Murder Before Midnight (WBKB; 1950-1953)

 

MURDER BEFORE MIDNIGHT 

WBKB-4, Jan. 23, 1950-Aug. 24, 1953; Chicago, Illinois

Host: Drana Badour the Swami (Allen Harvey & Art Hern)

During the dawn of the 1950s, local Chicago television station WBKB-4) was, in all actuality, ahead of its time when it produced and aired a little programmer called Murder Before Midnight. Every week a different movie thriller would be showcased and hosted by an unusual Swami character, who went by the name of Drana Badour. The strange mystic spoke in an eerie voice and wore the appropriate attire and turban. The show's macabre theme music would play as the time grew nearer for the film to begin. Captivated television viewers would then be lured into Drana Badour's crystal ball where the week's mystery or horror thriller would start.

Very little is known about this obscure television gem, but filmmaker and author Donald F. Glut (Dinosaur Valley Girls; The Erotic Rites of Countess Dracula) has stated that the show debuted on January 23, 1950, and he has generously shared knowledge about Murder Before Midnight at the Monster Kid Classic Horror Forum. Likewise, authors Ted Okuda and Mark Yurkiw have also provided a brief background of the program in their insightful book Chicago TV Horror Movie Shows from Shock Theatre to Svengoolie (2007; Lake Claremont Press; 1893121135). However, Okuda and Yurkiw have erroneously commented that the show ended its run in 1952. Ol' Sicko-Psychotic himself has picked up his shovel and did a little digging of his own, only to discover that Murder Before Midnight continued its run until August 24, 1953, according to the TV listing section in the Illinois newspaper - the Freeport Journal.

Murder Before Midnight was unique in that it not only had a creepy host as the master of ceremonies, the first of his kind in television history, but the show also featured a movie thriller in nightly installments, Monday through Saturday from 11:30 pm - 12:00 midnight. The half hour program would then usually be followed by the Nite Owl Movie, which showcased a random mix of full-length movies from various genres. Beginning on June 17, 1951, however, the WBKB studio began to do something special with Murder. On Monday nights, the local TV station started showing the entire length of the week's feature from 11:30 pm until 1:30 am. On these nights, Murder would be followed by the Ulmer Turner News prior to the station going off the air until later that morning. 

Considering how quickly and frequently shows were cancelled during the golden age of television, it's apparent that Murder Before Midnight had a successful run locally. No doubt that introducing a viewer-participation gimmick added to the show acquiring a loyal following. "After the movie segment was over," Glut has stated, "the Swami would do an over-the-air quiz, phoning people at home and asking questions relating to the movie. Winners got a jackpot prize offered by sponsor Allied Motors." 

Although the Swami Drana Badour hosted such horror titles as The Ape Man (1943), Revenge of the Zombies (1943), The Face of Marble (1946), etc., the majority of the program consisted of mystery and suspense chillers. Similar films found themselves as part of the film repertoire of later TV horror hosts that soon followed in the Swami's footsteps (i.e., Vampira's Lady of Horrors, 1954-1955, KABC and Vampira, 1956, KHJ; Dr. Diablo's Terror! Theatre, 1957, KCOP; Ottola Nesmith's Nightmare!, 1957-1958, KTLA). A couple of the Swami's known mystery and suspense flicks -- Red Dragon (1945) and The Panther's Claw (1942) -- were presented by other horror hosts, such as Vampira and Dr. Diablo, in their own programs. It's very likely that even more of the Swami's films would have appeared in the shows previously mentioned if they would have lasted as long as Murder Before Midnight did. The reason for so many suspense thrillers in these early programs was due to the fact that horror pictures were difficult to acquire and at affordable prices, as Maila Nurmi (a.k.a. Vampira) had once pointed out. These were local shows, after all, and they had a modest budget. Sadly, this is still the case in current times, which is why most horror hosts continue to show the same features, usually in public domain, as their colleagues.

