"Shock Theater": What years did it run on Detroit TV?...

**Al Publican** · October-28-10, 01:14 PM

Those old enough to have caught this Friday night TV show circa 1960 that featured horror movies may remember the lead in to it that went something like, "Pull down your shades. Turn off your lights. Lock your doors. And prepare for Shock Theater!"

What years did Shock Theater run on Detroit TV? Did it run on Channel 7 and come on at 11 or 11:30pm?

One of the lasting impacts that Shock Theater had on me as a kid was not one of the horror shows but the original 1954[[?) movie version of Orwell's "1984" that starred Edmund O'Brien as Winston Smith. [[Unlike the remake of "1984" that had John Heard in the role of Winston Smith, the '50s version is seldom seen on TV and is not available on DVD, I'm told.)

Shock Theater was my introduction to Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Mummy, all good stuff around Halloween back then, or on any Friday night for a kid.

**Ray1936** · October-28-10, 02:13 PM

I remember it running as early as 1955 or maybe 1956. Was working afternoon shift, getting off at 11 p.m., and just making it home on time for Shock Theatre on Fridays. Became a regualar Friday ritual for me for a few years. Might have started at 11:15 p.m., because the news at 11 was only 15 minutes back then.

"The Mummy" was prolly my fav. But they were all good, weren't they?

**5thSFGP** · October-28-10, 02:52 PM

Wow! Shock Theater! I can remember watching my first Bela L's Dracula on channel 7. Everyone else would be upstairs in bed and there I was - afraid to turn off the lights! It seems to me that I watched Shock Theater '59-'61 or so. A real Detroit favorite as far as I'm concerned.

**Detroitnerd** · October-28-10, 02:57 PM

Too young to share, but, if I remember right, in the 1980s we had the Creature Feature [[50) and something like the Chiller Thriller [[20). The latter was unusual for its two-minute stationbreaks with footage of zombies coming out of the ground and monsters rampaging set to such songs as "Planet Claire" by the B-52s and "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin.

**mikeinmotown** · October-28-10, 07:06 PM

Shock theater started in the mid 50's. I remember watching The Incredable Shrinking Man with my Grandmother. I think it started out with a skull.

**d2dyeah** · October-28-10, 07:18 PM

Loved Shock theater..... They showed a movie that scared me for life. "Premature Burial" with Ray Milland. To this day that movie scares the S#%T out of me.

**Ray1936** · October-28-10, 10:11 PM

Just kicked in some memories. That was before I was married, and living at home with the folks. My dad and I would watch it every Friday, and we'd joke back and forth all during the darn movie, even if it creeped the bejabbers out of it. Dad died in 1961, and danged if I don't miss him terribly even today. He was special. Say hello to him at http://tinyurl.com/2vp56dj

**56packman** · October-29-10, 08:24 AM

Shock Theater was hosted by "X" who was played by "Doc" Dougall, a classically trained actor who taught English at local Universities. A friend of mine was his TA in about 1970, at the Detroit Institute of Technology, which was located in the Century Club building back then.
Doc apparently felt the need to dull the pain of teaching Freshman English to future engineers [[for most of whom English was a second language) by consuming a great deal of liquor every day. He was also "Blackfang" on another famous channel 7 show.

**13074Glenfield** · October-29-10, 01:56 PM

Sometimes, my mom and dad would let me stay up and watch this on Friday nights. I rarely was able to get passed the floating skull at the introduction. That was plenty scary enough for me! If I got past that, I'd fall asleep within a few minutes. It helped condition me to horror movies, though, which came in very handy about five years later when we'd spend Saturday afternoons watching the double feature horror movies at the Eastown.

**Ed Golick** · October-29-10, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by 56packman

. He was also "Blackfang" on another famous channel 7 show.

I think not. White Fang and Black Tooth were played by Clyde Adler, except for the week that Clyde went on vacation, when Frank Nastasi took over.

**jiminnm** · October-29-10, 07:59 PM

ray1936, your dad is from a part of Kentucky about half way between my father-in-law's family [[true hillbillies from Pike county near W Va) and my mother's family [[Graves/Fulton county) near the west end of the state.

**Ray1936** · October-29-10, 10:12 PM

He was there just long enough to be born, Jim. Grandma was on a train going from Wichita to Cincinnati when pop popped a month early. I still don't know if she returned to her home in Wichita or went on to visit her sister in Cincy. I don't suppose pop would remember either if he was still around.

