Easy, Mr Bandwidth, a looong indulgent post lay ahead ...
OK, the scoop: I know many of you have read writeups over at Wikipedia and The DVD Drive-In
on the history of the various "Chiller Theatre"s across the country. This thread refers specifically to the
version broadcasting out of New York City from WPiX Channel 11, it being the Chicago Tribune's flagship
station above the others it owns in California and the NYC metro area. Frankly, I'm no student of the business
relationships between the Tribune and its various television affiliates over the years, which I'm sure have ebbed
and flowed just as any official arrangements naturally do over the course of decades and business cycles.
The point of this thread is to track down a lost introduction to 11's "Chiller Theatre" from The Late '60s.
The story goes something like this:
In 1961 or so, WPiX, just like many other independent channels at the time were doing, was cashing in on the
horror movie craze that started in The Mid-'50s as it gained momentum in the early half of the following decade.
We all know it happened because of the package releases of genre films available for TV broadcast by the major
studios at affordable prices. As a result of this, TV stations began the practice of using local talent to introduce the
featured films. WPiX enlisted the services of John Zacherle to host its new show, "Chiller Theatre".
Now, I'm too young to know exactly when the "Chiller" montage introduction first broadcasted and whether or not
it began airing while Zacherley, as his alter-ego is known, was still hosting the show. What is known is that Zach
retired from the show in The Mid-'60s and the montage opening continued until around 1967.
Then something odd happened: the studios wanted a cut from stations playing such videos as they felt they were
entitled to royalties resulting from the use of their properties to sell local programming. WPiX balked and pulled
the introduction, which left us fans of the show a hole in our memories: What replaced the montage?
This is where The Late '60s collides with collective memory. Anybody who knows the line, "If you remember
The '60s, you weren't there" should appreciate that yes, some of us WERE there, but not yet old enough to
know the pleasures of Coors beer and jazz cigarettes. Lucky you, ex-hippy. Saved by the "flower children"
who really were kids while you were sparking up. Few seem to recall that "Chiller Theatre" DID have another
introduction that followed the montage years and, GULP! the strangler hand from the swamp wasn't it.
Now, look here. I know the list online of "Chiller" movies carries the show during The '70s through to the end
of its run in 1983. But I do know that on more than one occasion I saw a simple but different intro at least a
year before the hand was introduced. I can name "Killers from Space" as one movie WPiX played using that
intro. OK, I'll correct myself. I don't remember the intro itself, only the bumper. What's interesting is that this
bumper may have been the same one played out on the west coast on other Tribune stations. I'll explain.
On another board, I've communicated with others who describe an opening for their "Chiller Theatre" that had
a strong resemblance to the one I saw. Remember, I don't recall the intro, just the bumper. Here's how other
viewers describe it:
"I remember both 'Chiller' and its rival, 'Science Fiction Theater' back in the 1960s.
'SFT' specialized in bona fide SF 'B' movies, while 'Chiller' was more inclusive,
emphasis on horror films, the gorier the better. In those days the time gap between
theatrical runs of films and their appearances on TV was large - as much as five or
ten years. On the other hand, unlike today, no movie was too old to be rerun.
Between these two shows, one could build up, in those pre-VHS-tape days,
quite a large repertoire of the genre.
"The opening image of 'SFT' was eerie and abstractly impressionistic - with appropriate
awesomely sonorous music. The 'Chlller' opening logo was less subtle: The word 'Chiller'
was drawn in white paint on a black board, then lifted up, the gooey white paint slowly
runnning down the board like blood ( it was broadcast in B&W in those days ) and the
resulting effect was marvelous."
Another viewer chimes in:
"Memory validated!
"I, too, remember this version of the 'CHILLER' opening more than any other which may
have preceded or followed it: Mid-60s and in chilling black and white!
"In addition to the word 'Chiller' dripping blood-like down the screen in pure white, there
included ( at least in the Los Angeles area ):
1) The sound of a pendulum clock ticking;
2) A visual of that pendulum in motion;
3) A human skull slowly emerging from a watery liquid ( acid ...? ) which appeared quite
black on the screen; and, of course,
4) That creepy music ...
"Everywhere I search for this I am confronted with the later ( color ) version with the hand
emerging from the earth ... if anyone out there knows where I can find this mid-60's black
and white version, please let me know ... Thanks!"
