John Zacherle, from an appearance on The Mike Douglas Show in the early 1970s. Zacherle set the standard for local TV horror movie hosts, first in Philadelphia, then in New York
New Orleans TV personality Sid Noel as Morgas the Magnificent
Local TV Horror Movie Hosts from the ’60s and ’70s
Original Airdates: Oct. 24-27, 2025
TVC 711.2: Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, director, and author Joseph Dougherty (thirtysomething, Pretty Little Liars, The First Cylinder, Comfort and Joi, Rod Serling at 100) joins Ed, Tony, and Dan Farren for a roundtable discussion about some of our favorite local TV horror movie hosts—a staple of television that began in the late 1950s and continued into the 1980s and which, for many of us, was an indelible part of our growing-up years. Topics this segment include how the genre began circa 1958, when Universal released its entire library of horror movies from the 1930s and ’40s to local TV stations; why part of the charm from these local TV productions comes from their threadbare production values; and the many ways in which John Zacherle set the standard for local TV horror hosts, first in Philadelphia, then in New York.
Pittsburgh TV personality “Chilly Billy” Cardille, longtime host of Chiller Theatre on WIIC-TV, with guest Barbara Feldon. A native of Butler, Pennsylvania (not far from Pittsburgh), Feldon appeared on Chiller Theatre in character as Agent 99
San Diego personality Lisa Clark, aka Moona Lisa, longtime host of Science Fiction Theatre on KOGO-TV
Chilly Billy Cardille, Moona Lisa, and Other Local TV Horror Movie Hosts
Original Airdates: Oct. 24-27, 2025
TVC 711.3: Joseph Dougherty, Dan Farren, Tony Figueroa, and Ed remember Chilly Billy Cardille, Sir Graves Ghastley, Moona Lisa, and other local TV horror movie personalities from the 1960s and ’70s—including Count Floyd, the character played by Joe Flaherty on SCTV that was both a parody of and a homage to the genre.
Bob Wilkins, host of Creature Features (KTVU-TV, Oakland-San Francisco) throughout the 1970s
The Legacy of Bob Wilkins
Original Airdates: Oct. 31-Nov. 3, 2025
TVC 712.3: Part 2 of a conversation that began last week with Joseph Dougherty, Tony Figueroa, and Dan Farren about some of our favorite local TV horror movie hosts from the 1960s and ’70s. This segment particularly focuses on Bob Wilkins, the erudite host of Creature Features on KTVU Channel 2 (Oakland-San Francisco) who was known for his trademark cigar, horn rim glasses, and the catchphrase “Keep America Strong. Watch Horror Movies.” Unlike most other local TV horror movie hosts, Wilkins never dressed up as a zany character on Creature Features, but instead kept the viewers tuned in every week by bringing them long-form interviews with the likes of George Lucas, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, Vincent Price, and Christopher Lee in between movie segments. Wilkins was also the first to air Night of the Living Dead on local television.
Los Angeles TV personality Larry Vincent as “Sinister Seymour”
The Unrepentant Silliness of Local TV Horror Movie Hosts
Original Airdates: Oct. 31-Nov. 3, 2025
TVC 712.4: Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, director, and author Joseph Dougherty (thirtysomething, Pretty Little Liars, The First Cylinder, Comfort and Joi, Rod Serling at 100) joins Ed, Tony, and Dan Farren for some more thoughts on local TV horror movie hosts hosts from the 1960s and ’70s. Topics this segment include how part of the appeal of watching horror movies on late night television was that it marked the first time that many of us were allowed to stay up late by ourselves.
