LIGHTS OUT / NBC TV - Oct. 1950

Welcome everbloody, to a special Halloween edition of Moldie Oldie Monday, here at The Dungeon! We gots some more rare TV to show you, this one was a very popular series based on the radio show and aired 158 episodes from 1946 to 1952!

The original music is by Fred Howard, who was a composer, author, singer, radio actor, writer, producer and director! The creepy keyboard in the soundclip is great and is perfect for this weird little story, Just What Happened... Arlo is the musician on the organ!

Let's bring in lil' Dungeon helper buddie, Rufus The Gnat, so's that he can push the big red 'GO' button wonst again, and start our Eariffic Earclip going, for your listening pleasure! Push that button, Rufus!.. LIGHTS OUT!!

Weird, there was nothing in the listings on who the host was!!

As the story starts, it appears that someone has fallen out of a building and landed on the sidewalk below.

John (THE UNKNOWN TERROR) Howard plays Harry Maddox, the grieving guy and former friend of the victim. Here, the police question him as to... Get ready for it... Just what happened!

The cops ain't buying his crappy alibi, so they throw him in jail!

I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God!.. Wait!

He starts telling the judge and jury about his friend, Carlos Melius, a person who wanted to fly and float through the air using his mind, the way he visualized in his dreams...

Hold on Carlos, we're gonna have a few drinks, maybe that'll help us to understand what you're talking about...

Later, Carlos comes back to Harry's apartment to demonstrate his power. Hey, has anybloody seen my palette? I'm ready to paint and I can't find my palette!

Harry watches as Carlos actually rises into the air through mind control!

I included this still just to show how bad the lighting could be on some of those low budget TV series in the fifties. Anyway, the gang is back to watch Carlos attempt his feat one more time...

Da' suspense iz pure moider!

The three watch in horror as Carlos drifts out the window. Now get this... They scream at him to get back inside, that wakes him from the spell and causes him to plummet to his death...

I know that none of you people out there will ever believe my unbelievable story... That includes you, Grewbeard!!.. You too, Z!!

Mr. Floating Head sez... GHOULNIGHT EVERBLOODY!!

Holler Weenie Salivations From Timmie and Kiwi!!

If those Howz-By-You Brothers Timmie and Kiwi comes a knockin' to your door, turn out the lanterns and pretend like there ain't nobody home! Timmie and Kiwi are two characters from a '13 O'Clock' short called "Snakebait" that you really don't want to meet up with if you don't have to!!

"IL DRACULARE" - Zacherley (1958)

We wished him happy birthday last Sunday, and the Magic Carpet Burn has recently handed out some extensive information on Zacherley that is well worth reading right HERE, but there is still more to be said!

Back in ancient times before computers, DVDs or even video, cable or FM radio, when a movie was released, you basically had one shot at seeing it in the theater, but with the advent of TV, also came the ability to show movies to the public again, and the concept of having a host arose, and nobody did it better than the legendary John Zacherle!!!

"THE ZACHERLEY ARCHIVES" is a hypnotizing bit of nostalgia featuring just some of John Zacherle's work, and we wouldn't have been able to present it here without the help of one of Zacherley's biggest fans, Professor Grewbeard!

It's hosted by John himself much later in life as a retrospective vision of his past, and his beautiful irreverent attitude, and "Cool Ghoul" laugh prevail throughout the whole presentation!!

He wasn't Zacherley at first, the makeup didn't really change, but his first outing was as Roland, the host of the Philadelphia show, "Shock Theater in 1958!

John Zacherle's contributions to horror history are similar to Forrest J. Ackerman's, because they both were devoted to promoting films, and their love of Monster Movies was obviously honest, and irrepressible!

This picture is from an awesome bit where John was setting up a tripod to lower himself to the center of the earth, and he gets tangled up in the ropes, and you can hear the guys off camera laughing! It's live TV with no chance for second takes, and John just plows on through, and the viewer gets a chance to see what impromptu and improvisation really means!