Originally, the man behind the turban was WBKB's very own television announcer Allen Harvey (see top pic). Eventually, actor Art Hern took over the role of the mystic Drana Badour. Hern was a former radio actor, best remembered as one of the cast in the 1939-1949 radio program Captain Midnight. After the cancellation of Murder Before Midnight in 1953, Hern was cast as a regular in the television series The Happy Pirates, a children's program which starred Dick Two Ton Baker (see pic on the left). At the time, WBKB changed ownership and was bought by ABC (Channel 7). Over the decades, Art Hern continued to work in various films, such as Simon, King of the Witches (1971) and Transylvania Twist (1989), up until his death at the age of 90.

FILMS SHOWN (Incomplete):

The Accused (1949)

*The Ace of Spades (1935)

*The Ape Man (1943)

*Below the Deadline (1936)

*Blake of Scotland Yard (1937)

*The Case of Charles Peace (1949)

*Charlie Chan in the Secret Service (1944)

*The Corpse Vanishes (1942)

*Dark Alibi (1946)

*Detective Kitty O'Day (1944)

The Face of Marble (1946)

*Hammer the Toff (1952)

*The Important Witness (1933)

*The Intruder (1933)

* Lord Edgware Dies (1934)

*Meet Sexton Blake (1945)

The Night Comes Too Soon (1947)

*The Night Has Eyes (1942)

*The Panther's Claw (1942)

*Paul Temple's Triumph (1950)

*The Phantom Shot (1947)

Red Dragon (1945)

Return of the Ape Man (1944)

*Revenge of the Zombies (1943)

*Salute the Toff (1952)

Shadows Over Chinatown (1946)

*A Shot in the Dark (1935)

*Someone at the Door (1936)

Tangled Evidence (1934)

There Goes Kelly (1945)

*The Thirteenth Guest (1932)

*Three Witnesses (1935)

*White Zombie (1932)

*Woman in the Shadows (1934)

FREE Horror Movies on The Monster Channel !!!

 The Monster Channel streams horror movies 24/7 and many of them are hosted by your favorite macabre masters of ceremony like... Arachna of the Spider People, Dr. Dreck, Mistress Malicious, Horrible Henry & Mad Marty, Penny Dreadful XIII, Dr. Sarcofiguy, Sally the Zombie Cheerleader, Octavian Hallow, Hack, Lamia, Scarlett Kaiju, Bobby Gammonster, Vincent Grimmly, Roxsy Tyler, and Sicko-Psychotic the King of Ghouls (a.k.a. actor Jim Childs).

The Monster Channel Ghoulzette !!!

 

The Ghoulzette is a promo ad featuring The Monster Channel's programming. These two feature las vegas actor Jim Childs as Sicko-Psychotic the King of Ghouls hosting the films The Vampires Night Orgy (1973) and Blood and Roses (1960). Other hosts include Octavian Hallow, Lamia, Horrible Henry and Mad Marty, reviewer Dr. Dread, etc.

The First Horror Host Game Set !!!

 

Papa Fleckba's Horror Host Hell game features all of your favorite horror hosts (including yours cruelly Sicko-Psychotic the King of Ghouls, Cameo, Silky Harlot, and our Sick-Shack). It's sold through Phoenix Comics and Toys and any of the collectible mini-figurines (i.e. Dr. Shock, Bob Wilkins, John Stanley, Rhonda Shear, Mr.Lobo, Dr. Wolfenstein, Penny Dreadful XIII, etc.) can be used to play this wild and creepy dice-rolling race to the finish game. 

LINK: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PhoenixComicsToys?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1131044927&page=1#items 

Horror Host meets a Swamp Monster !!!

Get ready to scream... or maybe even laugh! They kinda sound the same sometimes!! Promo for "Swamp of the Lost Monsters" episode of The Super Shock Show was hosted by actor Jim Childs as Sicko-Psychotic the King of Ghouls. It aired Saturday - JUNE 4th, 2022 on The Monster Channel and various television stations.

The NEW Sin City Horror Club !!!

 

Las Vegas locals who love horror movies have a new platform to network with like-minded fans of the genre and it's called Sin City Horror Club. It's a Facebook group where everyone shares what's what and what's happening in the horror community of Sin City. 

