DJLinus

Given that it's Halloween, I thought I'd give tribute to those unsung heroes of yesteryear: the local horror movie TV host.

Growing up in Richmond, I'd watch Dr. Gruesome's Movie Morgue (w/ his hunchback sidekick Skeeter) on ch. 35 - now a Fox affiliate. It was amazingly low budget, but that's what provided a lot of it's charm. The movies shown were terrible, but there's something about watching a really cheesy old movie.

http://myweb.wvnet.edu/e-gor/tvhorro...tml#DrGruesome

When we'd go to visit my grandparents in Columbus (where I live now), we'd watch Fritz the Night Owl. His movies weren't strictly horror or particularly bad, but he was fun to watch. He now hosts a weekly jazz radio show.

http://www.thelantern.com/news/2004/...a-629823.shtml

While he's not local, I really miss Joe Bob Briggs and his MonsterVision show on TBS. He was funny and provided a lot of insight into the movies shown. Then there was the Mail Girl.

Also not local, there's Elvira. Bad jokes and boobs. 'Nuff said.

Do you have any favorite horror movie TV hosts? (This site may jog your memory.)

movie diva

I remember Seymour's Fright Night on channel 9 in Los Angeles, and Elvira.

Dan G

I grew up in Tampa, Florida and every Saturday afternoon, I'd watch Dr. Paul Bearer's Creature Feature on WTOG.

www.crazedfanboy.com/users/creaturefeature/

Geofferson

I always preferred Joe Bob Briggs back when he was Saturday night host on The Movie Channel (TMC).

Giantrobo

Joe Bob Briggs.

Growing up in LA I always liked Elvira.

Morf

SunMonkey

for Joe Bob Briggs. I felt bad when they started screwing with his show, and then finally dumping it.

I also liked Gilbert Gottfried when he hosted "USA Up All Night," although it wasn't alway horror movies. I can't help it; I find him hilarious.

das Monkey

Don't forget Rhonda Shear.

das

Mondo Kane

The theme music actually scared me. "Willard" and "Son of the Blob" were my favorite episodes.

Joe Bob got a haircut! Did you see him last night on E!'s "Scream Queens"?

Whenever I go out to Reno,Nevada for the weekend, I always try to catch Zomboo.

Groucho

Bob Odenkirk! He hosts a horror-movie show on Sundance.

astrochimp

Vincent Price on The Hilarious House of Frightenstein.

dvd-4-life

The Ghoul(Detroit and Cleveland) and Sir Graves Ghastly(Detroit).

Doc Moonlight

The master of them all, the one who originated the format, the one-and-only Cool Ghoul--

ZACHERLY

AGuyNamedMike

I grew up in Virginia and had two favorite hosts back in the 70's:

The Bowman Body

and

Doctor Madblood

I also liked Captain USA, Elvira, and Joe Bob.

hondo21

In the late 1960's: "Chilly Billy" (Bill Cardill) on Chiller Theater, WIIC (Pittsburgh), Saturday nights.

Bobhug

The late "Dr. Shock" in Philly.

adamblast

He was one of the originals, and certainly one of the funniest and best-written/performed... Sure miss 'em...

Steve Phillips

Elvira was a local host in LA before her show was syndicated. I think she's the best ever, even if she did rip off Vampira.

I used to like Son of Svengoolie when I lived in Chicago, he was much funnier than his "father".

We had an awful host here in Las Vegas circa 1990-2000. He was Count Cool Rider, an Elvis vampire. He had a terrible accent and they never once wrote a funny bit for him. I'm not sure if the problem was the writer, the host, or both! He did show some good flicks though.

LiquidSky

Rhonda was funny.

I like Joe Bob Briggs and Elvira.

DeadLamb

Elvira for me.... california or at least my area, did not seem to have as many of the horror host really.. I rem Job Bob Briggs once I got older and a few years of Rhonda Shear. Ah but as a kid, burned into my brain, Elvira on the sofa.. Ohhhh yeah. heh..

Dimension X

Same here. Our cable system also carried a Washington, D.C. station, so I sometimes watched Count Gore Devol also.

Steve Phillips

I forgot, I also used to watch Commander USA's Groovie Movies....the first place I ever saw those amazing Mexican horror movies.

Strafe

Don't forget Count Scary (Ooooooh that's scaaaary!) in Detroit. Although that was really a local Detroit DJ's character that did some specials every Halloween for a couple years.

mugwump

Right on! The highlight of my weekends as a kid was staying up until midnight to catch the Ghoul on channel 20 (I never managed to stay awake past his opening monologue) then watching Sir Graves Ghastly on channel 50 the following morning.

The only thing that came close was the annual Monster Week on the 4 O'clock Movie featuring Godzilla and Gamera flicks.

dvd-4-life

Didn't it start @ 4:30 pm on WXYZ Ch. 7 Detroit.