November 30, 1968 Schedule: "The Black Castle" and "Secret Agent" 11:30PM

On this evening, BOB WILKINS shows a Universal Classic

THE BLACK CASTLE starring BORIS KARLOFF, RICHARD GREENE and LON CHANEY JR. This movie is available on DVD as part of THE BORIS KARLOFF COLLECTION from UNIVERSAL HOME VIDEO. Bob also showed an episode of SECRET AGENT.

UHF NOCTURNE

I hope everyone had a HAPPY THANKSGIVING! As for myself, I baked about 100 assorted pies for work and I am tired. I wanted everyone know of an excellent website AND forum dedicated to NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TELEVISION of the 60's, 70's and 80's. It is run by LON HUBER who is part of the SHOCK IT TO ME FILM FESTIVAL in SAN FRANCISCO. The website is called UHF NOCTURNE and is located at http://www.uhfnocturne.com/ If you grew up in the glory days of Television when you needed an External Antenna as well as Rabbit Ears or even if you had CABLE TV which back then consisted of LOCAL CHANNELS and DISTANT CHANNELS (For me it was Local: SACRAMENTO and Distant: THE BAY AREA), No ESPN's, or CNN's or even THE SCI FI CHANNEL. And the only Remote Control was your hands manually changing the channels. Those were the days! And shows such as CREATURE FEATURES, CHILLER DILLER, MONSTROUS MOVIE, MOVIES TIL DAWN, NIGHT COMFORT THEATRE ruled the airwaves and the longest a commercial was, was a minute or so, not a Half Hour Infomercial we have today. Anyway, if it wasn't for Lon's UHF NOCTURNE, I probably wouldn't have come up with the BOB WILKINS BLOG. Actually that site as well as SCOTT MOON'S excellent OFFICIAL BOB WILKINS WEBSITE at http://www.bobwilkins.net/ which gave me the inspiration. Now Lon has started a discussion forum dedicated to those memories and I highly recommend everyone to check it out as well as CONTRIBUTE TO IT!!! It is located at www.theolddarkarthouse.com/www.uhfnocturne.com//forum/ Thanks Lon!!!!

HAPPY 92nd BIRTHDAY FORRY!!!

FORREST J ACKERMAN is 92 Years Old Today! He is still sick and at home in the Mini-Ackermuseum but doing much better than he was more than 3 weeks ago. He has rallied back! I hope he lives to see his 100TH Birthday. He always wanted to be The George Burns Of SCI FI. Happy Birthday 4E!!!! Check out THE CLASSIC HORROR FILM BOARD for well wishes as well as birthday greetings to FORRY at http://monsterkidclassichorrorfilmforum.yuku.com

November 23, 1968 Schedule: "Die Monster Die" and "Secret Agent" 11:30PM

On this evening, BOB WILKINS shows the AIP movie, DIE MONSTER DIE (1965) starring BORIS KARLOFF and NICK ADAMS, which was based on H.P. LOVECRAFT's THE COLOUR OUT OF SPACE. This movie is available on DVD from MGM HOME ENTERTAINMENT. Bob also showed an episode of SECRET AGENT afterwards.

November 16, 1968 Schedule: "Beast Of Morroco" and "Secret Agent" 11:30PM

On this evening, Bob shows the movie BEAST OF MORROCO (aka THE HAND OF NIGHT) followed by an episode of SECRET AGENT.

November 10, 1984 TV GUIDE LISTINGS

Well, it was 24 years ago, if you lived in the SACRAMENTO area, you had access to 3 different HORROR SHOWS during the same time slot: 11:30PM SATURDAY NIGHT. KOVR-13 had ELVIRA'S MOVIE MACABRE, KRBK-31 had the hostless SATURDAY NIGHT SHOCKER and KTXL-40 had GASP! THEATER which initially started as HOSTLESS but later TOM LaBRIE of NIGHT COMFORT THEATRE fame hosted GASP. Also SANTA ROSA's KFTY-50 had the VALLEY GHOUL at 11:30PM.

According to the listings, KICU-36 was showing THE CLONUS HORROR but at that time (1984) it wasn't a regular HORROR SHOW, Just a SATURDAY NIGHT MOVIE showing a SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE. Also No More Horror Shows for KTVU-2 and KBHK-44. KTVU's CREATURES FEATURES was cancelled on SEPTEMBER 1, 1984 and KBHK's SHOCK THEATER was cancelled SEPTEMBER 22, 1984.

November 9, 1968 Schedule: "Strait-Jacket" and "Secret Agent" 12:15AM

Well, very late Saturday or Early Sunday, however you take it, at 12:15AM, Bob showed a WILLIAM CASTLE Classic from 1964 called STRAIT-JACKET starring JOAN CRAWFORD. Afterwards, Bob shows an episode of SECRET AGENT.