It's run by film director and composer Knik Woods (Clemency Blvd; Shoe Gazer) over at GhostChaser Productions and he's taken the group to another level by hosting the Vintage Horror Screenings (VHS) at the Millennium FANDOM BAR, a wonderous sci-fi/fantasy/horror themed establishment located at 430 Hoover Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89101. These events are hosted once a month and it is a great place for group members + friends to meetup and hang out in a casual and friendly environment... must be 18 and over.   

Vintage Horror Screenings was first launched on September 20th, 2023 with a showing of the gore classic "Saw" (2004). All films shown are screened from actual VHS tapes, taking us on a nostalgic trip in time when video stores were often the go-to source for watching all of your favorite movies. As of this post, the other films shown thus far have been An American Werewolf in London, Black Christmas, Candyman, Dawn of the Dead, and a double feature - Child's Play 2 and Bride of Chucky. 

I, and a friend, of mine have been going to VHS since it started and it has been a lot of fun. There is also a trivia session right before the start of the film in which you can win prizes. As you can see in the following pics, I'm goofing off with R2-D2 and showing what I won during trivia. 

You can join the Sin City Horror Club at: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/sincityhorrorclub ;

Their Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/sincityhorrorclub/ ;

Follow the Millennium Fandom Bar on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/millenniumfandombar 

You can also follow me, Jim Childs, on Instagram at: 

https://www.instagram.com/officialjimchilds/ 

 

Terrence Sir (a.k.a. John Barclay)

TERRENCE SIR (John Barclay)

Nightmare Theater (Jan. 29, 1958-1958; KRON-TV; channel 4; San Francisco, California)

Voice actor, TV and radio producer John Barclay took over hosting Nightmare Theater as Terrence's father, Terrence Sir. It aired Wednesday nights at 10:35 pm. "To introduce Nightmare Theater on KRON in San Francisco, John Barclay enters as a two-faced monster from studio mummy's tomb wearing a grotesque mask on the back of his head and speaking in sepulchral tones learned during long years as a Shakespearean actor," is how LIFE magazine (May 26, 1958) described the host and the show. 

The Daily Independent Journal (Feb. 7, 1958) revealed much more information about the new host's debut and take over of Nightmare Theater: "Fans of the 'Nightmare' TV show have been startled the last two weeks to see a new face - and a bearded one at that. It belongs to Terrence Sr., father of Terrence Jr. who has been acting as host of the horror program on KRON. Senior stirred his creaky bones and left the comfortable dampness of his mummy's cage, just to return to life and see how Junior was making out with the television audience. During the course of a chat last Wednesday, Pop learned Son was doing fine, only he was getting a bit tired and and could use a little vacation. Now, you'll be seeing Senior on 'Nightmare' every Wednesday while Junior rests his creaky joints in the family tomb. Oh, yes, Terrence Sr. is really John Barclay of Sausalito, whose mannerisms on the air are faintly reminiscent of Boris Karloff. Barclay has had a long career as an... opera singer, dramatic actor and radio-TV writer [and] producer." The films shown were from the Shock! package.

FILMS SHOWN: The Black Cat (1934); Calling Dr. Death (1943); Chinatown Squad (1935); Dead Man's Eyes (1944); Dracula (1931); Dracula's Daughter (1936); Enemy Agent (1940); Frankenstein (1931); The Frozen Ghost (1945); The Invisible Man (1933); The Mummy (1932); The Mummy's Ghost (1944); The Mummy's Tomb (1942); The Mystery of Marie Roget (1942); Mystery of the White Room (1939); Sealed Lips (1942); The Strange Case of Doctor Rx (1942)

April Fools Frights !!!

I wonder how many of you sickies actually fell for this April Fool's prank? Hahah!!! Courtesy of The Monster Channel of course. Horrible Henry and Mad Marty, the Bone Jangler, and myself - Sicko-Psychotic - all presented classic monsters, but they were public domain versions (e.i. "Count Dracula and His Vampire Brides") heheh. Still, a good time was shared by all. Make sure you tomb into the Monster Channel to watch all of your favorite hosts 24/7. Now available on roku!

 

Crematia Mortem Retro Fan-Tee On Sale!

