{{Short description|Type of television presenter}} {{refimprove|date=May 2018}} A '''horror host''' is a host or presenter of a program where horror films and low-budget B movies are shown on television or the Internet. Usually the host assumes a horror-themed persona, often a campy or humorous one. Generally there are breaks in the film where the host comments on various aspects of the movie. Many horror host shows also include skits involving the hosts themselves, sometimes with a sidekick or other supporting characters.
==History==
===Early hosts=== The first (proto) television horror hostess was Vampira (Maila Nurmi).<ref name=watsonbook>{{cite book | last =Watson | first =Elena M. | title =Television Horror Movie Hosts: 68 Vampires, Mad Scientists, and Other Denizens of the Late Night Airwaves Examined and Interviewed | publisher =McFarland & Company | year =2000 | location =Jefferson, North Carolina | url =https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/television-horror-movie-hosts/ | isbn =0-7864-0940-1}}</ref> ''The Vampira Show'' featured mostly low budget suspense films, as few horror films had yet been released for television broadcast. It ran from 1954-1955 only in the Los Angeles market, but Nurmi's persona (based on cartoonist Charles Addams's "Morticia" character) would gain fame in magazines, TV, and film. In 1957, John Zacherle of Philadelphia's WCAU (and later in other markets) set the standard format for horror hosts with his "Roland" character for the station's ''Shock Theater''. This was made possible due to RKO Pictures' new ownership licensing out the rights to its vast B-movie horror film library. Zacherle's set, style, film commentary, and special effects (such as interjecting his image into the film) were quickly emulated at local stations around the world, and as an homage today by hosts such as the nationally syndicated Svengoolie (Rich Koz).
Each station had its own host and style. Some hosts did regular commercials, while others presented fictional ads for bottled witches' blood.<ref name="life19580526">{{Cite magazine |date=1958-05-26 |title=Night Harbingers of Horror |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vVMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA63 |magazine=Life |page=63 |access-date=2023-05-13}}</ref> Hosts were often plucked from the ranks of the station staff. In the days of live television, it was not uncommon for the weather man or booth announcer to finish a nightly news broadcast and race madly to another part of the soundstage for a quick costume change to present the evening's monster tale.
While a few early hosts like Roland and Vampira became the icons of this nationwide movement,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2007-10-29-horror-hosts_N.htm|title=Halloween horror hosts rise again on radio, TV, film|newspaper=USA Today|date=October 20, 2007 | first=David | last=Colton | access-date=May 4, 2010}}</ref> most hosts were locals. The impact of these friendly revenants on their young fans cannot be underestimated. The earliest hosts are still remembered with great affection today.<ref name=filmfax13>{{cite journal | title=The Horror of Them All! | journal=Filmfax | issue=13 | pages=28–32 | date=December 1988 | url=http://www.filmfax.com/ }}</ref>
==Notable hosts==
===1950s=== {{columns-list|colwidth=20em|* Gorgon * Marvin * Morgus the Magnificent * Selwin * Tarantula Ghoul * Vampira * Zacherley
}}
===1960s=== {{columns-list|colwidth=20em| * Bill "Chilly Billy" Cardille * Coffin Joe * Deadly Earnest * Ghoulardi * Gorgon * Moona Lisa * Morgus the Magnificent * Sammy Terry * Selwin * Sir Graves Ghastly * Superhost * Vegas Vampire * Bob Wilkins }}
===1970s=== {{columns-list|colwidth=20em| * Big Chuck and Lil' John * Bob Wilkins * The Cool Ghoul * Count Gore de Vol * Count Scary * Dr. Creep * Doctor Madblood * Dr. Shock * Edwin "Uncle Ted" Raub * Fritz the Nite Owl * The Ghoul<ref name="Schmaltz">{{cite news|url=https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/whats-a-ghoul-to-do/Content?oid=2171868|title=What's a Ghoul to do?|first=Anita|last=Schmaltz|work=Metro Times|publisher=Euclid Media Group|location=Detroit|date=August 22, 2001|access-date=April 5, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Culham">{{cite news|url=https://www.metrotimes.com/the-scene/archives/2019/04/03/late-night-tv-horror-host-ron-the-ghoul-sweed-dead-at-age-70|title=Late-night TV horror host Ron 'The Ghoul' Sweed dead at age 70|first=Devin|last=Culham|work=Metro Times|publisher=Euclid Media Group|location=Detroit|date=April 3, 2019|access-date=April 5, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Kiska">{{cite news|url=https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/television/2019/04/03/ghoul-ron-sweed-horror-died-death-obituary/3348674002/|title=Legendary '70s TV horror host the Ghoul, a.k.a. Ron Sweed, has died|first=Tim|last=Kiska|work=Detroit Free Press|publisher=Gannett Company|location=Detroit|date=April 3, 2019|access-date=April 5, 2019}}</ref> * Morgus the Magnificent * Sammy Terry * Sinister Seymour * Sir Cecil Creape * Svengoolie * Vincent Price }}
