March 30, 1968 Schedule: "The Witches Curse" and "The Outer Limits" 11:45PM

On this evening Bob shows a Mexican Horror Movie, THE WITCHES CURSE and an episode of THE OUTER LIMITS. And in the TV Guide was an ad for Bob's show: BOB WILKINS PRESENTS "THE WITCHES CURSE", ANOTHER MEDIOCRE MASTERPIECE FROM KCRA......WHERE THE NEWS COMES FIRST!

Creature Features Forever-Bob Wilkins Tribute: One Year Later!

Well it has been one full year to the day that I attended the CREATURE FEATURES FOREVER TRIBUTE TO BOB WILKINS at The Crest Theatre in Sacramento, where I finally had a chance to meet Bob Wilkins and his family. As most fans of Bob knows, He is suffering from Alzheimers Disease. If you would like to contribute to Bob's care, Check out the official Bob Wilkins Website maintained by Scott Moon at http://www.bobwilkins.net/

March 23, 1968 Schedule: "Mr. Sardonicus" and "The Outer Limits" 11:30PM

Bob shows this William Castle classic of a man who can't get rid of a grin on his face. The film starred Guy Rolfe who was in THE KING OF KINGS as well as part of the Charles Band PUPPETMASTER series of films. Bob also showed an episode of THE OUTER LIMITS.

March 16, 1968 Schedule: "The Amazing Colossal Man" and "The Outer Limits" 11:45PM

Today Bob showed a very good AIP Classic, THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN. The movie is about Col. Glenn Manning being exposed to an atomic explosion, survives but grows to 50 Ft. Tall. Bob previously showed its sequel first (WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST) back on December 31, 1966. THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN was also shown on MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE 3000. Bob also showed an episode of THE OUTER LIMITS.

March 9, 1968 Schedule: "The Maniac" and "Outer Limits" 11:45PM

Bob Wilkins showed a very interesting thriller from England called THE MANIAC, not to be confused with Bill Lustig's excellent slasher film from 1980. It is a 1963 shocker starring Kerwin (7TH Voyage Of Sinbad, The Boy Who Cried Werewolf, Nightmare In Blood) Matthews. The maniac uses a blowtorch on his victims. After this movie, Bob shows an episode of THE OUTER LIMITS.

My Final FAMOUS MONSTERS!

This is the cover of the final Famous Monsters Of Filmland when I was 16 years old in 1978, FM # 147. By this time, There was too much Science Fiction being covered. A year later, I discovered FANGORIA and that became my monster mag of choice for the next 20 years. Today my favorite monster magazine is SCARY MONSTER magazine. It covers the old monster movies I remember as a kid. Plus SCARY MONSTERS remind me alot of the original FAMOUS MONSTERS. Even more than the new FAMOUS MONSTERS by RAY FERRY. LONG LIVE THE ORIGINAL FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND!!!!

Happy 50TH Anniversary KTVU Channel 2

"THERE'S ONLY ONE TWO!" That was KTVU's jingle for many years. Since KTVU is no longer on my cable lineup, I am not sure if they still use that jingle. I will alway's remember KTVU as the home for CREATURE FEATURES, The Late Night Tradition initially hosted by BOB WILKINS in 1971 but was succeeded by JOHN STANLEY in 1979. KTVU was also home to another tradition, DIALING FOR DOLLARS MOVIE. Actually KTVU's actual Birthday was on March 3RD. Happy 50TH KTVU!!!

March 2, 1968 Schedule: "Attack Of The Robots" 11:30PM PLUS "Outer Limits"!

March 2, 1968 marks a special occasion for Bob Wilkins on KCRA Channel 3. In addition to a movie, Bob also shows an episode of THE OUTER LIMITS. Though the TV Guide only lists it as OUTER LIMITS with no information about the episode, my guess is that it was being shown in chronological order, so I am assuming that the episode being shown on this evening is THE GALAXY BEING. Also later in the TV Guides are ads confirming that The Outer Limits shows are part of Bob Wilkins Shows and not separate from his show. The Outer Limits is available on DVD. As for the movie before it, Bob shows ATTACK OF THE ROBOTS (1966) aka CARTES SUR TABLE, a Spanish-French Sci-Fi production by Cult Director, JESS FRANCO about a mad scientist using an army of robots to control people with Type O Blood.

The Most Memorable FAMOUS MONSTERS Cover!!!

Of all of Famous Monsters covers, that I remember growing up, This was the most memorable of them all. Unfortunately This was close to the end, when I gave up FM. By this time, It seemed to become a mostly Sci-Fi Magazine with lots of Star Wars and Close Encounters Covers. By chance, can anyone guess what movie, this picture is from? A couple of clues: 1.) It was released by American International Pictures. and 2.) The Special Make Up Effects were done by Rick Baker. Unfortunately, This movie is not available on Region 1 DVD. A crying shame!!!

My Very First Issue Of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND!!

This is the very first issue of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND that I ever got when I was only 7 years old. I was with my Dad when he was shopping at the HARDING WAY NEWSSTAND in Stockton, when this cover literally begged me to get this magazine. It said to me, "Little Boy, Get Me, Read Me!". And Dad bought it for me. Even though I watched Horror Movies at home, it would still be more than 4 years before I would see Bob Wilkins, even though I had heard of him. 1973 would be the year I first saw Bob Wilkins. In fact, It was about 35 years ago this year that I first saw Bob on KTXL TV 40 on Saturday Nights.

Happy 50TH Anniversary FAMOUS MONSTERS!!!