 

Ol' Sicko-Psychotic (Jim Childs) just got artist Bradley Beard's recreation of the original fan Tee of legendary horror hostess Crematia Mortem (Roberta Solomon) from "Creature Feature". You too can get this Limited Edition fright classic. (Sicko-Psychotic TV series)

Shock!: Screen Gems

In 1948, when Columbia Pictures decided to expand the company and enter the new media realm of television production, they needed a name for their subsidiary company. They chose to use the already-established Screen Gems.

By 1956, after several years of producing successful television programs, they also began to syndicate theatrical films from Columbia's own archives. However, for fans of classic horror movies, August 27, 1957, marks a significant historical point in time when Screen Gems obtained the rights to syndicate, for a duration of ten years, over 550 of Universal-International's motion pictures.

The films were compiled into themed packages in order to entice television stations throughout the United States to purchase them in bundles. Regardless of the number of movies featured in a particular package, it is suspected that television stations were able to barter the quantity of titles and the price. 

One of the most popular packages was called SHOCK! It was such a success, that even today, fans continue to pay tribute to it. The package featured 52 films from Universal-International's vault and consisted, primarily, of their most cherished horror film classics (i.e., Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, The Wolf Man, etc).

The promotional SHOCK! media book was 11 x 14 inches and was printed on thick, glossy stock paper. The moment you opened the book to the first page, the figure of Frankenstein's Monster would pop up.

The splashy pages that followed attempted to convince television stations of the appeal these films would have on their audience.

The SHOCK! media kit also offered suggestions on how to promote the films as part of a recurring "Shock!" program that would create anticipation, excitement, and lure new viewers.

Conveniently, the book contained a page for each film, which included an image, synopsis, credits, promotional media material, and cast bios, in order to assist television stations in promoting the film they would be airing. Some titles in the SHOCK! package, such as Enemy Agent, The Mystery of Marie Roget, Sealed Lips, and The Spy Ring, were mystery, suspense, and spy flick thrillers, which most TV stations tried to avoid including as part of their horror-themed program. Periodically, however, stations found it necessary to use some of these non-horror titles as fillers when obtaining additional, and affordable, horror films proved difficult to obtain.

For quick reference, all 52 SHOCK! films and their catalog number are listed below:

1. The Black Cat (1934) #693
2. Calling Dr. Death (1943) #694
3. The Cat Creeps (1946) #695
4. Chinatown Squad (1935) #696
5. Danger Woman (1946) #697
6. A Dangerous Game (1941) #698
7. Dead Man's Eyes (1944) #699
8. Destination Unknown (1942) #700
9. Dracula (1931) #701
10. Dracula's Daughter (1936) #702
11. Enemy Agent (1940) #703
12. Frankenstein (1931) #704
13. Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) #705
14. The Frozen Ghost (1945) #706
15. The Great Impersonation (1935) #707
16. Horror Island (1941) #708
17. House of Horrors (1946) #709
18. The Invisible Man (1933) #710
19. The Invisible Man Returns (1940) #711
20. The Invisible Ray (1936) #712
21. The Last Warning (1938) #713
22. The Mad Doctor of Market Street (1942) #714
23. The Mad Ghoul (1943) #715
24. Man-Made Monster (1941) #716
25. The Man Who Cried Wolf (1937) #717
26. The Mummy (1932) #718
27. The Mummy's Ghost (1944) #719
28. The Mummy's Hand (1940) #720
29. The Mummy's Tomb (1942) #721
30. Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) #722
31. Mystery of Edwin Drood (1935) #723
32. Mystery of Marie Roget (1942) #724
33. Mystery of the White Room (1939) #725
34. Night Key (1937) #726
35. Nightmare (1942) #727
36. Night Monster (1942) #728
37. Pillow of Death (1945) #729
38. The Raven (1935) #730
39. Reported Missing (1937) #731
40. Sealed Lips (1942) #732
41. Secret of the Blue Room (1933) #733
42. Secret of the Chateau (1934) #734
43. She-Wolf of London (1946) #735
44. Son of Dracula (1943) #736
45. Son of Frankenstein (1939) #737
46. The Spider Woman Strikes Back (1946) #738
47. The Spy Ring (1938) #739
48. The Strange Case of Doctor Rx (1942) #740
49. Weird Woman (1944) #741
50. Werewolf of London (1935) #742
51. The Witness Vanishes (1939) #743
52. The Wolf Man (1941) #744

