Movie Hosts

[Lincoln Thorn]

Howdy friends!

Being a child raised mostly by Television, one of my fondest memories are the late night movies that air locally when I was growing up. From Monsters, creatures, and Evil-doers of the night, Friday nights were always a lock for entertainment.

But one of the things that made it so special to me were having the movie hosts during the screening of the films! From Elvira and Zacherle to Joe Bob Briggs, watching movies were always more special with someone to to hang out with you!

Did you all ever have any TV movie hosts on TV that you liked to watch? What are you favorite monster movies to watch late at night?

[Kenneth Horan]

My favorite horror movie host was the Son of Svengoolie, played by Rich Koz, on WFLD-TV in Chicago from 1979 to 1986. He hosted the Universal horror films. You can find clips of his intros on YouTube.

[Melvin England]

I remember when I was in Florida sometime in the 1990's watching a shambolic mess of a TV programme which incorporated a cooking programme with a couple of plonkers (silly people), interspersed with the film "Jaws" ("You're Gonna Need a Bigger Pot!"). I'm not sure if this would be classed as a "host" programme or not. Indeed, maybe our Sunshine State colleagues could confirm whether this format still goes on in that State.

Anyway, the format went something like this.....

1. Adverts. Loads of the bl***y things as per U.S. TV.

2. These plonkers announcing what they are going to cook this evening.

3. See #1

4. Plonkers introduce film....

5. Film starts (Jaws)

6. #1 again after the opening titles.

7. Jaws (for 10 minutes)

8. Plonkers prepare 1st course.

9. See #7

10. See #1

11. Plonkers back with cooking update

12. See #7

13. See #1

14. Plonkers back with the completed first course.



....... and so it went on until about 5 hours later when they had finally completed the last course and Roy Schneider could have had several more pot shots at the shark..... or had thrown himself to it out of sheer boredom!
Let me tell you, it was excruciating viewing and a complete insult to both the cooking and the film, which both demanded a lot more attention in their own rights instead of trivializing them both in this embarrassingly pointless mess.

[Osi Osgood]

I honestly forget who was the host, but there was a late afternoon movie show in which they would show half decent flicks. that was where I first saw " The Incredible Shrinking Man". We have what must be either the third or fourth "Svengoolie" on late night Saturdays, very entertaining in a B film sort of way. What makes me quite happy, is that we have, on "Me TV" a one hour weekday morning cartoon show, called "Toon on with me", complete with corny human host, "Bill the Cartoon Curator" and his fish puppet sidekick, "Toony the Tuna". I really loved waking up to my kids show hosts back in the late 60's thru-out the 70's, and I really get a kick out of the fact that my kids are able to enjoy what I enjoyed as a kid.

[Greg Perry]

Hi Melvin,

The annoying show that you mention is "Dinner and a Movie" which was a Turner Broadcasting show. The hosts which I remember were Paul Gilmartin and Annabelle Gurwitch. The whole thing seemed a bit "forced" to me, and, as you say, full of interruptions. According to imdb, "Paul and Annabelle did not get along during their time on the show. Their working relationship had gotten so bad that TBS had them go to therapy together. Gurwitch was fired from the show after six years."

Here is a link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361169/

Best Christmas wishes to you and Kathleen!

[Melvin England]

Thank you Greg, and the same to you and yours! It was really good to meet up with you at Blackpool last month. Hopefully see you there in 2022 ( or, eventually, I hope, Wildwood).

Interesting anecdote to that appalling programme, thanks. I assume Turner eventually consigned it to the rubbish bin behind the studio's ? Sad thing is that there are a hell of a lot of people between Florida and Minnesota. It seems they were all subjected to this drivel at various times. At least the TV has an "off" button !

[Chip Gelmini]

Living in Massachusetts 40 years, when I first got there, weekends channel 5 Boston (WCBV) had a movie night. It was hosted then by Frank Avaruch (Ave - Roosh). I always enjoyed tuning in after the late news to see what the title was. Sometimes I watched it, sometimes not. It was interesting how he spoke of the movie before and after the presentation. He sometimes spoke between commercial breaks - but I often found this to be a spoiler alert, which I didn't care for that much. On a cold winter's night, not far from the fireplace, it was a great way to spend a Saturday night before bedtime........

At a local theater where I worked, we hosted a local film festival running 35mm prints. it was interesting to hear the host speak of each film to the audience about what was going to be shown. Also, to listen to the question and answer part speaking with directors and actors. They had a special PA system to the booth, so I could hear what was going on down below. This was how they gave the commands to manually begin each film.

In high school my Freshman year there was an after school film study program. It was for upper classmen only. So I didn't get to take the class for extra credits. But we took turns through the A/V club working as projectionists. One of the movies I liked the best had Julie Christie in it, based on the book Farenhiehgt 451.

The memories of this hobby are sometimes just as spectacular as the films we watch.............

Chip Gelmini

[Joe Caruso]

Happy Holidays to all, special cheers to Greg and Family and Melvin and Kathleen...the only quiet host, who spoke with everyone was Joe Franklin, when helmed "When Movies Were Movies", on WNEW-TV Channel 5 here in the Metropolitan area, 1971 and so...He would tell what the film was briefly, and show it..no extemporaneous chatter...one reason I miss Robert Osborne of TCM and Bob Dorian at AMC..long back..For scary movies, no one could beat Zacherly, the Cool Ghoul...stayed up late to watch him..Cheers all, Shorty