My Personal Recollections Of KTXL TV 40: The Early Years

I remember back in 1968 when I was a mere Six And A Half Year Old Young Boy, My Dad had told me of a new television station signing on the air on the UHF Dial. At that time, I was too young to tell the difference between VHF and UHF, I know at that time, I watched KOVR-TV Channel 13 for CARTOONLAND with Cartoon TV Host, CAPTAIN DELTA and KCRA-TV Channel 3 which aired some of the UNIVERSAL HORROR CLASSICS on SATURDAY AFTERNOONS on some HOSTLESS SHOW that I can't seem to recall the name of? Dad had gotten a UHF Antenna from some promotion KTXL was doing. And I was there when KTXL first signed on the air that Saturday Morning of OCTOBER 26, 1968 at 10:30AM. For the longest time, I knew it was some sort of Detective Movie, it wasn't until later that I discovered it was MEET BOSTON BLACKIE (1941). I do recall that there was a Test Screen for the longest time, until KTXL signed on the air with the NATIONAL ANTHEM. But what was VERY MEMORABLE that day was watching THE OUTER LIMITS for the very first time. I had read about it in FAMOUS MONSTERS and I knew KCRA-3 was showing but not until the wee hours of 1:AM if not later. I also remembered watching CAPTAIN MITCH hosting THE CAPN'S LOCKER that was similar to KOVR's CARTOONLAND with CAPTAIN DELTA (In fact, MITCH ARGUSS was the original CATAIN DELTA), in that he had a kids audience in the studio. Same for ROMPER ROOM. Then on HALLOWEEN NIGHT in 1969, KTXL broadcast a FRANKENSTEIN TRIPLE FEATURE of the original FRANKENSTEIN (1931), THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935) and THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942). I was able to watch the first two but was unable to stay up for the latter. Also in 1969 (on MAY 3), KTXL started a SATURDAY NIGHT HORROR MOVIE SHOW called BLACK MUSEUM that was initially HOSTLESS until BOB WILKINS jumped ship at KCRA-3 in 1970 and took over. The KTXL Show was on earlier initially at 8:30PM then 8:PM then at 7:PM. The Last Saturday Night Show was on MARCH 6, 1971 and the following week, BOB WILKINS moved to SUNDAY NIGHTS at 7:30PM. His Final SUNDAY NIGHT Show was on SEPTEMBER 12, 1971 and he moved to LATE SATURDAY NIGHTS at 11:30PM on SEPTEMBER 18, 1971. (Later becoming a DOUBLE FEATURE in 1972 at a 10:PM start and again by 1977 at 9:PM but by Late 1978 went back to Solo Movie at 11:PM and by 1980 to 11:30PM before he left KTXL on FEBRUARY 14, 1981). In my next post, a little on TOM LaBRIE and his WONDERFUL NIGHT COMFORT THEATRE!