June 24, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday, June 24, 1967 at 11:30PM on KCRA Channel 3, Bob Wilkins showed "The Phantom Planet" (1961). "After an invisible asteroid draws an astronaut and his ship to its surface, he is miniaturized by the phantom planet's exotic atmosphere."

June 17, 1967 Schedule

On June 17, 1967 at 11:45PM, on KCRA Channel 3, Bob Wilkins showed "The Hand" (1960). "During World War 2, a group of british soldiers are captured by the japanese, tortured and their hands cut off. Years later, a mad killer terrorizes London by cutting off the hands of his victims." Sounds more interesting than it actually is!

June 10, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night at 11:30PM on KCRA Channel 3, Bob Wilkins showed a Universal semi-classic called "The Strange Door" (1951) starring Charles Laughton and Boris Karloff. "Sire de Maletroit is a evil madman who is determined to seek revenge against his brother who married his love instead. She had died during childbirth. His niece has now fell in love with a houseguest and is planning to flee the house of horror with the help of a manservant."

June 3, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night, June 3, on KCRA Channel 3 at 11:35PM , Bob Wilkins showed the Vincent Price Classic, "The Last Man On Earth" (1964). "Dr. Raymond Morgan is the only survivor of a devastating plague due to a mysterious immunity. He is all alone now... or so it seems. As night falls, plague victims return to life as zombies with a thirst for blood." This classic is available on a number of DVD labels, due to it being in the public domain, like Alpha, Madacy, Diamond and St. Clair Vision but the best version was issued by MGM Home Entertainment in 2005 (as a double feature with "Panic In The Year Zero").

May 27, 1967 Schedule

On KCRA Channel 3 on Saturday Night, May 27 in 1967 at 11:30PM , Bob showed the classic: "The Black Scorpian" (1957) starring Richard Denning with Special Stop Motion Animation By Willis H. O'Brien and Pete Peterson. "Giant Scorpians demolish Mexico City. They have been released from underground caverns by a series of volcanic eruptions." There was also an ad in the TV Guide advertising Bob's show which is the same from April 15, 1967: "Happiness Is Watching A Good Horror Film With Bob Wilkins Saturday Night Following Newsbeat".

May 20, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night, May 20 in 1967 on KCRA Channel 3 at 11:45PM, Bob Wilkins showed "Castle Of Blood" (1964) : "A writer accepts a bet that he cannot spend the night alone in a haunted castle on All Souls Eve. Once night falls at the castle, several who had been murdered therein return to life, reliving their deaths and seeking to kill the writer for his blood in a vain attempt to stay alive beyond that one night."

May 13, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night, May 13, on KCRA Channel 3, Bob Wilkins showed "The Headless Ghost" (1959). A definite turkey of a film. "Three teenagers encounter a ghost who is in limbo until he retrieves his lost head. They do their bit to help him find it." Sounds as bad as it is. Also in that issue of TV Guide is a big ad for Bob's show which reads like this: "We've Created A Monster-Bob Wilkins-Saturday Night Following Newsbeat-Watch Horror Films...Keep America Strong!"

Mystery Photo Solved!

Anchor Bay Entertainment DVD Producer, Perry Martin, sent me a photo of himself with Bob Wilkins when he was younger back in the early 1970's. At the time, Perry was unsure of the exact date of his appearance, but after much research, I finally have solved that mystery. The date of Perry's appearance was "July 18, 1971" which was a Sunday. Yes, Bob apparently did a show on Sunday Nights at 7:30PM before moving to Saturday Nights at 11:30PM on September 18, 1971. The movie shown on that fateful night when Perry appeared on Bob's show was "The Soul Of The Monster" (1944), a very rare movie today. I am glad to solve your mystery Perry!!

May 6, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night, May 6 on KCRA Channel 3 at 11:30PM, Bob Wilkins showed a Universal Horrific Sci Fi Classic of the 1950's: "Cult Of The Cobra" (1955). "While stationed in Asia, 6 American G.I.'s witness the secret ritual of "Lamians" (worshippers of women who change into serpents). When discovered by the cult, the High Lamian Priest vows that the cobra goddess will avenge herself. Once back in the U.S., a mysterious woman enters into their lives and accidents begin to happen. The shadow of a cobra is seen just before each death." "Cult Of The Cobra" is a true classic and stars Marshall Thompson ("It! The Terror From Beyond Space") and Faith Domergue ("This Island Earth" and "House Of Seven Corpses"). A True Classic!!!