**mikefmich** · October-30-10, 12:50 AM

Originally Posted by jiminnm

ray1936, your dad is from a part of Kentucky about half way between my father-in-law's family [[true hillbillies from Pike county near W Va) and my mother's family [[Graves/Fulton county) near the west end of the state.

Graves Co.? Cool......nice place. Spent many summers there as a kid.

The only place I could watch Shock Theater was when my folks went visiting to the old neighborhood of my babyhood. When I was that age, I woulda been banished to bed by 11:30pm.....right after Dick, Sonny, & Don.

Going there always meant a late night Friday, and would watch it on a little BW TV in the cellar with their daughter.
First place I got to meet Boris and Bela and Claude.

**Steve** · October-30-10, 12:11 PM

[quote=Al Publican;193938]Those old enough to have caught this Friday night TV show circa 1960 that featured horror movies may remember the lead in to it that went something like, "Pull down your shades. Turn off your lights. Lock your doors. And prepare for Shock Theater!"

The lead in also included "insulate yourself."

**Al Publican** · November-02-10, 07:00 PM

Did "Shock Theater" come on after Soupy Sale's Friday night show at 11 or 11:30 pm? Weren't they both on WXYZ Channel 7?

**DaveCushing** · April-20-12, 02:10 AM

Just searched old Detroit TV guides in the Sunday Free Presses on microfilm. Shock Theatre premiered w/ Lugosi's Dracula on WXYZ ABC Channel 7 Friday February 7th, 1958 @ 11:30pm, & again Saturday. On Friday it followed "Soupy's On" @ 11. On Saturday it followed Lou Gordon.

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · April-20-12, 08:48 AM

Dad died in 1961, and danged if I don't miss him terribly even today. He was special. Say hello to him at http://tinyurl.com/2vp56dj[/QUOTE]

Ray that is an awesome memorial to your father, having just lost my father this past Feb I can relate to missing him dearly everyday and the fact that you lost yours 52 years ago meaning I have a lot of grieving to come. I also remember watching old movies with Dad in our living room on Chalmers...such a simple part of life yet so comforting. Thanks for sharing and I appreciate the service your family gave to our country!

**Ray1936** · April-20-12, 11:05 AM

Thanks, Eastside. Family has a fine history of serving, except for me. I was too young for Korea and too old for 'Nam. So I joined the DPD and engaged in the battle of 1967. Oh, well.

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · April-20-12, 01:07 PM

IMHO....wearing the Badge as long as you did, You Served, just a different kind of Combat Zone .

**FlyingJ** · April-20-12, 07:57 PM

wasn't this the Morgus Show? George Noory of "Coast To Coast AM" dame worked on it & often has Morgus call in to his show from N'awlins http://www.morgus.com/mrgssuba.html

**MASTERGGG** · June-14-19, 04:26 PM

SHOCK THEATER, [[hosted by Mr. X) started in the fall of 1958 and continued until about 1968. Mr. X always came on with a large book in his hands an talked about the movie to be shown. After he discussed the movie he said "AND BEFORE WE RELEASE THE FORCES OF EVIL; GUARD YOURSELVES AGAINST THEM. CLOSE YOUR WINDOWS, DIM YOUR LIGHTS, LOCK YOUR DOORS. INSULATE YOURSELF AGAINST SHOCK!!!" Then his face would turn into a skull and the movie would begin! I remember seeing THE MUMMY with Boris Karloff for the first time in '58. My mother turned the lights off and opened a box of Whitman Chocolates for my brothers and I the munch on! This was the first time I saw SHOCK THEATER and didn't miss it ever!!!

**Ray1936** · June-14-19, 05:00 PM

Thanks for kicking this back up, MasterGGG! It brings back a lot of happy memories. Imagine it will for others, also!

**Dan Wesson** · June-15-19, 01:33 AM

Originally Posted by 13074Glenfield

Sometimes, my mom and dad would let me stay up and watch this on Friday nights. I rarely was able to get passed the floating skull at the introduction. That was plenty scary enough for me! If I got past that, I'd fall asleep within a few minutes. It helped condition me to horror movies, though, which came in very handy about five years later when we'd spend Saturday afternoons watching the double feature horror movies at the Eastown.

Same here....exactly.

**Pat001** · June-17-19, 05:59 AM

When the family came to Detroit to visit the grandparents my brother and sisters were allowed to stay up late and watch Shock Theater. Thanks for the memories!