It was 50 years ago on this day (February 27, 1958), that FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND was born to publisher, Jim Warren and Editor In Chief, Forrest J. Ackerman. I first became acquainted with FM in 1968 with Issue #54 (The Alien From INVASION OF THE SAUCERMAN on the cover) when I was 6 years old. While I didn't get every issue when growing up, I got most of them until the 1970's until the Star Wars Issues kind of burned me out and I graduated to FANGORIA. I did every once in awhile during the 1970's checked out other monster magazines like CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE MONSTER TIMES (a cool monster newspaper) and HAMMER'S HOUSE OF HORRORS as well as those CRACKED MONSTER MAGAZINES.(Parodies like MAD MAGAZINE) Though the original FM died in 1983 and a new one was revived by Ray Ferry, it just wasn't the same. In fact he is folding it up this year after 50 issues as well as lawsuits back and forth against 4E. I actually prefered Dennis J. Druktenis's SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE anyway. On December 31, 1995, I finally met FJA for the first time at his legendary ACKERMUSEUM. I will never forget that day. If you want to order a replica of FM#1, Ray Ferry is selling it at http://www.filmlandclassics.com/zencart/

February 24, 1968 Schedule: "The Demon Planet" 11:30PM

Bob Wilkins showed a very good Mario Bava Film called THE DEMON PLANET which is actually the TV Title. The original title was PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES which is the title used on both video and DVD. In the 1980's, due to musical rights problems, Orion Pictures (AIP's Successor) replaced the original score on both video and subsequent TV airings by one done by Kendall Schmidt. MGM (the current rights holder) restored the original score for its MIDNITE MOVIES DVD edition.

February 17, 1968 Schedule: "The Spider" 11:30PM

Bob showed this AIP/Bert I. Gordon 1958 Classic again. (The last time, Bob showed this movie on November 12, 1966) This movie was also known as EARTH VS THE SPIDER. I actually prefer this to Universal's better known TARANTULA (1955).

It is available on DVD from LIONSGATE as part of a double feature with WAR OF THE COLLOSAL BEAST.

Sacramento TV Personality, HARRY MARTIN passes away!

Former KCRA TV personality as well as Bob Wilkins Best Friend, HARRY MARTIN passed away today of cancer at the age of 81. Harry Martin graduated from The College Of The Pacific (now UOP) in Stockton in 1951, then he worked at new Sacramento TV Station KCCC Channel 40 as a announcer. When KCCC went off the air in 1957, Harry moved over to KCRA Channel 3 to become Captain Sacto, a children's TV Host with such shows as CRUSADER RABBIT for 6 years. Harry also hosted movies in the 1960's and early 1970's (THE EARLY SHOW and MARTIN AT THE MOVIES). In 1973, Harry went to host the groundbreaking evening entertainment talk show, THE 7:30 SHOW. In 1976, it was renamed WEEKNIGHT and moved to 7:PM, where he cohosted with Bette Vasquez. After leaving WEEKNIGHT in the mid 80's, Harry became KCRA's Fulltime Entertainment Reporter. Harry retired from KCRA in 1988. He made a special appearance on KCRA's 50TH Anniversary in 1997 reprising Captain Sacto. But Harry Martin was Bob Wilkins BEST FRIEND as well as BEST MAN for Bob's wedding to his beautiful wife, Sally. Harry also made appearances on Bob Wilkins Show on KCRA as well as Bob's Final KTXL Show on February 14, 1981. Harry also appeared at the Bob Wilkins Tribute Show at The Crest Theatre last March in Sacramento. Harry's wife, Polly passed away last August of Cancer. Born as HARRY MARTIN UHLENBERG on February 4, 1927, Harry Martin is survived by his daughter, DAYNA, his son, Steven and Five Grandchildren. You can check out his obit at http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/719926.html

February 10, 1968 Schedule: "The Woman Eater" 12:30AM

On this evening, Bob shows a very interesting movie about a mad scientist capturing women to feed his flesh eating plant and somehow creating a serum to bring back the dead.

February 3, 1968 schedule: "The Revenge Of Frankenstein" 12:15AM

Bob Wilkins shows a Hammer Films classic, THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN from 1958 on this particular evening. Peter Cushing again plays Dr. Frankenstein who survived the gallows from the previous movie, THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN from help from a dwarf. It is available on DVD via SONY HOME ENTERTAINMENT.

January 27, 1968 schedule: "Beast From 20000 Fathoms" 11:45PM

On this evening, Bob Wilkins shows the Ray Harryhausen Classic, BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS that was shown before on March 25, 1967. This movie is available on DVD from WARNER HOME VIDEO. A must buy!!!!

January 20, 1968 Schedule: "Carnival Of Souls" 11:30PM

Bob Wilkins shows the classic, CARNIVAL OF SOULS on this evening. It was shown previously on July 22, 1967. As this that post, I highly recommend everyone to buy the CRITERION COLLECTION DVD and not the numerous P.D. versions floating out there though I heard good things about the LEGEND FILMS DVD version which has both a Colorized Version and a Restored Black And White Version! I still hate colorized movies!

Horror Hostess, VAMPIRA, passes away at 86 years old

Legendary Horror Tv Hostess VAMPIRA (Maila Nurmi) has passed away at the age of 86. In addition to her show on KABC-7 Los Angeles from 1954-55, she also was in movies like the Camp Classic and Golden Turkey itself, PLAN NINE FROM OUTER SPACE as well as in THE MAGIC SWORD.

January 13, 1968 Schedule: "The Mad Executioners" 12:15AM

On this evening, Bob Wilkins shows a West German produced KRIMI (Horror-Crime) made in 1963 which was based on a story by Edgar Wallace dealing with a mad scientist beheading his victims then trying to keep their heads alive. Also known as DER HENKER VON LONDON.