Interspersed in the video are ads for things like Playtex bras for $2.50, that show how dated the programs really are!

After 92 broadcasts, he changed his name to Zacherley and moved the show to New York, and the name was changed to "Zacherley At Large" as he was becoming a much more recognizable character!

What I have featured for you in tonight's sound clip is a portion of an opera entitled "Il Draculare" than John performed on the air. There is an array of crazy characters including Count Dracula, Larry Talbot, Dr. Frankenstein, and Princess Ananka!

If I pieced the whole thing together for you, it would probably amount to about 15 or 20 minutes, but you'll get enough to give you a good idea of the simply amazing talent of what was, and is, the greatest horror host of all time, the one, and only Zacherley!!

There once was actually a time in history when people with brains and imagination ran for political office whether it was in jest or not!!

MANEATER OF HYDRA / Spain & W. Germany - 1967

Hello everbloody, welcome to the 1st Night Of Halloween, here at The Dungeon!.. Tonight's flick is a kookie little story about a vampire tree nurtured by an eccentric Baron on a small island. Other movies with monster plants include THE BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS, WOMAN EATER, ANGRY RED PLANET, VOODOO ISLAND, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, NAVY vs THE NIGHT MONSTERS, THE LAND UNKNOWN, THE LOST WORLD, THE REVENGE OF DR. X, BRIDES OF BLOOD, KONGA, DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS, MUTINY IN OUTER SPACE, THE LAST DAYS OF PLANET EARTH, FREAKMAKER, DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS, THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE!!

Poster shows the alternate title... That same year there was the British production of ISLAND OF THE BURNING DOOMED, which will be coming up in the next few months, here at The Dungeon!

And, it's directed by Mel Wells, who also directed LADY FRANKENSTEIN. He acted in ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS, THE UNDEAD (Smolkin), ROCK ALL NIGHT, THE 27th DAY, HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL, THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and SHE BEAST.

Antón García Abril and José Muñoz Molleda composed the great music for our Eariffic Earclip, they both wrote almost exclusively for Spanish film and TV productions...

Okay then, here's lil' Dungeon helper pal, Ralphie The Tarantula, clearing a path to the big red 'GO' button by the old alligator pit (our garbage disposal) over there. Take it away, Ralphie!.. MANEATER OF HYDRA!

Everbloody was having a swell time driving to the Baron's place...

...Until stupid old Baldi jumped out in front of them... Bummer!

Here's Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, played by Rolf (NO SURVIVORS, PLEASE) von Nauckhoff and Kai (THE HELLFIRE CLUB) Fischer.

Then, there's the science nerds discussing pocket protectors at dinner. Cameron Mitchell looks young here, he'll be featured again this month in another Dungeon Favorite, Jerry Warren's last flick, FRANKENSTEIN ISLAND!

Looks like plants, tastes like meat!.. Go figure!!

Mrs. Robinson is horny for the Baron, you'll recognize that part in the soundclip!

Excuse me Mrs. Robinson, you must have misunderstood my intentions!..

Why are you doing this?!.. What movie am I in?!.. And, where's Catherwood?!

Closeup!!.. Whoa, a face only a mother could love! Dude is definitely a good sport!! Baldi is played by Mike Brendel.

OOPSIE!!..

Well, would you look at them purdy flowers there!.. Wait til I show the girls at the Botany Club these pitchers!!

The uncanny plant can extend whiplike branches and fasten a cuplike sucking 'mouth' to the victim... Kinda like what's going on with this lady here!

And, the infernal thing can go into people's rooms at night for a delicious midnight snack!

David and the Baron duel it out, in the rain... with axes!!

Wouldn't you know it, the Baron accidently severs his precious plant's juggler vein with his axe! Then, he gets poisoned and absorbed when he tries to stop the bleeding!

Ghoulnight Everbloody!!..