He also put out several albums of original and parody songs along monster themes. The aforementioned fans told me i should write a book about the show, and while i had considered doing that over the years, it didnt seem to me that my adventures at discoteen would be enough to justify an entire book. In amazing detail, it traces zacherley through his tv start to shock theatre to discoteen to fm radio dj. The cool ghoul, as he was known, delighted fans for decades as the latenight television host roland pronounced roland in philadelphia and zacherley in new york city, later becoming one of americas top fm djs. It is with a very heavy and bloody heart that we lament the passing of a true icon of horror, the legendary john zacherle, aka, zacherley, the cool ghoul. September 26, 1918 october 27, 2016 was an american television host, radio personality, singer, and voice actor. Zach mentions that first class postage has gone up from 3 to 4 cents. Shock treatment, steve kronenbergs personal tribute to shock. John zacherle was a horror movie host back in the shock theater days i.
However, due to some health concerns zacherley will be cutting his hours at the show. My tribute to dr shock, shock theater, dingbat, wtvc channel. Egors chamber of tv horror hosts list of names starting. John was roland in philadelphia, an inspiration to the later dr.
Zacherley hosts a program of his personal kinescope archives of his earliest work in. Buy goodnight, whatever you are my journey with zacherley, the cool ghoul by richard scrivani isbn. The cool ghoul, original horror host john zacherley, passes away at 98. This package, which was comprised of universal horror movies and released by screen gems, brought about the initial run of latenight horror hosts which included vampira, zacherley in the northeast, and elvira.
An illustrated history, was designed by monsters from the vault artist michael kronenberg to recapture the experience that some older fans had in watching the old universal horror classics when they debuted on late night television in 19571958. Scrivani pages shock theater memories by rich scrivani in the year 1956, there were very few respectable horror films on new york television. The story of television horror hosts roland and zacherley as told in john zacherles. He continued the format of the shock theater, after march 1959 titled zacherley at large, with roland becoming zacherley and his wife my dear becoming isobe. Monks, and featuring top artists like basil gogos, ken kelly, william s. The cool ghoul, original horror host john zacherley, passes away. The book contains over one hundred pages of information and more than a hundred photos, many never seen before.
Castle of frankenstein journal frankenstein monster boris karloff john zacherley shock theatre horror host ray harryhausen stop motion rare issue no. This auction is for two vintage pinback buttons from 1950s. Goodnight, whatever you are my journey with zacherley, the. The cool ghoul, original horror host john zacherley.
Feast your eyes, glut your soul on vintage newspaper and magazine articles. Movie theaters were running sciencefiction double features by the carload, especially on kiddie matinee weekends. Here is the complete list of all 52 movies released in the original 1957 tv package shock theater. He was also the subject of numerous books about his career on horror shows and in. Coming september 22, 1958, master ghoul zacherley will host shock theater monday and friday. With his pointy teeth and sinister laugh, john zacherle, 94, became famous as a host of local tv horror films, and though retired, he still slaps on the ghoulish makeup to make appearances. The complete, ultrarare promotional book of the 1950s shock. Shock theater ran all of the classic universal horror films. Unfortunately, zacherles tenure at wabc was coming to an end. It was also announced that the name shock theatre would be retired.
As the premiere of zachs wabc show came closer, tv guide and the local papers were utilized for a promotional campaign. Jun 04, 2012 this great video was released in 1998. Z is for zacherley, the legendary horror host of shock theater fame, and in the z files the story of his uncanny career is uniquely told almost entirely via archival material. Pennsylvanianew york markets zacherley s career was very broad. The shock theater package included dracula, frankenstein, the mummy, the invisible man and the wolf man as well as a few nonhorror spy and mystery films. John zacherle was an american television host, radio personality, singer, and voice actor. Audio recording of zacherley on shock theater made 50 years ago.
Monks, and featuring top artists like basil gogos, ken kelly, william stout, and mike koneful, was created solely as a tribute to zach. Oct 28, 2016 first appearing as undertaker roland on wcaus shock theater 1957, he would cut in with comedy bits during various monster movies something very new at the time. Zach died in his upper west side apartment in new york city on thursday at the age of 98. It is out of print and a search will only yield bootleg dvdrs for sale. John zacherley was roland and his wife was my dear.