Surviving Footage of Lon Chaney: Alas and Alack (1913)

Evil Fairy destroys the love between a Prince and a Fishermaid

The summoning of the Hunchback Fate (Lon Chaney)

The Fishermaid (Cleo Madison) imprisoned inside a shell

Screenshot of Chaney in surviving footage of Alas and Alack (1913)

Arthur Shirley, Mary Kierman, and Madison  

Lon Chaney also plays The Fisherman

Elvira's Box of Horror / Elvira's Horror Classics (2004)

ELVIRA'S BOX OF HORROR (a.k.a. Elvira's Horror Classics) (2004)

TIME LIFE Video; Direct Holdings Americas Inc.

Script: Cassandra Peterson, Doug Cox, John Moody, Billy Altman

Cast: Cassandra Peterson (Elvira, Mistress of the Dark)

In 2004, horror movie hostess Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, proved that celluloid nightmares really can come true. Lying back on that familiar couch, the queen of schlock returned to show us her Box of Horror... and you wouldn't believe what it contained: a talking Venus flytrap, an angry head, restless spirits, human organs, a killer's lethal weapon, and other ghastly surprises. Why, her whole box was filled with enough ghoulish goodies to raise the dead, rattle some bones, and feed an army of zombies! Released by TIME LIFE video, the films were initially issued as double features called Elvira's Horror Classics. These DVDs were also made available in one fine package called Elvira's Box of Horror, containing a total of six B-movie "clas-sicks," as Elvira likes to call them. That's six, count 'em, SIX glorious nights of just you, a bag of popcorn (don't forget the butter), and Elvira's Box of Horror... that is, unless you watch them as a double feature, then that would be THREE frightfully fun nights with Elvira! Orrr... if you don't have any house chores or a job, you can watch them all in one sitting and spend the looong entire night with the one and only Mistress of the Dark. What more could one ask for? Maybe a job to pay for these DVDs. Just sayin'.

Now, you may be asking "What about Elvira? Does she DO anything but lay on her couch? Does she PARTICIPATE?" Of course, silly sickies! Elvira introduces the flicks, makes recurring and enlightening comments (like, why are we watching this crap?), goes on dates with characters from the films, and kicks us out of her crypt after she's done. What a woman! Want to know more? The following double-feature guide to the 3 DVDs contained in Elvira's Box of Horror reveals what kind of shenanigans you can expect from the iconic horror movie hostess.

1. House on Haunted Hill / Night of the Living Dead (1955 / 1968) While hosting the 1959 Vincent Price (Tower of London; Pit and the Pendulum) classic, Elvira introduces herself as "that DVDiva who gives the boys a feva," and throws an Elviraware Haunted House Party. Always looking to make a quick buck, everyone's favorite couch warmer tries to give us her best pitch while selling coffin-shaped Tupperware that screams when you open it. "Wouldn't you like to keep things, like food, flesh, and cadavers, fresh forever?" Included with the purchase, buyers also get an additional container, "that's ideal for storing a head of lettuce... or... a... severed head. Flies and maggots just can't get in." Despite throwing in 2 additional melon holders, Elvira has a difficult time selling her wares and resorts to threats. / Elvira proudly proclaims that she's "your hot horror honey who's in it for the money," as she gives George A. Romero's (Hungry Wives; The Crazies) ultimate zombie picture the class-B treatment. Having shown this film more often (throughout the decades) than any other flick, you have to believe her when she claims that this is her favorite horror movie of all time. (Remember back in the day when she used to promote Attack of the Killer Tomatoes as her all-time favorite? Maybe, like a dress, she outgrew it for something a little more mature.) This time around, Elvira's "redneck family," who are actually made up of members of the main cast and zombies in the film, drop by to watch the picture with us. Observing the mess they are making, Elvira confesses to us, "Now you know why I left home at the age of 3," and drinks six flaming zombies in order to get through the night. Later, never short on ideas for trimming down our oversized wallets, Elvira acts as a spokesmistress for the Adopt a Zombie Foundation. "Affiliated with the Inhumane Society," she assures us. What follows is a plea to give abandoned zombies a good home. "Forced to live in the wild, they roam in packs and forge for food," and "playful and rambunctious, zombies make wonderful pets. They're so affectionate, they'll follow you everywhere."