Forry Ackerman Still With Us!

Despite premature reports of Forry's death, He is still around albeit in very poor condition and with Hospice with him. For updates, you can check out http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/ An excellent website dedicated to Classic Horror and Sci-Fi Movies. Here's hoping Forry's health keeps improving and he reaches 100 as he always bragged of hoping to be THE GEORGE BURNS OF SCIENCE FICTION!

November 2, 1968 Schedule: "1984" and "Secret Agent" MIDNIGHT

At The Witching Hour At Midnight, BOB WILKINS shows the movie 1984 (1956) starring EDMOND O'BRIEN, MICHAEL REDGRAVE, DONALD PLEASENCE and JOHN VERNON and based on the novel written by GEORGE ORWELL. Bob also shows an episode of SECRET AGENT.

FORREST J. ACKERMAN Ailing! Close To Death!

According to the CHFB, FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND editor-in-chief FORREST J. ACKERMAN best known as 4-E is home from the hospital suffering from pneumonia and is close to death. I am very sad at this current situation. Forry is one my my 2 Childhood Idols (The Other Being Of Course, BOB WILKINS) that I grew up with. I finally had a chance to meet him at the ACKERMUSEUM on GLENDOWER DRIVE. If I'm able to find that photo of myself with 4-E, I will scan it and post it. The picture above is RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE #83 with FORREST J. ACKERMAN on the cover drawn by the legendary artist, BASIL GOGOS, who did many FAMOUS MONSTERS covers. For More Go To http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/19869/master/1/

KTXL's WEEK OF CELEBRATION TO END!

Well, the week is up. Again HAPPY FORTY 40! I had fun celebrating FOX 40. However I sure miss the Old TV 40! The Special KTXL Show was fun. Kind of wished they concentrated more on the History Of KTXL than the ANNA PRENTICE skit. There could have been MORE BOB WILKINS and MORE CAPTAIN MITCH! More on the backgrounds and history of the MEN (and WOMEN) who worked BEHIND THE SCENES at 40. I don't even know if Former Owner and First GM, JACK MATRANGA is still with us? Nothing on 2ND GM, MIKE FISHER who KTXL raided from INDEPENDENT COMPETITOR KRBK-TV Channel 31. And especially disturbing was ONLY 10 SECONDS OF TOM LaBRIE and his NIGHT COMFORT THEATRE. And his segment was relegated to the Commercials Segment and not the Movies Segment where BOB WILKINS was at. To me, TOM LaBRIE was the KING OF ALL NIGHT MOVIES!!! But still, at least KTXL celebrated with a Special. They never celebrated before like 10TH, 20TH, 25TH or even 30TH. This is the first and who knows, only special of their past. KTXL plans to repeat the special again, tentatively on THANKSGIVING and CHRISTMA DAYS but it is not set in stone. I will announce the definate days when I know. Also while this the last of a WEEKS WORTH of CELEBRATION of KTXL, This will not be the last. Eventually I'd like to print BOB WILKINS KTXL Program Schedules as well as BLACK MUSEUM, FANTASTIC FLICK and maybe even GASP! THEATER. Who Knows?

KTXL Ads

The above are vintage TV Guide Ads for shows for KTXL TV 40. I plant continue to add more ads for time to come so visit every once in a while to see what's new? CAPTAIN MITCH ad courtesy of SCOTT MOON www.scottmoon.net

KTXL-TV 40 OCTOBER 31, 1969 Schedule

On HALLOWEEN NIGHT, 39 years ago on a FRIDAY NIGHT, KTXL-TV 40, which is barely over a year old, shows a UNIVERSAL FRANKENSTEIN TRIPLE FEATURE starting at 8:PM with the original FRANKENSTEIN (1931) with BORIS KARLOFF followed by its sequel BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935) at 9:30PM. At 11:PM, There is a variety show followed at MIDNIGHT with THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942). For some reason, KTXL skipped over the obvious second sequel of THE SON OF FRANKENSTEIN (1939), which I think is superior to GHOST. To the best of my knowlege, There was NO HOST for this HALLOWEEN NIGHT SPECIAL plus BOB WILKINS was still at KCRA-3 doing his LATE NIGHT HORROR SHOW. Also, ironically, then CBS-AFFILIATE KXTV-10 showed a HAMMER FRANKENSTEIN movie this evening at 11:30PM called THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN (1964).

Another Trivia Tidbit On KTXL-40

Did you know that the XL of the KTXL call letters are Roman Numerals for 40?