New Rasputin Music/Movies Store Finally Open In Stockton!

Berkeley, CA based "Rasputin Music And Movies" has finally opened its doors in Stockton, CA in the former "Tower Records" building at 6623 Pacific Avenue. As most everyone knows, Tower Records went bankrupt last year and closed its Stockton location on December 19, 2006 at 10:PM.While I mourned the loss of Tower Records, fortunately for me (as well as the citizens of Stockton), Rasputin bidded for and won the lease for the Stockton Tower Records store as well as former Tower Locations in Fresno, Mountain View and Concord. The new "Rasputin" store opened its doors last Saturday, April 28. Today was my chance to visit the store. While this Rasputin pales in comparison to its location in Berkeley as well as the "Amoeba Music" Store in San Francisco, Stockton's Rasputin is comparable to its other locations. Yes, there is some unopened boxes around the store and the A.C. wasn't working (pretty hot day here in Stockton Today), it is still an awesome store! It sure beats the Tower Store that was here. Excellent selection of Genre DVD's both New And Used. I spent almost 2 hours in the store. If you live in the vicinity of Stockton, I highly recommend that you visit "Rasputin Music And Movies". The hours are currently 11:AM-7:PM, 7 Days A Week. They plan to expand their hours soon.

April 29, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night, April 29 , 1967 on KCRA Channel 3 at 11:30PM, Bob Wilkins showed "Terror In The Haunted House" (1958). "A young newlywed lady has a recurring nightmare about an ominous old house, she can't recall having seen in waking life. She later moves to Florida with her husband to live in a country house, the house in her nightmares. Then strange events begin to happen."

A Message From Sally Wilkins

Rasputin Music And Movies To Open On Saturday In Former Tower Records Store In Stockton, California!

Here in Stockton, California, We are welcoming Eclectic Music Store, "RASPUTIN MUSIC AND MOVIES" which is replacing our former "TOWER RECORDS" store. Rasputin is based in Berkeley. They have several locations in the bay area but have recently acquired the leases of 2 Central Valley former Tower Stores in Stockton AND Fresno. The Stockton Rasputin is scheduled to open this Saturday, April 28. Stockton is so lucky on getting a Rasputin as Towers replacement. It could have easily been a dollar store or a clothing store. Above are photos of before and after.

April 22, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night, April 22 at 11:45PM on KCRA Channel 3, Bob Wilkins showed only one movie: "The Atomic Man" (1956) AKA "Time Slip" starring Gene Nelson and Faith Domergue. "An Atomic Scientist is found floating in a river with a bullet in his back and a radioactive halo around his body.The radioactivity has put him seven and a half seconds ahead of us in time. He teams with a reporter to stop his evil double from destroying his experiments in artificial tungsteng." I couldn't find any posters, artwork or video covers to illustrate.

Happy 49TH Birthday To Perry Martin!

Today, I'd like to wish my friend, Perry Martin on his 49TH Birthday! Just One More Year To The Big 5-0! Perry is a big Bob Wilkins Fan also, even appearing on Bob's KTXL TV 40 show in the 1972. Lucky Perry! Today, Perry is a successful DVD Producer for Anchor Bay Entertainment producing Featurettes and audio commentaries for such DVD's as "Dawn Of The Dead Box Set" and the more recent "The Reanimator". I have posted pictures of Perry with Bob. One of him on the KTXL TV Set in 1972 and a more recent picture with Bob at his tribute show in Sacramento on March 25 of this year. Enjoy Your Birthday Perry!!!

I Miss Independent TV Stations Of Yesteryears

The days of an Independent TV Station is pretty much gone. Yes, there are still technically Independent TV Station still around but they aren't the same as the ones that were around during the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's.Today's Independent TV Stations are pretty much,Infomercials 24/7 or some type of Foreign Language. In the good old days, Independent TV Stations showed a variety of movies, kidvid programming and old classic tv reruns. In New York, there was WOR -9, WPIX-11. In Chicago, there was WGN-9 and WFLD-32. In Los Angeles, you had KTLA-5, KHJ-9, KTTV-11 and KCOP-13. In San Francisco Bay Area, both KTVU-2 and KBHK-44 ruled while there were other lesser UHF's. In Sacramento/Stockton, KTXL TV 40 pretty much ruled the roost in the late 1960's to early 1980's. Yes, KMUV Channel 31 went on the air in 1974 with an "All Movie" format which was cool, but they switched to Spanish in 1976. KMUV-31 switched from Spanish to "General Entertainment Independent" in 1981 and battled KTXL TV 40 in the 1980's until TV 40's switch to a Fox affiliation in 1986. Also in 1986, KSCH Channel 58 signed on to join the Indie Battle. By 1995, both Channel's 31 and 58 picked up the new networks of UPN and WB. Today, there are no more True Independents in Sacramento. In San Francisco, there are still 2 of them, but they aren't the same as the old true blue independents of the bygone days.

