A horror host is a person who acts as the host or presenter of a program where horror films and low-budget B movies are shown on television or the Internet. Usually the host assumes a horror-themed persona, often a campy or humorous one. Generally there are breaks in the film where the host comments on various aspects of the movie. Many horror host shows also include skits involving the hosts themselves, sometimes with a sidekick or other supporting characters.
The first (proto) television horror host was Vampira (Maila Nurmi).[1]The Vampira Show featured mostly low budget suspense films, as few horror films had yet been released for television broadcast. It ran from 1954-1955 only in the Los Angeles market, but Nurmi's persona (based on cartoonist Charles Addams's "Morticia" character) would gain fame in magazines, TV, and film. In 1957, John Zacherle of Philadelphia's WCAU (and later in other markets) set the standard format for horror hosts with his "Roland" character for the station's Shock Theater. This was made possible due to RKO Pictures' new ownership licensing out the rights to its vast B-movie horror film library. Zacherle's set, style, film commentary, and special effects (such as interjecting his image into the film) were quickly emulated at local stations around the world, and as an homage today by hosts such as the nationally syndicated Svengoolie (Rich Koz).
Each station had its own host and style. Some hosts did regular commercials, while others presented fictional ads for bottled witches' blood.[2] Hosts were often plucked from the ranks of the station 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 hastily to another part of the sound stage for a quick costume change to present the evening's monster tale.
While a few early hosts like 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 often remembered with great affection today.[4]
Later hostsedit
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 to become 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. Today, two horror hosts who also started in the early 1980's dominate the genre: Rick Koz as "Svengoolie", who serves up a traditional but light-hearted weekly broadcast on MeTV; and John Bloom as "Joe Bob Briggs" on AMC Shudder's 'The Last Drive-In'. A journalist and B-movie film critic, Bloom's unique take on the Horror Host genre is to juxtapose deep-dive film analysis to a stereotyped redneck persona.
^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. ISBN0-7864-0940-1.
^"Night Harbingers of Horror". Life. 1958-05-26. p. 63. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
^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.
^Culham, Devin (April 3, 2019). "Late-night TV horror host Ron 'The Ghoul' Sweed dead at age 70". Metro Times. Detroit: Euclid Media Group. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
^Kiska, Tim (April 3, 2019). "Legendary '70s TV horror host the Ghoul, a.k.a. Ron Sweed, has died". Detroit Free Press. Detroit: Gannett Company. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
Further readingedit
Counelis, Paul (2014). 11:59 and Counting: Horror Hosting in the 21st Century. ISBN978-1312262577.
External linksedit
Horror Host Hall of Fame The official Hall of Fame for Horror Hosts of all generations.
Horror Host Directory Listing of current and recent horror hosts including viewing locations.
American Scary - Documentary: A look at the nation's tradition of horror hosting, from Zacherley to A. Ghastlee Ghoul
A magazine dedicated to Horror Hosts and Movies.