John zacherle, 94, extelevision horrormovie host, can still. His platform recording can be found on the album spook along with zacherley, which originally included a zacherley for president book and poster set which is highly collectible today. He continued in the same format as shock theater, but the studio added a y to the end of his name to help with pronunciation, and in march 1958, they changed the title to zacherley at large. The article describes zachs history until that time, with emphasis on the new york abc affiliate giving him a better time slot friday and saturday nights as well as changing the shows name from shock theater to zacherley at large. Zacherle put on the frock coat and, in october 1957, went to work as the host of the shock theater later simply shock theater, bringing with. Aug 08, 2010 the manhattan station had been airing the shock theatre package since 1957, around the same time that wcau started to run them. An introduction by the cool ghoul horror host himself, zacherley. Shock theater became a popular friday night feature on ch. If you are in the area please feel free to stop by for a few hours.
It includes two photographs of john zacherle in and out of makeup. The zacherley scrapbook is an oversized paperback book that contains a wealth of information about zacherley and his creator john zacherle. Goodnight, whatever you are my journey with zacherley. Shock theater was captivated as if crazy glued to the tv shock theater mom would let us stay up late on friday night to watch scary movies. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. Three issues were published, and zacherley acted in a commercial to promote them. A wonderful video and a nice intro to perhaps the greatest horror host. This website is my tribute to shock theater featuring. The gag included highly collectable campaign posters, buttons and book. The wcau show, shock theater and zacherles roland character quickly became a big hit. Stout and mike koneful, was created solely as a tribute to zach.
As zacherley, he hosted the latenight shock theater on wabc7 from sept. The cool ghoul, original horror host john zacherley, passes. He was best known for his long career as a television horror host, often broadcasting horror movies in philadelphia and new york city in the 1950s and 1960s. Normally, zacherley, the cool ghoul, is there to greet fans and say a kindly, hello. Shock theater programs in major cities were often introduced by local hosts in the style of zacherley or vampira such as terry bennetts marvin on chicagos wbkbtv. Three years later, he was hired as the host of wcaus shock theater, which debuted on october 7, 1957. Hosted shock theater and later chiller theater in the 60s. Host of shock theater zacherley at largechiller theater.
Various items from john brunas twovolume personal scrapbook of shock. Buttons are done in gold and black and measure om 46953332. It later occurred to me that the larger story of one zacherley fans passage from fandom to friendship just might. Oct 21, 2012 with his pointy teeth and sinister laugh, john zacherle, 94, became famous as a host of local tv horror films, and though retired, he still slaps on the ghoulish makeup to make appearances. Mar 22, 2009 the 104 page book contains the entire shock. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Jun 26, 2008 audio recording of zacherley on shock theater made 50 years ago. Creepy classics news and monster bash group zacherley is one of the earliest horror hosts to appear on television and therefor this freak never had the opportunity to see him live. The comic book anthology, zacherley s midnite terrors created by joseph m. John zacherle, the cool ghoul chiller thriller tv on roku.
April 24 begins the spring chiller theatre expo at parsippany, new jersey. Among his bestloved television programs are zacherley at large, shock theater, and perhaps his most notable, chiller theater. An allnew introduction by the cool ghoul himself, zacherley. Zacherley s fame grew in the late 50s and 60s as the king of lowbudget latenight horror movies on wcautv in philadelphia and then wabctv in new york city. Also, during march of 1959, wabc sent out a press release that announced that ghoul zacherley will be given his own show of creep films to host friday and saturday night called zacherley at large. Zacherle put on the frock coat and, in october 1957, went to work as the host of the shock theater later simply shock theater, bringing with him an endless supply of sight gags. John zacherle, 94, extelevision horrormovie host, can. Also, in 1960, he was a guest on cbstvs whats my line, on the october 30 broadcast, as the final guest. First appearing as undertaker roland on wcaus shock theater 1957, he would cut in with comedy bits during various monster movies something. His roland character became zacherley and my dear became isobel. He is john zacherle one of the first horror hosts to come along at the release of the universal monsters shock theater package in 1957. In october of 1958, the shock theater and roland would move to new. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
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