Thanks To All For Sending Bob Wilkins Birthday Cards!!

Thanks to all who sent Bob a Birthday Card. He received nearly 100 cards total. It'll take Bob at least 2 weeks to go through it. Thanks to Scott Moon for the info!

The CBS Late Movie

When growing up, in addition to Bob Wilkins and those hostless Saturday Afternoon Horror Shows, I also remember, "The CBS Late Movie". On the air weekdays from Mondays to Fridays at 11:30PM, it was the Friday Night Edition of The CBS Late Show that interested me. From 1973 until 1976, CBS showed many Horror/SciFi Movies on Friday Nights. They showed AIP Classics like "The House Of Usher", "Cry Of The Banshee", "Frogs", "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" and "The Thing With Two Heads", Hammer Film Classics like "The Curse Of Frankenstein", "Dracula Prince Of Darkness", "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed", and "Dr. Jeckyll And Sister Hyde" as well as other Horror and SciFi Classics like "The Valley Of Gwangi", "The House That Dripped Blood", "Trog", "Beware The Blob" and "The Fearless Vampire Killers". It was literally a whos who of genre flicks. Now in Northern California, in San Francisco, CBS affiliate KPIX Channel showed its own local late movie and delayed the Friday Edition of "The CBS Late Movie" to Sunday Nights. In the Sacramento-Stockton, We were a bit more fortunate. While KXTV Channel 10 decided not to carry the Friday Edition at all in favor of their own local late movie, Sacramento Independent TV Station, KTXL TV 40, aired it instead, from 1974-75. In 1975, KXTV Channel 10 decided to carry the Friday Edition of The CBS Late Movie, but like KPIX Channel 5, Channel 10 aired it on Sunday Nights which sucked because I had to be in school early the next day. By 1977, CBS started airing TV Show reruns like "Kojak" instead of the movies. I will forever remember "The CBS Late Movie: Friday Edition".

Happy 45TH Birthday To Me!!!!

Wow, today is MY Birthday! I am 45 years old. I was born 30 years after Bob Wilkins (He was born April 11, 1932). Here is a picture of me with actor "Sid Haig" (Spider Baby, House Of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects, Kill Bill ) taken at the Fangoria Weekend Of Horrors Convention in San Jose, California on January 6 of this year. As for me, I will be spending my birthday today researching more on Bob Wilkins for my blog!

Those Wonderful Hostless Horror Shows On Saturday Afternoons!

While Bob Wilkins rule on Saturday Nights (and on Friday Nights too on KTVU), let's not forget those Horror/SciFi Movies that were shown on Saturday Late Morning/Afternoon without a horror host. With Cable TV in Stockton, I was able to view such shows not only from Sacramento but also from the Bay Area. These shows were geared for most children who wanted their monster fix but couldn't stay up late. There was "Fantastic Cinema" on KTXL TV 40 initially at 11:AM on Saturdays. (but would later change to 10:30AM, 2:PM and 2:30PM) There was also "Monsterous Movie" on KBHK Channel 44. It started out as a single feature later went double feature and back to single. It was on both Noon as well as 1:30PM. Most of the movies shown on KBHK were AIP Classics. "Monsterous Movie" proved so popular in the Bay Area that KTVU Channel 2 (Home Of "Creature Features"), started their own Saturday Afternoon Hostless Horror Show at 1:PM called "Chiller Diller". Most of those movies were the Universal Classics. There were some other hostless shows in the early evening like KTXL's "Black Museum" as well as KGSC Channel 36 on Sunday Nights at 10:PM (not sure the name of the show?) , but I will write about that show later. I will also list the movies shown on those wonderful hostless horror shows from the past. I will also write about certain movie shows that would occasionly would show horror/scifi movies like KCRA Channel 3's "Valley Playhouse",KGO Channel 7's "3:30 Movie" and "The CBS Late Night Movies". (The latter which had many excellent horror movies on Friday Nights.)