2. The Little Shop of Horrors / The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1960 / 1962) Labeled King of the Quickies, director Roger Corman (Swamp Women; Attack of the Crab Monsters) falls under the scrutiny of that sassy lassie, Elvira, who wonders if he has ever met her friend Wanda, Queen of the Quickies, "she can be made in two minutes!" During her research for the film, Elvira looks up the definition for "horticulture," but can't seem to find it listed under "WH." More movie insights from the Mistress of the Dark reveal that a very young Jack Nicholson (The Shining; Batman) has an S&M scene. "I just don't understand why anybody would be into S&M," she admits, "it sure beats the Hell out of me." Not surprisingly, Elvira likes to call this cheesy horror-comedy classic 'The Best Little Horror House in Hollywood.' "I said 'horror,'" she scolds us. "Get your mind outta the gutter, would ya? There's not enough room there for the both of us." In addition to lying about the couch... and her age... Elvira can't resist firing a series of puns at her viewers, like: "PLANT a kiss on the one you love and LEAF your cares behind." / Elvira is our cyber gal pal in the following picture from 1962 (although it was made in 1959). Armed with her very own laptop, Elvira answers her E-mail and receives a movie request from an adoring fan named Iggy, who also happens to reside in a mental institution. One would think this was an Italian cannibal picture the way Elvira protests showing this mild atrocity, but our hostess with the mostess does give in, proving that flattery gets you everywhere. (My deepest apologies. Using the word 'flat' was probably not the wisest thing to say when referring to Elvira.) After showing the film, Elvira gets a surprise visit from her friend, The Head, who starred in the picture. Needless to say, the 'head' jokes are relentless.

3. Dementia 13 / Carnival of Souls (1963 / 1962) Ecstatic that she is finally allowed to show a film by an Academy Award-winning director, Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather; Apocalypse Now), Elvira brags to viewers, "...here to fulfill your wishes because I am DVDelicious." That is, until she learns that the the film she's supposed to show is a B-movie from the early years of the director's career. Refusing to sit through the picture, Elvira gets an unmistakably threatening message placed on her lap. What's a horror hostess to do, but quote famous lines from Coppola's better-known films and tell Godfather jokes. Later, the Mistress of the Dark is reunited with her old boyfriend, Billy, who starred in the film. However, they both seem to remember the past a little differently from one another. / Next, Elvira makes it perfectly clear to us that she's "not just some schlocky horror movie host," she's also an unlicensed psychologist. With that in mind, we, the viewers, are as lucky as the number on the previous movie title when we sit through a session between Elvira and her patient, Mary Henry, who happens to be the troubled leading lady in this terror-ific classic. Furthermore, Elvira has flashbacks about dating two of the male characters from the same flick.

Watch Elvira's Intro & Outro for "Carnival of Souls"

 

13 Nights of Elvira (2014)

13 NIGHTS OF ELVIRA

Hulu; Brainstorm Media; 2014
Director: Jim Kunz
Script: John Paragon, Ted Biaselli, Cassandra Peterson

Cast: Cassandra Peterson (Elvira, Mistress of the Dark)

 

Hurrey for Hulu!!!! The online video streaming company managed to snag the Queen of Halloween for their October 2014 Hulluween fright feast... and what a great delight it was to see our favorite horror hostess showcasing a wonderful package of fun and cheesy flicks for our guilty enjoyment.

Mostly chosen from Full Moon Entertainment's feature film archive, 13 Nights of Elvira delivered one horror or sci-fi movie per night. Launching the whole freak festival was the cult-comedy classic Amazon Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death (1989), starring scream queen Adrienne Barbeau (Someone's Watching Me!; Creepshow) and a very young Bill Maher from Politically Incorrect (1993-2002) TV fame.

