Horror host
A horror host is a particular type of radio and television presenter, often tasked with presenting low-grade films, including many horror movies, to television, and Internet, audiences. This tradition is primarily American, though there have been international hosts in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, and The United Kingdom. The style of each host varies a bit but most will comment on the particular film or show that is being screened, along with commentary about the acting, subject matter, and cast and crew, among other things.
History
Film packages
In October 1957, Screen Gems released a bundle of old Universal horror movies to syndicated television, naming the collection "Shock!".[1] They encouraged the use of hosts for the broadcasts. This is why many of the early programs were called "Shock Theater". Viewers loved the package, as well as the concept, and ratings soared. A "Son of Shock!" package was released in 1958.[2]
Creature Features was another film package that was released in the early 1960s and added to in the 1970s. The films in this package ranged from horror and science-fiction films of the 1950s, British horror films of the 1960s, and the Japanese "giant monster" movies of the 1960s, and 1970s. This package also included an uncut print of Night of the Living Dead.
In 2011, Apprehensive Films released a film package of free and clear, clean prints of public domain films, called the "Shlock!" Package.
Early hosts
The first television horror host is generally accepted to be Vampira.[2] The Vampira Show featured mostly low budget suspense films, as few horror films had yet been released for television broadcast. Despite its short 1954-1955 run, The Vampira Show set the standard format for horror host shows to follow.
Hosts were often plucked from the ranks of the studio staff. In the days of live television, it was not uncommon for the weather man or booth announcer to finish a nightly news broadcast and race madly to another part of the soundstage for a quick costume change to present the evening's monster tale.
While a few early hosts like Zacherley and Vampira became the icons of this nationwide movement,[3] most hosts were locals. The impact of these friendly revenants on their young fans cannot be overestimated. The earliest hosts are still remembered with great affection today.[4]
Later hosts
The tradition was continued throughout the 1960s and 1970s and gained national attention in the early 1980s, after the death of L.A.'s Host, Sinister Seymour. Cassandra Peterson auditioned for a replacement host and won the role. She became Elvira, Mistress of the Dark who is arguably the most widely recognized horror host in history. In the late 1980s, Mystery Science Theater 3000 would capture the popular imagination and build a massive fan base.
Current hosts
In the past 10 years, a new generation of hosts have appeared in local markets as well as on a national level. Cinema Insomnia[5] with host Mr. Lobo[6] may be one of the most notable hosted horror programs of the 2000s, recently raising over $10,000 for their anniversary season. Elvira[7] and Svengoolie[8] have also returned to syndication and seem to be more popular than ever. The crew of Fright Night Cinema also raised over $2000 for their 4th season proving that internet horror hosting is popular and going strong.
Horror Movie hosts and re sellers Janet Decay and Grimm Gorri host The Mummy And Monkey Show on public access cable, and online.Janet Decay is Cleveland Ohio's first hostess in TV history. Current Australian hosts are Nigel Honeybone - The Schlocky Horror Picture Show since 2007 on Foxtel Aurora, Adelaide Channel 44 + The Vortexx; and The Professor - The Professor's Scary Movie Show since 2015 on The Vortexx and available on Vimeo.
Notable hosts
1950s
1960s
- Deadly Earnest - Ralph Baker
- Deadly Earnest - Ian Bannerman
- Deadly Earnest - Roland Barnes
- Bill "Chilly Billy" Cardille
- Deadly Earnest - Hedley Cullen
- Ghoulardi
- Bob Guy, host of Jeepers' Creepers Theater (1962-1966) on Channel 13. Frank Zappa had him record two musical singles Dear Jeepers and Letter From Jeepers. [10] [11] [12]
- Moona Lisa
- Morgus the Magnificent
- Professor Macabre - John Dommett
- Deadly Earnest - Shane Porteous
- Sammy Terry
- Selwin
- Sir Graves Ghastly
- Superhost
- Vegas Vampire
- Bob Wilkins
1970s
- Baron Von Crypt
- Big Chuck and Lil' John
- Bob Wilkins
- The Bowman Body
- Commander Strongarm - Warwick Rankon
- The Cool Ghoul
- Count Gore de Vol
- Count Scary
- Dr. Creep
- Doctor Madblood
- Dr. Shock
- Doctor Paul Bearer
- Edwin "Uncle Ted" Raub
- Elvira the Witch
- The Evil Touch - Anthony Quayle
- Friday Suspense Theatre and Friday Night Thriller - Russell Starke
- Fritz the Nite Owl
- Grimsley
- Morgus the Magnificent
- The Ghoul
- John Stanley
- Sammy Terry
- Sinister Seymour
- Sir Cecil Creape
- Svengoolie
