I know Barry has had health problems for some time.  When news broke he was in a coma in the hospital a couple of weeks back, I couldn't help but wonder if that was the beginning of the end.  A couple of friends of mine were magicians who worked on the show from time to time (although not always doing magic, such as Jerry Masters playing the old prospector "Pop Corn" on a semi-regular basis.)  I was lucky to grow up in an area where we got several horror hosts in those pre-cable/pre-satellite days, such as Dr. Creep, Sammy Terry and the Cool Ghoul.  There was a charm to seeing those films like that, knowing (without the benefit of VHS or DVD) that if you didn't see the film during that broadcast you might have to very well wait a year or more before getting another chance.  (And sometimes you kept your fingers crossed the reception would be good enough to actually see the darn thing when it did air.)  It might have been inferior technology in those days, but there was a thrill that almost seems lacking today.  Maybe the convenience of what we have makes the experience an almost antiseptic one...?