We're all familiar with Elvira's snickering remarks during her skits, and the traditional gimmick of showing snippets of characters from the film responding back to her, but this time we get so much more from the Mistress of the Dark as she tweets humorous commentary during the movie. Hulu viewers also get to see Elvira appearing in some of the scenes and becoming part of the action on the screen!

According to Cassandra Peterson (who portrays the horror icon), it took a considerable amount of time to acquire the films and the rights to bring us 13 Nights of Elvira. Impressive is the great job that was done, considering the limited time allowed to film Elvira's segments and edit each episode.

On board to help pull it off was scriptwriter and long-time friend, John Paragon (The Pee-wee Herman Show; Elvira's Haunted Hills), who has been teaming up with Peterson since 1981 when he was writing for her first television series Movie Macabre on KHJ-TV and guest starred as her personal obscene phone caller, The Breather.

Additional written material for 13 Nights of Elvira was provided by Peterson, herself, and Ted Biaselli, who served as writer in 2007 for the reality TV program The Search for the Next Elvira and in 2010-2011 for the cable TV show Elvira's Movie Macabre.

After a parade of demonic toys, living heads and mutant fetuses, cannibal women, homicidal puppets, villains and creatures from other worlds, a killer cookie, and a deadly bong, 13 Nights of Elvira wraps up the festivities with flesh-eating zombies from the 1968 George A. Romero classic, Night of the Living Dead!

The following episode guide includes individual synopsis from Hulu's website. Following the asterisk symbol (*) is a brief commentary by Sicko-Psychotic about the episode.

1. Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death (1989) Holy Guacamole, this movie is the pits! Elvira is no stranger to "man-eating women", but she may have bit off more than she can chew in this indigestible entree, staring Adrienne Barbeau, Shannon Tweed, and a young Bill Maher. *Elvira introduces herself as, "that value meal that's always super-sized," and points out the entertaining attributes of the film - BOOBS! Lots and lots of BOOBS! Also, Elvira jokes about Tweed, movie titles, and, of course, cannibalism. In a clever skit, Elvira skims over a take-out Men-U containing such entrées as: gluten-free man-icotti, man-darin Chinese, creamy sea-men chowder, spaghetti and meatballs ("Have them hold the balls"), hot dog on a bun ("'Cept you never know who's wiener you're gonna get or who's buns"), etc. Moreover, our hottie hostess gives us a friendly warning, "If you're gonna stuff yourself with sausage, make sure ya have a condom-ent." 10/19/2014

2. Puppetmaster (1989) This cult classic gets the hook when Elvira's pulling the strings. There's more Punch than Judy in this cinematrocity. *During the Intro, we catch Elvira fooling around with a look-alike marionette, "Oh, hello, darlings. I was just... playing with myself until you got here." Later, Elvira has a dream within a dream within a dream of each puppet from the movie trying to attack her. 10/20/2014

3. Demonic Toys (1992) No one likes playthings more than the Mistress of the Dark. But these toys are straight out of Hell's toybox. Playtime is over! *In this episode, Elvira takes a quick poll from the viewers about sex and reveals, "I like my toys to make the bvvrrrr sound," and, "I've played with Tickle-Me-Elmo more than I care to mention. Elmo, if you're out there watching, call me." By the program's end, Elvira admits, "I slept through this entire movie twice and... I still don't get it." 10/21/2014

4. Hobgoblins (1988) Elvira's couch is infested with pesky little critters who are clearly Gremlin rejects. The only way she's gonna get rid of them is to endure this flick. *"Are you happy to see me back," Elvira asks Hulu viewers. "Yeah, I know you're happy to see my front. Well, I'm happy to see you little dickens... and, especially, you BIG dickens." Later, the Mistress of the Dark presents the "Elvi Award" to Hobgoblins 2. Some of Elvira's best lines during her skits also include, "I just love playing a crowd of people sitting alone at home in their underwear," and "I am pumped up and ready to blow you... (cough) away!" 10/22/2014

5. The Gingerdead Man (2005) Elvira's holiday gift to you is this awful lump of coal, straight off the naughty list. Gary Busey stars as the voice of this creepy cookie made from the ashes of a serial killer and a few drops of blood - a recipe for disaster. *Elvira sizzles during this episode as she instructs us how sweet it is to be "Cooking with Evil". 10/23/2014