- Vampira - Jill Forster
- Vincent Price
1980s
- Al "Grampa" Lewis
- Bob Wilkins
- Commander USA
- Count Floyd
- Count Gore de Vol
- Count Scary
- Crematia Mortem
- Darcinia, the Duchess of Darkness
- Dr. Paul Bearer
- Misty Brew
- Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
- Freddy Krueger
- Fright Night - Peter Goers
- Fritz the Nite Owl
- John Stanley
- Joe Bob Briggs
- Count Norlock
- Morgus the Magnificent
- Mystery Science Theater 3000
- Ned the Dead
- Sammy Terry
- Son of Ghoul
- Stella, The Maneater from Manayunk
- Son of Svengoolie/Svengoolie
- The Great Razooly
- Uncle Ted
1990s
- Coffin Joe
- Count Gore de Vol
- The Crypt Keeper
- Dr. Gangrene
- Die Wilde Hilde - Christine Oedingen
- Dr. Sarcofiguy
- Fosdyke - Robert Mascara
- Gilbert Gottfried
- Graveyard Shift - Tabitha Clutterbuck
- Maxwell Truth, Bird and Zelda
- Morgus the Magnificent
- Mystery Science Theater 3000
- Sandra Bernhard
- Svengoolie
- Ernst-Hugo Järegård
- Edwin "Uncle Ted" Raub
- Count Cool Rider[13][14]
2000s
2010s
- Gunther Dedmund
- Beware Theater with Arachna of the Spider People
- Buddha Gonzalez
- Count Gore de Vol
- Doc Mock's Movie Mausoleum
- Dr. Gangrene
- Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
- Ivonna Cadaver-Macabre Theater
- Lord Blood-Rah's Nerve-Wrackin' Theatre
- Karlos Borloff
- Lamia,Queen of the Dark-Horror Hotel
- Mausoleum Of The Macabre with Needles The Gravedigger
- Maxwell Truth, Bird and Zelda
- Moarte
- Monster Movie Night with Bobby Gammonster
- Morgus the Magnificent
- Mr. Lobo
- MUTAGEN NATION hosted by the GREAT Professor DB Dornake and his assistant Mutagen
- Mystery Science Theater 3000
- Penny Dreadful XIII
- Sharon Needles
- Sicko Psychotic
- Graveyard Tales hosted by Slashe Cooper
- Svengoolie
- The Mummy And The Monkey Hosted by Janet Decay and Grimm Gorri
- The Professor
- Vincent Van Dahl
- "Wolfman" Mac Kelly
- Fright Night Cinema w/ R.Graves and Vic Scary
See also
References
- ↑ "Dick Nitelinger's The Hosts of Horror". Milwaukee TV Horror Hosts. Archived from the original on 2004-06-10.
- 1 2 Watson, Elena M. (2000). Television Horror Movie Hosts: 68 Vampires, Mad Scientists, and Other Denizens of the Late Night Airwaves Examined and Interviewed. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. ISBN 0-7864-0940-1.
- ↑ Colton, David (October 20, 2007). "Halloween horror hosts rise again on radio, TV, film". USA Today. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
- ↑ "The Horror of Them All!". Filmfax (13): 28–32. December 1988.
- ↑ "CINEMA INSOMNIA".
- ↑ ""CINEMA INSOMNIA" AND AMGTV ARE BRINGING HOSTED "MIDNIGHT MOVIES" TO PRIME TIME AND COAST TO COAST!".
- ↑ "SDCC '10: Press Release for the return of Elvira".
- ↑ "Svengoolie is scaring up laughs on Me-TV!". Archived from the original on 2011-08-18.
- ↑ Leahy, Tom (Performer, "The Host"); Parsons, Lee (Performer, "Rodney"); Erickson, Jim (Announcer) (1959). The Host & Rodney, Horror Hosts (archival footage from "Nightmare" (local Wichita, Kansas TV program) (video). YouTube.com. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ↑ https://books.google.be/books?id=A5jCBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT70&lpg=PT70&dq=bob+guy+jeepers&source=bl&ots=f23z09wnft&sig=58M_IFYs8QfcDhOauAxUcH5QpoY&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi2yfPlhMjcAhUJZ1AKHZNqDng4ChDoATADegQIAxAB#v=onepage&q=bob%20guy%20jeepers&f=false
- ↑ https://books.google.be/books?id=4tB4nApcPd0C&pg=PT207&lpg=PT207&dq=bob+guy+jeepers&source=bl&ots=QjLnLTSKfS&sig=uUvue2Q0klMTK1r1013UGgCL2jI&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi2yfPlhMjcAhUJZ1AKHZNqDng4ChDoATAHegQIBxAB#v=onepage&q=bob%20guy%20jeepers&f=false
- ↑ http://www.united-mutations.com/g/bob_guy.htm
- ↑ Koker, Danny (Performer) (2013). Count Cool Rider. History.com. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
- ↑ "E-gor's Chamber of TV Horror Hosts - List of Names Starting With C". E-Gor's Chamber of Horror Hosts. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
- ↑ "11:59 and Counting-Horror hosting in the 21st Century" by Paul Counelis
External links
- American Scary - Documentary: A look at the nation's tradition of horror hosting, from Zacherley to A. Ghastlee Ghoul
- Horror Hosts and Creature Features Magazine A magazine dedicated to Horror Hosts and Movies.
- E-Gor's Chamber of TV Horror Hosts Site
- Horror Host Graveyard - comprehensive host site
- Milwaukee Horror Hosts
- Virginia Creepers Documentary film site dedicated to 50 years of horror hosting in Virginia
- Horror Host Autographs Images of horror host autographs and memorabilia
- The Horror Academy — a Site Dedicated To Horror Movies & Horror Host Since 2006
- Spooktacular — history of Horror Hosts
- Interview with Author Michael Monahan about Horror Hosts — Michael is the author of American Scary (the book) and a leading expert on Horror Hosts.
- Movie Night- hosted horror films