November 23, 2023
horror, host, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, 2018, templat. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Horror host news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2018 template removal help A horror host is a person who acts as the host or presenter of a program where horror films and low budget B movies are shown on television or the Internet Usually the host assumes a horror themed persona often a campy or humorous one Generally there are breaks in the film where the host comments on various aspects of the movie Many horror host shows also include skits involving the hosts themselves sometimes with a sidekick or other supporting characters Contents 1 History 1 1 Early hosts 1 2 Later hosts 2 Notable hosts 2 1 1950s 2 2 1960s 2 3 1970s 2 4 1980s 2 5 1990s 2 6 2000s 2 7 2010s 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory editEarly hosts edit The first proto television horror host was Vampira Maila Nurmi 1 The Vampira Show featured mostly low budget suspense films as few horror films had yet been released for television broadcast It ran from 1954 1955 only in the Los Angeles market but Nurmi s persona based on cartoonist Charles Addams s Morticia character would gain fame in magazines TV and film In 1957 John Zacherle of Philadelphia s WCAU and later in other markets set the standard format for horror hosts with his Roland character for the station s Shock Theater This was made possible due to RKO Pictures new ownership licensing out the rights to its vast B movie horror film library Zacherle s set style film commentary and special effects such as interjecting his image into the film were quickly emulated at local stations around the world and as an homage today by hosts such as the nationally syndicated Svengoolie Rich Koz Each station had its own host and style Some hosts did regular commercials while others presented fictional ads for bottled witches blood 2 Hosts were often plucked from the ranks of the station 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 hastily to another part of the sound stage for a quick costume change to present the evening s monster tale While a few early hosts like 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 often remembered with great affection today 4 Later hosts edit 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 to become 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 Today two horror hosts who also started in the early 1980 s dominate the genre Rick Koz as Svengoolie who serves up a traditional but light hearted weekly broadcast on MeTV and John Bloom as Joe Bob Briggs on AMC Shudder s The Last Drive In A journalist and B movie film critic Bloom s unique take on the Horror Host genre is to juxtapose deep dive film analysis to a stereotyped redneck persona Notable hosts edit1950s edit Gorgon Marvin Morgus the Magnificent Selwin Tarantula Ghoul Vampira Zacherley 1960s edit Bill Chilly Billy Cardille Coffin Joe Deadly Earnest Ghoulardi Gorgon Moona Lisa Morgus the Magnificent Sammy Terry Selwin Sir Graves Ghastly Superhost Vegas Vampire Bob Wilkins 1970s edit Big Chuck and Lil John Bob Wilkins Bowman Body The Cool Ghoul Count Gore de Vol Count Scary Dr Creep Doctor Madblood Dr Shock Edwin Uncle Ted Raub Fritz the Nite Owl Ghost Host The Ghoul 5 6 7 Morgus the Magnificent Sammy Terry Sinister Seymour Sir Cecil Creape Svengoolie Victor Ives Sinister Cinema Vincent Price 1980s edit Al Grampa Lewis Bob Wilkins Bowman Body Commander USA s Groovie Movies Count Floyd Count Gore de Vol Count Scary Crematia Mortem Dr Paul Bearer Elvira Mistress of the Dark Freddy Krueger Fritz the Nite Owl Ghost Host Joe Bob Briggs Morgus the Magnificent Mystery Science Theater 3000 Ned the Dead Sammy Terry Stella Son of Ghoul Son of Svengoolie Svengoolie Uncle Ted 1990s edit Coffin Joe Count Gore de Vol Dr Gangrene Gilbert Gottfried Dr Sarcofiguy Joe Bob Briggs The Midnight Society Maxwell Truth Bird and Zelda Morgus the Magnificent Sandra Bernhard Svengoolie Ernst Hugo Jaregard Edwin Uncle Ted Raub 2000s edit Count Gore de Vol Dr Gangrene Dr Sarcofiguy Jami Deadly Morgus the Magnificent Mr Lobo Penny Dreadful XIII Svengoolie 2010s edit Count Gore de Vol Dr Gangrene Elvira Mistress of the Dark Joe Bob Briggs Morgus the Magnificent Penny Dreadful XIII Sharon Needles Svengoolie Captain Calico Drake Eulogy MortemSee also editAmerican Scary Cinema Insomnia Creature Double Feature Creature Features Creature Features WNEW Creature Feature WTOG Horror hosts in comicsReferences edit 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 amp Company ISBN 0 7864 0940 1 Night Harbingers of Horror Life 1958 05 26 p 63 Retrieved 2023 05 13 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 Schmaltz Anita August 22 2001 What s a Ghoul to do Metro Times Detroit Euclid Media Group Retrieved April 5 2019 Culham Devin April 3 2019 Late night TV horror host Ron The Ghoul Sweed dead at age 70 Metro Times Detroit Euclid Media Group Retrieved April 5 2019 Kiska Tim April 3 2019 Legendary 70s TV horror host the Ghoul a k a Ron Sweed has died Detroit Free Press Detroit Gannett Company Retrieved April 5 2019 Further reading editCounelis Paul 2014 11 59 and Counting Horror Hosting in the 21st Century ISBN 978 1312262577 External links editHorror Host Hall of Fame The official Hall of Fame for Horror Hosts of all generations Horror Host Directory Listing of current and recent horror hosts including viewing locations 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 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Horror host amp oldid 1184475751, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
