THE MUPPET SHOW - "With Vincent Price" (1977)

The Wacky Wednesday's Countdown To Halloween entry is Season 01, Episode 19. of one of the funniest TV shows ever produced, "The Muppet Show!"

Every episode of "The Muppet Show" featured a "special" guest star, and on this one it was the always amazing Vincent Price.

As I'm sure you know, "The Muppet Show" was a fast moving array of skits, and for this one, since Vincent Price was on it, the emphasis was on "Scary," and "Monsters," hence, a dark and dreary castle!

The Great Gonzo and Fozzie Bear are at the front door when they see a couple of ghosts, which sets the mood.

Of course, Vincent Price shows up at the castle too!

Vincent is accompanied by his beautiful assistant played by Uncle Deadly while the hideously deformed but unseen monster waits outside.

This episode actually aired on January 29th, nearer to New Years than Halloween, so when there is a transformation scene, Vincent turns into Jack Parnell who was a bandleader and the conductor for "The Muppet Show" orchestra instead of a monster. Jack Parnell was also a drummer who was voted 'Best Drummer' for seven years in a row by Melody Maker magazine in the 40's and 50's. Jack's son Ric played the drummer in "Spinal Tap."

Since Vincent Price was also an excellent cook, and culinary expert, they have a panel discussion with him and Chef Pierre Lacousse and Gorgon Heap.

First Gorgon ends up eating the chef!

Much to Kermit's demise, both Gorgon and Vincent Price think that some frog legs would be tasty!

Vincent admits "I'm a bit of a Devil, but I do like frog's legs."

Next is this trio of ghosts doing a strange but fun version of The Beatles' "I'm Looking Through You."

One of the final sequences has Kermit thanking Vincent for being on the show.

They kind of goofed up this part though, but if they hadn't, the gag wouldn't have worked. Kermit tells Vincent that "In a lot your movies, you're always turning into a vampire, and well, how do you do that?" Vincent then flashes some big fangs, but the truth is, Vincent Price never played a vampire in a movie until "The Monster Club" came out in 1981, unless you want to count the "Snoop Sisters" episode called "A Black Day For Bluebeard" from 1974, that had Vincent Price as an actor playing a vampire.

 

Kermit then displays his own set of fangs.................
 

...............And proceeds to chomp down on Vincent's jugular vein!

HAPPY VIRTUAL HALLOWEEN!!

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN / "Ghost Wolf" - 1952

Here's an adventure from season one of this great series, in it, Clark, Lois and Jimmy head to Washington state to see what the problem is at the Lone Pine Timber Company paper mill (owned by The Daily Planet) where they get the wood pulp for the newspaper...

I just wanted to show this pic because it's freaking awesome!!

Anyway, all the loggers have quit because there's a rumor about a... Get ready, yeah, a werewolf!! Sam, the company supervisor on the left, talks with lumberman Jacques, who is also quitting because he says he has seen the creature!

Perry's a real grouch in this one, so, he sends the gang to Washington to investigate the wild rumors that Sam told him about, concerning the situation there.

After a plane ride, Clark, Lois and Jimmy take a train to the paper mill. On the way, the brakeman (remember the caboose?) tells them about the strange things that have been happening recently. Like, someone has been trying to cause train wrecks and the like...

Clark says he wants to take a walk, and Lois responds... A walk?!

Sensing danger, Clark uses his x-ray eyes to see if he can notice anything suspicious. And sure enough, he spots something that's horribly wrong!

And if you don't believe me, when's the last time you saw Clark react like that?!

Superman holds up a damaged bridge trestle and the train just barely makes it across before the whole thing collapses, and he flies off to join his pals. That was a close one!

And who's this mysterious woman roaming around with her wolf? Could she be the dreaded werewolf in this story?!!

Lois has her own cabin, and as she's falling asleep, the 'wolf' jumps through the window and growls at her. She screams like crazy and everyone comes running. Then she tells Clark that she's sleeping in their cabin, him and Jimmy can sleep together in one bed and she'll take the other one, get it?! Love Clark's robe.

Well, it seems that Jacques is a wereweasel, he's behind all the mayhem. Now, the ass wipe sets the forest on fire!!

Of course Lois and Jimmy get caught up in the flames, Jimmy helps Lois up after she falls down while running. I don't know why I notice these things, but, look where Jimmy's left hand is!!

Supe saves the day when he swoops in and covers his pals with his cape!

Okay, it gets a little confusing here, but, the woman, Babette, thinks Sam is responsible for her losing the land, but Jacques was playing her while he did his dirty work. She discovers the truth and Jacques grabs the rifle and threatens to kill her and Sam, and her beloved pet!! 

Well, we know that ain't gonna happen on Superman's watch. He comes up with an idea to stop the fire, he takes 5000 feet of electrical cable up into the clouds to trigger a thunder storm!

What a sight to behold! And before long, it starts pouring down and the fire goes out.

A totally drenched Clark finally shows up and wants to know if Superman could please just stop the rain! Well, another one bites the dust as we round that old Halloween Countdown bend, here at The Dungeon!!..

AGATHA CHRISTIES "POIROT" - "The Hallowe'en Party" (2011)

This Countdown To Halloween Saturday Night Special is a great story by one of the masters, Agatha Christie, titled "Hallowe'en Party" that was published in 1969.

"Poirot," also known as "Agatha Christie's Poirot," was on the air in the UK from 1989 to 2013. If you were lucky, you might have caught it on PBS or A&E in the United States.

Agatha Christie's murder mysteries are just as twisted as Edgar Wallace's, and there is no way I'm going to try and explain this story to you! I don't know enough words!

But here are the basics.....................There's a Halloween party going on!

Have you ever heard of or played the game Snap-Dragon? Apparently they would fill up a bowl with brandy, and then put raisins in it, and set it on fire, and people put them in their mouths to extingush the fire. I guess it's common in Europe and I read that it was played in the U.S. on Halloween. Sounds like a good way to burn the crap out of your mouth to me.

During the game, one young lady blurts out that she had once seen a murder!

 

Next thing you know, somebody has drowned her in the apple-bobbing barrel!!

Time to call for help from the Belgian super sleuth, Hercule Poirot!

This show is absolutely stunningly classic to look at with shots like this!

I'm colorblind and see things different than most, but to my eye, this color and beauty of this shot looks like a classical painting!

But this show isn't just about beauty, it's also creepy as Hell and yet still manages to be kid friendly, and that's a difficult task!

"Trick or Treat!"

Killer garden, literally!

Memories of happier moments from the past can also be clues if you're Poirot.

Another gorgeous shot..................

......................Just leads to more death and despair!

What a great Halloween story, and once again, you can thank The Lord for finding it for us!

"Lights Out Kiddies!! 

 

 

"The Hallowe'en Party has been published so many times, and almost all the books have cool covers like this!

 

Feeling the need? Okay then!

Why? Because we like you!