6. Dollman (1991) Elvira is playing with a guy who's got 13 inches!!! No, that's all he's got. He's 13 inches high! Tim Thomerson stars in this knee-high nightmare. *In this sci-fi episode, Elvira reveals her secret(s) to staying young. 10/24/2014

7. Trancers (1984) Elvira sets off for the far-off future, and 1985, in this high-tech chase for the minds of killers! *Because she is always being asked if her boobs are real, Elvira shares with us her usual response to such a question, "Of course they're real. The only thing about me that's fake is... my sincerity. And I mean that, sincerely." She also warns us that thinking causes wrinkles. During her final skit, Elvira imagines winning an Academy Award - beating out Helen Hunt, who plays the female lead in this sci-fi movie. 10/25/2014

8. Oblivion (1994) Fly the 'fiendish' skies with Elvira as your host on a devilish trip to Oblivion. It's Cowboys and Aliens, as a bizarre gang of futuristic desperadoes attempt to turn this tumbleweed town into their own private playground. *Elvira plays airline stewardess, prompting passengers with a lot of baggage to leave them at the gate, "because I don't need no drama," and informing them that exits can be used as entrances, "depending on what you're into." During this fun skit, enormous bras are used as airbags, passengers are instructed to use Elvira as a floating device, and the origin and meaning of the word 'Oblivion' is explained, "I have no frickin' idea where I am or who the Hell I just woke up with!" By the end of the episode, Elvira gets liquored up and we discover that she is allergic to pixie dust. 10/26/2014

9. Shrunken Heads (1994) Elvira is put through the wringer, and hung out to dry, after sitting through this movie. She should have quit while she was a-head! *Another hot cooking tip from Elvira in a skit called "Cooking with Evil" has our nocturnal hostess dishing up a Haitian recipe from a voodoo master. Later, Elvira presents "Cooking with Kids" but can she decide on brat-wurst, children chow mein, small fries, children con carne, toddler tartare, etc.; or, such delicious deserts as praline pre-teen ice cream, chocolate covered children, boysenberry pie (made with real boys), etc.? 10/27/2014

10. Hideous! (1997) Elvira always says, when you can't say something nice about a movie, come sit by her. And with this movie, she has plenty to say! *Elvira informs us that she had to go dumpster diving to find this flick. 10/28/2014

11. Evil Bong (2006) Potheads Beware: you could enjoy this trip so much, you'll DIE! Join Elvira as she gets a Whiff of this "High Art" and gets high with a little help from her friend Tommy Chong. *Not sure what movie she's going to show next, Elvira digs through her box of "Evil" DVD titles that the Devil Emporium has sent her. During the program, Elvira keeps a score of how many times actor Tommy Chong says "man" on the screen. 10/29/2014

12. Seedpeople (1992) Elvira is often mistaken for someone else, but this time, even the creatures crawling out from inside don't want to be mistaken for her. *While tweeting on her E-Pad, Elvira informs us that she considers herself a social lubricant, "I like my conversations like I like my clothes - short and easy to get out of." She also tells us that she is often scolded for exploiting her body. Her response? "Opportunity only gives you knockers once." Before the night comes to an end, Elvira announces another winner(???) of the "Elvi Awards." "The Elvi Award goes to the actor whose performance made me GAG with emotion and CHOKE on my own tears like I was being waterboarded." Being the concerned gal that she is, Elvira implores us to, "participate in our Canned Laughter Drive for 'Kids with No Sense of Humor Syndrome.'" 10/30/2014

13. Night of the Living Dead (1968) Elvira resurrects the original zombie classic, and devours it with raw energy! Elvira loves George A. Romero's masterpiece so much, she's takin' it to the grave! *Greeting us in glorious black and white, Elvira introduces herself and comments, "Hello, darling. Yes, it's me. That piece that everyone's dying to rest in - Elvira, Mistress of the Dark." At the end of the program, Elvira shows her support for movie sequels by singing a song about it. 10/31/2014

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