===1980s=== {{columns-list|colwidth=20em| * Al "Grampa" Lewis * Bob Wilkins * Commander USA's Groovie Movies * Count Floyd * Count Gore de Vol * Count Scary * Crematia Mortem * Dr. Paul Bearer * Elvira, Mistress of the Dark * Freddy Krueger * Fritz the Nite Owl * Joe Bob Briggs * Morgus the Magnificent * Mystery Science Theater 3000 * Ned the Dead * Sammy Terry * Stella * Son of Ghoul * Son of Svengoolie/Svengoolie * Uncle Ted }}
===1990s=== {{columns-list|colwidth=20em| * Coffin Joe * Count Gore de Vol * Dr. Gangrene * Gilbert Gottfried * Dr. Sarcofiguy * Joe Bob Briggs * The Midnight Society * Maxwell Truth, Bird and Zelda * Morgus the Magnificent * Sandra Bernhard * Ernst-Hugo Järegård * Edwin "Uncle Ted" Raub }}
===2000s=== {{columns-list|colwidth=20em| * Count Gore de Vol * Dr. Gangrene * Dr. Sarcofiguy * Jami Deadly * Morgus the Magnificent * Mr. Lobo * Penny Dreadful XIII }}
===2010s=== {{columns-list|colwidth=20em| * Count Gore de Vol * Dr. Gangrene * Joe Bob Briggs * Morgus the Magnificent * Penny Dreadful XIII * Sammy Terry * The Boulet Brothers * Svengoolie }}
===2020s=== {{columns-list|colwidth=20em| * Count Gore de Vol * Dr. Gangrene * Joe Bob Briggs * Penny Dreadful XIII * The Boulet Brothers * Svengoolie }}
==See also== * ''American Scary'' * ''Cinema Insomnia'' * ''Creature Double Feature'' * ''Creature Features'' * ''Creature Features (WNEW)'' * ''Creature Feature (WTOG)'' * Horror hosts in comics
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==Further reading== * {{cite book |first=Paul |last=Counelis |title=11:59 and Counting: Horror Hosting in the 21st Century |year=2014 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-1312262577}}
==External links== *[http://www.americanscary.com/ American Scary] - s a documentary that looks at the nation's tradition of horror hosting, from A. Ghastlee Ghoul to Zacherley. *[https://www.bradleybeard.com/work/portrait/#13-months-horror/ Bradley Beard - Artist] is an artist/designer who constantly seeks change and growth. He has produced hundreds of horror host portraits. *[https://www.facebook.com/100051408972177/ Dunlap Art] is the artist Dave Dunlap, who has produced hundreds of horror host portraits. *[https://www.egorschamber.com/tvhorrorhosts/ E-Gor's Chamber of TV Horror Hosts] is a comprehensive online archive and database dedicated to documenting local and national television horror movie hosts. Created by George Chastain. *[https://web.archive.org/web/20111022063141/http://www.horrorhostmagazine.com/ Horror Hosts and Creature Features Magazine] A magazine dedicated to Horror Hosts and Movies. *[http://www.horrorhostgraveyard.com/ Horror Host Graveyard] is a horror host blog, information, news, and video clips web page founded by "Corpse S. Chris" (Chris Delica), starting roughly around 4 August 2008. *[http://www.horror-host.com/ Horror Host Hall of Fame] The official Hall of Fame for Horror Hosts of all generations. *[https://www.milwaukeehorrorhosts.com/ Milwaukee TV Horror Hosts] is dedicated to Green Bay, Madison and Milwaukee horror hosts, created by Richard Golembiewski under the name of Dick Nitelinger. The site has detailed information on horror hosts from these areas, along with advertisements, photographs, audios, and episode lists. *[https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/monsterkidclassichorrorforum/the-chfb-home-for-forgotten-horror-hosts-index-on--t72515-s160.html#p1970167/ The Classic Horror Film Board] is the essential site for classic horror news, horror host information, research and enthusiasm. *[https://professors-horror-host-tome.com/ The Professor SF & Horror Host Tome] is the most extensive site by Paul Gerard Kennedy that covers the traditional movie presenting hosts, hosts of anthology series, announcers, narrators and horror, science fiction & fantasy / supernatural movies & television; reviewers, assistants & other cast, as well as any other odd bods. Also covered will be radio hosts and movies featuring hosts; as well as horror hosts from comics. {{Horror fiction}}{{Horror film}} * Category:Creature Features