BEWITCHED - "Trick Or Treat" (1965)

This Saturday Night Countdown To Halloween Special is Season 02, Episode 07 of  the awesome TV show "Bewitched!"

It was an episode called "Trick Or Treat" and it aired on October 28, 1965.

Somebody has delivered some Halloween stuff to the Stephens' household that Samantha and Endora find quite insulting and disturbing, witch's costumes!

It all might seem like a joke, but there are some pretty serious overtones here about stereotypes and prejudice!

The sun goes down and the trick or treaters come out!

Hanging around outside, Endora confronts these kids, so the one that says he's a wizard puts a spell on her and poof.................

........She turns into a tree! It freaks the kid out pretty good!

Endora is always mad at Darrin, but she's extra pissed tonight because she wanted Samantha to come to the big Witch's celebration at the volcano, but Sam wouldn't go because she wants to stay home with her husband on Halloween!

So Endora turns herself into an innocent young gypsy costumed trick or treater! If this bratty looking little girl looks familiar to you, it's because it's Maureen McCormick also known as Marcia Brady on "The Brady Bunch!"

She doesn't like any of the candy that Darrin is giving out so she tells him that she is going to put a spell on him, and he's like "right kid, take your best shot!"

Darrin and Samantha have people coming over for a little Halloween party, and suddenly Darrin has uncontrollable facial hair!

"Well....That little B.........."

That's when they find out that the little gypsy girl is actually Endora, and for some reason, she just can't remember how to undo the spell! Right!

While watching this, I got the feeling that Dick York was really enjoying himself!

He's really the shining star of this episode!

He shaves off all the excess hair on his face and hands before the guests arrive!

But then gradually, the claws and the hair start growing back, right at the wrong time!

Darrin has now gone from just overly hairy to a full blown Rasputin lookin' madman!

Pretty funny that this actually looks like a serious movie at this point!
On the left is David White as Larry Tate. David has the distinction of being in two "Twilight Zone" adventures, "A World Of Difference," and "I Sing The Body Electric!" That's Jack Collins as Jack Rogers on the right. Jack's last role was in the 1988 feature titled "The Nest," as Shakey Jake.

I love watching "Bewitched" because it's so much fun to see Samantha's reactions to all the craziness surrounding her, like here!

It's Halloween, so everybody except Samantha thinks that it's just a costume, and that Darrin is playing his character to the hilt, but he's a full-blown werewolf at this point ready to rip somebody's face off!

Imagine their surprise when he starts destroying stuff and totally chewing and ripping a pillow to shreds!

The wives are Irene (Mike Hammer, Johnny Midnight, Boston Blackie) Vernon as Mrs. Tate, and Barbara (Some Like It Hot) Drew as Mrs. Rogers.

Endora finally lifts the spell, and actually says that she's sorry, and when Darrin freaks, she changes him right back again evoking this look from Samantha!

Darrin is just happy to be himself again, and to have his Mother-In-Law gone! 

In case you ever wondered why Dick York was replaced on the show, it's because he had severely hurt his back during the filming of a movie in 1959, and was in a lot of pain most of the time. Ten years later, it finally became too much and he had to quit abruptly, never to return. After that, he was replaced by Dick Sargent, but for me at least, the chemistry was gone, and it would just never be the same.

"Smell My Feet!"

FLIP THE FROG In "The Cuckoo Murder Case" - 1930

So, we're nearing the end of our Halloween Countdown this year. Today we have another Flip The Frog cartoon from 1930, a year after the introduction of sound. This time our little hero has an adventure in a creepy old house, always an entertaining time for us viewers for sure!

Something caught my eye on the title card... It's agreed that one of the greatest scores for Warner Bros. in the early days was signing Carl Stalling on as their cartoon musical director!

Looks like something weird is going on here!..

Whoa, what the Hell, someone's got a gun, and the hammer's cocked and ready.

Of all things, the bird in the Cuckoo clock is the target! After dodging a few bullets, the last one turns around and puts a hole through the birdie, killing it...

So, the clock calls Flip, who's a detective in this one. It tells him that the poor little bird has been shot and he needs to get out to the house and investigate the crime scene.

It's a long trip as Flip forges ahead through the storm in his goofy little car.

Well, I guess the clock called the coppers too... Love that meowing cat siren!

Gung-ho Flip arrives ahead of the cops, but, as he approaches the house, an evil face appears when the lights come on! He tries to go back to his car but the wind blows him inside.

While Flip explores the place, a weight on the clock comes up and whacks him on the rear. He ends up kicking the suit of armor which then falls in pieces back on his head, it's a cartoon!

After the cops make their entrance, they shoot some foot prints that were dancing around! This part was pretty damn weird.

Then, Flip sees some strange shadows on the wall from the next room!..

So, curious Flip enters the room and finds a cloaked figure sitting there, sickle at hand. He's looking through his book of victims, it was him what shot the bird. The dark figure turns the page and there's freakin' Flip's picture! The thing rolls its sleeve up and is ready to add another victim to his list, when...

Flip runs like Hell, he has to run through a hallway full of obstacles to get to the door. He finally opens the door and dives away into the darkness, after he disappears, the cartoon ends!! Much like this post... Eegah!! is here tomorrow with another Halloween Countdown treat for the troops!

GUMBY- "Haunted Hot Dog" (1967)

 How's about some Gumby on this Weird Wednesday Countdown To Halloween?
I put this little piece together, it looks like Gumby is getting ready to play golf on some super strange graveyard golf course, and it makes about as much sense as anything else in the world these days!

 "Haunted Hot Dog" is without a doubt a great title, but just like in The Stooge's "Fright Night," the title is a lot spookier than any of the action!

 This Gumby short starts off with a stray dog stealing some sausages from the local butcher shop!

 The dog books on down the road with the butcher in hot pursuit and heads to the outskirts of town!

 Meanwhile, our heroes Gumby and Pokey are out for an afternoon cruise in the country!

 Just like the last time I used The Firesign Theatre's 'empty' gag, the E does not stand for Excellent on a gas gauge!

 This is what I saw when I looked at that gas gauge still!

 Luckily there's a house nearby that might either have some gas or at least a phone!

 Pokey's not so sure, but Gumby opens the door after nobody answers to their knocks!

 Hmmmmm, the place seems abandoned!

 The dog shows up and starts making a racket!

 When they hear it, Gumby and Pokey get real scared, and end up making some noise themselves!

Which, in turn, scares the dog, so they all scared each other and end up comforting each other at the same time!

 Gumby questions the origin of the hot dogs!

The moral of the story?
It's a Hollow Weenie!!