BOB WILKINS 3D Special On KTXL-TV 40 JULY 17, 1982

About a little more than a year after BOB WILKINS left KTXL, he returned to do a One Time Special in 3D of the Universal Classic: REVENGE OF THE CREATURE. It was shown on SATURDAY NIGHT on JULY 17, 1982 at 8:PM and then repeated again at 11:PM. While the 3D effects was mediocre, it was a joy to see BOB WILKINS back on the Tube. The 3D Glasses sold for $1 at CARLS JR. In fact, if you saw the vintage commercial on the KTXL Anniversary Show, you could spot a Teenage ROBBY WILKINS just behind Bob at the CARLS JR. Ironically, a BOB WILKINS WANNABE (Forgot His Name) on a show called DISASTERPIECE THEATER on competing INDEPENDENT TV STATION KRBK-TV Channel 31 had their 3D Special of their own one week later with a DOUBLE FEATURE of GORILLA AT LARGE and a martial arts movie called DYNASTY. BOB WILKINS also hosted a 3D REVENGE OF THE CREATURE on SAN FRANCISCO'S KBHK-TV 44 during the same month with a competing 3D show on JIM GABBERT'S KTZO-TV 20.

Recollections Of TOM LaBRIE'S NIGHT COMFORT THEATRE on KTXL-TV 40

Now, I'll let everyone know about my recollections of TOM LaBRIE'S NIGHT COMFORT THEATRE on KTXL-TV 40. My earliest I can remember is probably around 1975 when I was 13 years old. Looking through my TV GUIDES, It looks like ALL NIGHT MOVIES didn't start until 1974. Anyway, I remember looking through the TV Guides and finding an interesting movie listed around 3:30-4:AM. And since this was before VCR's, You either had to be an INSOMNIAC, working late or like me, going to bed early and hope you wake up early. I didn't even have an Alarm Clock. I usually went to bed at 8:PM, usually drinking lots of water and then conveniently wake up early :) Back in the 1970's, KTXL showed mostly B-Grade Movies, occasionally even Z-Grade but never the A-Grade ones. Those were usually shown during the earlier better hours. A lot of them were made between 1930 and 1965. An example of some movies, I woke up to included some of the Monogram CHARLIE CHAN films like THE CHINESE CAT & DOCKS OF NEW ORLEANS and a few Poverty Row Horror Films like THE APE MAN & BLACK DRAGONS and that occasional THREE STOOGES feature films like HAVE ROCKET WILL TRAVEL. By the 1980's, Newer movies were added but they were still of the B Grade. Surprisingly, DAVID CRONENBERG'S "THEY CAME FROM WITHIN" was shown around 1983. Even episodes of THE OUTER LIMITS and BORIS KARLOFF'S THRILLER were shown. As for TOM LaBRIE, I think he owned the LaBRIES WATERBED store that sponsored the show. On Tom's show, he didn't discuss the movies he showed. He had a few guests but not many. Tom had that mellow, soothing voice. I think, NIGHT COMFORT THEATRE was phased out around 1989 or 1990. Today, KTXL shows mostly Sitcom Reruns or that Dreaded INFOMERCIAL but at least they aren't SOLID INFOMERCIALS like KICU-TV 36. In fact, It is the INFOMERCIALs that pretty much killed off the ALL NIGHT MOVIES nationwide. A picture of me as a Teen is posted above.

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!

KTXL TRIVIA

Wow, that was such a great special that KTXL FOX 40 put on last night especially that footage of BOB WILKINS. I wished it was longer than only 2 minutes but I am Very Happy That He was acknowleged at all. Here is a little bit of KTXL Trivia, THE 10:00 NEWS is the longest running show on KTXL (24 Years) but what was the longest running show? That distinction goes to the Syndicated THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW which started at 40 in 1979 almost 30 years. It was dropped on SEPTEMBER 5 to make room for the new Morning Show FOX 40 LIVE. And on the End Credits of the FOX 40 At FORTY Special was a SPECIAL THANKS to GARY MELLO> He was the long time producer of BOB WILKINS shows.

FOX 40 @ FORTY Special Tonight After World Series At 9:PM

Don't Forget That tonight is the night of FOX 40 AT 40 special. It is scheduled at approx. 9:PM after the WORLD SERIES. Also for some reason, the FOX 40 web site, now list the special at 8:PM. My suggestion is that you turn on 40 at 8:PM and just wait for the WORLD SERIES to end. Even if it ends AFTER 9:PM, The Special will air in its entirety.

OCTOBER 26, 1968 TV GUIDE LISTINGS: Click Each Page To Enlarge.