For those of you who grew up in Columbus, Ohio in the 70's, or in my case a little country town called Cardington, Ohio, you could turn on Channel 10 and after the 11:00 pm news watch Chiller Theater, a segment of Armchair Theater on Friday nights. You were treated to a double feature of horror films that typically ran up 2:30/3:00 am, leaving many a adult/child sleepy eyed the next day. I was 10 or 11 years old when I noticed 2 films being show that I just had to watch. I begged/pleaded with my mom to stay up and she agreed. She tried to renege that night, but my dad took my side and I got to stay up.....ALONE!!!!
My first horror film/double feature experience was The Wolfman w/Lon Chaney Jr. and The Ghost of Frankenstein w/Lon Chaney, Jr. and Bela Lugosi. The Wolfman scared the crap out of me!! I couldn't squeeze myself any tighter into that living room chair in the corner, my heart pounding every time the Wolfman howled...wow!! Now, The Ghost of Frankenstein didn't scare me as much (thank goodness!) and I actually thought the Frankenstein monster was kinda cool. Well, that started the trend....Friday nights, pizza, pop and Chiller Theater. Eventually, my other 2 brothers would watch with me, but only 1 brother was a convert. My two favorite cousins from neighboring Marion, Ohio would join me in the fright fest on occasion. Unfortunately, while the double feature format would continue through the eighties, the old Universal Pictures movies would disappear and some of the bottom of the barrel features would be played...I swear they played The Incredible Melting Man 50 times...LOL! The show would become Night Owl Theater, with Fritz, The Night Owl featuring segments of jazz and funky graphics in the back ground. I've had the pleasure of talking to "Fritz" at the Marcon Sci-Fi convention held here in Columbus, Ohio over Memorial Day weekend, and he told me that they still used 16mm film up until the late 70's, which made the film geek part of me smile! Oh, the memories....Today, I continue to collect Chiller Theater movies in all types: 8mm/Super 8mm, 16mm, VHS and DVD. My favorite/prized movies are the films by Universal Pictures, American-International Pictures and Hammer Films!! Chiller Theater enthusiasts unite!
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I loved Night Owl Theater! I even remember watching The Incredible Melting Man. My favorites were the rubber-monster movies (Godzilla, Gamera, etc.) and anything with aliens. Although watching it by myself was always a mistake. I would end up grabbing my pillow and blanket and sleeping on the floor of my brother or mother's room so the monsters couldn't get me.
Even as a child, I remember LOVING watching the 2nd feature, which had maybe just 1 or 2 commercial breaks and then the station would show the remainder uninterupted! I guess Channel 10 would simply run out of advertisers that early in the morning.
Loved Chiller and Night Owl Theater. Also Flippo! Nothing can top those! (except Beauty and the Beast and Moonlighting). One of my many Favorite Chiller movies was The Gargoyles!
My grandmother's family is from Cardington! Know any Maxwells?
I grew up knowing a Cecil Maxwell in Cardington, Ohio!
How about a little town called Chesterville? I well remember staying up late on Friday nights, listening to that scary voice: "From the dark, forbidden depths..of man's imagination.." My sister can still recite the entire introduction! Blankets piled on the sofa, a cold bottle of Pepsi, some popcorn, and then Dan Imel - or Fritz the Night Owl. We'd usually fall asleep before the second show started. Great memories of a simpler time!
Yep, Chesterville, Marengo, Mt. Gilead, Marion...all old stomping grounds! :-)
Yay Chiller Theater! I grew up in Worthington, Ohio, and loved watching it. I'd grab a pizza and watch, practicing my art skills. 40 years later, I've had a great career as a computer graphics artist working on video games. And I got my start watching Chiller Theater! 8)
We used to beg and do chores to get our mom to let us stay up for C.T. My dad worked 2nd shift at the GM plant, so he would stop and get us kids a sack of White Castles to eat while we watched the show. Such scary good times!
Out from the mists of the endless unknown
From the dark forbidden depths of man's imagination
creep the formless fears and nameless terrors of ages beyond measure
To be transfixed for the moment on the macabre stage of -- Chiller Theater.
60 years and I still remember it.
Roy
Out from the mists of the endless unknown
From the dark forbidden depths of man's imagination
creep the formless fears and nameless terrors of ages beyond measure
To be transfixed for the moment on the macabre stage of -- Chiller Theater.
60 years and I still remember it.
Roy
Growing up in small town east of Columbus, Chiller Theatre was the ultimate thrill with that great intro. I recall being totally scarified seeing the opening scenes of FRANKENSTEIN, and struggling to stay awake after the 2nd feature started on multiple occasions. Moved away before Fritz began hosting.
I need to find some kind of copy of that beginning of this Chiller theater I grew up in Granville Ohio back in the 60s and it scared the hell out of me I was probably only 8 years old 7 years old and my sister would make you stay up late I would end up running into my parents room waking them up the beginning intro terrorize me. To be transfixed for the moment oh yeah I was transfixed all right lol
My 2 older brother's voices were in the screams of the original opening of Chiller Theater. It was called the Screaming Mimis club. Not sure how they got recruited, but might of been somehow connected to the Lucy's Toy Shop show. They were brought in to the WBNS studio with about 40 other kids. They screamed individually and then again as a group. Then they were given as many BBF hamburgers they could eat. My one brother came home with his pants pockets stuffed full of smashed hamburgers. They used that recording in the intro for Chiller Theater for many years. Can't find a copy of it anywhere unfortunately. My brother did once record it on a portable reel to reel, but was destroyed in a fire. There hopefully is an archive somewhere of it.
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