etc. No one knew who played Igor. Some day maybe I'll tell the story of the infamous "streaking" episode.
  It was nice to be reminded of the fun I had with Jack on Nightmare Theatre.
  Tracy Lesch (e-mail: stinggm@magicnet.net)
  (He'd love to hear from Dr. Cadaverino fans! -- E-gor)

• Dick (Nitelinger) Golembiewski notes that the first film was The Werewolf, and the last film (as "Nightmare Theatre") was The Conqueror Worm (24 September 1977). The farewell show ("Farewell Nightmare Theatre") of October 29, 1977, had no film. The "Dr. Cadaverino's Halloween Special" of October 31, 1980, featured Willard.

DR. CREEP

(Barry Hobart)

Visit The Official Home of Shock Theatre Starring Dr. Creep, with information on Dr. Creep videos and DVDs, T-shirts and other products for sale, Creepy Pictures, News, articles and interviews.

See Dr. Creep's profile page at HORRORHOSTS.com, the official site for the Horror Host Underground.

See bio and images of Dr. Creep — and hundreds of images of a host of other horrors — at the incredible Horror Host Gallery website, courtesy of video archaeologist Thomas Rudé!

Science Shock Theatre

(Hobart supplied creepy voiceover for opening and breaks)

Day? Time?

1969? - 1971?

Shock Theatre

(Dr. Creep character developed around voice)

Saturday at 11:00 p.m., other times

January 1, 1972 (live broadcast) - 1980

Saturday Night Dead

(show title changed)

Saturday late-night following Saturday Night Live

January 1980 - March 23, 1985

WKEF-TV, Channel 22 (Dayton, Ohio)

Shock Theater

Sunday nights at 10:00 p.m.

January 31, 1999 - present

DATV TCI Channel 20 (Dayton, Ohio)