Excited, though somewhat skeptical, I boomerang:
"So, it IS true that ( WPiX's version of ) 'Chiller Theatre' was syndicated outside NYC ...
our version of the program came via WPiX Channel 11 out of New York, a station owned
by The Tribune Company ... therefore, it must have been a Tribune station beaming
'Chiller' out to your house, correct?
"My version of the intro you describe is shoddy at best, perhaps I'm thinking of the bumper only,
which is TV speak for a shortened version shown between commercials to let the viewer know
what he's watching. Therefore I can't verify the skull bit at all ... is it possible you're thinking of the
lead-in to 'The Screaming Skull'? There's another discrepancy: I remember the 'Chiller' logo
painting being the reverse to what people are relating online, though I could easily be wrong."
The same poster recently reiterates:
"I not only distinctly remember, as you do, the word 'Chiller' in pure white scrawl
dripping 'blood-like' down the screen on a black background, but also a human
skull slowly emerging from some sort of clear liquid which was probably water
but which I always imagined was acid ( on the screen it appeared quite black )
and the sound of a ( grandfather ) clock's pendulum ticking.
"It has been proposed by others that I might be confusing the skull image with the
final scene in 'House on Haunted Hill' ( which is an understandable proposal from
those who have never seen this version of the 'Chiller' opening ), but no. This is a vivid
and indelible image which was repeated countless times as I sat each day in rapt terror
at the images unfolding ...
"And the music! I wish I could recall the music. I know there was music playing behind all
of this imagery but I can't for the life of me recall it ..."
Thread, Net, Match: WPiX was NOT the only station that broadcast its version of "Chiller Theatre",
and there IS a lost intro that succeeded the B+W montage that's up on YouTube® and was reaired
last Halloween for The 60th Anniversary celebration of the station.
Net, Part Deux: WE WANNA SEE IT AGAIN.
Your move!
OK, the scoop: I know many of you have read writeups over at Wikipedia and The DVD Drive-In
on the history of the various "Chiller Theatre"s across the country. This thread refers specifically to the
version broadcasting out of New York City from WPiX Channel 11, it being the Chicago Tribune's flagship
station above the others it owns in California and the NYC metro area. Frankly, I'm no student of the business
relationships between the Tribune and its various television affiliates over the years, which I'm sure have ebbed
and flowed just as any official arrangements naturally do over the course of decades and business cycles.
The point of this thread is to track down a lost introduction to 11's "Chiller Theatre" from The Late '60s.
The story goes something like this:
In 1961 or so, WPiX, just like many other independent channels at the time were doing, was cashing in on the
horror movie craze that started in The Mid-'50s as it gained momentum in the early half of the following decade.
We all know it happened because of the package releases of genre films available for TV broadcast by the major
studios at affordable prices. As a result of this, TV stations began the practice of using local talent to introduce the
featured films. WPiX enlisted the services of John Zacherle to host its new show, "Chiller Theatre".
Now, I'm too young to know exactly when the "Chiller" montage introduction first broadcasted and whether or not
it began airing while Zacherley, as his alter-ego is known, was still hosting the show. What is known is that Zach
retired from the show in The Mid-'60s and the montage opening continued until around 1967.
Then something odd happened: the studios wanted a cut from stations playing such videos as they felt they were
entitled to royalties resulting from the use of their properties to sell local programming. WPiX balked and pulled
the introduction, which left us fans of the show a hole in our memories: What replaced the montage?
This is where The Late '60s collides with collective memory. Anybody who knows the line, "If you remember
The '60s, you weren't there" should appreciate that yes, some of us WERE there, but not yet old enough to
know the pleasures of Coors beer and jazz cigarettes. Lucky you, ex-hippy. Saved by the "flower children"
who really were kids while you were sparking up. Few seem to recall that "Chiller Theatre" DID have another
introduction that followed the montage years and, GULP! the strangler hand from the swamp wasn't it.
Now, look here. I know the list online of "Chiller" movies carries the show during The '70s through to the end
of its run in 1983. But I do know that on more than one occasion I saw a simple but different intro at least a
year before the hand was introduced. I can name "Killers from Space" as one movie WPiX played using that
intro. OK, I'll correct myself. I don't remember the intro itself, only the bumper. What's interesting is that this
bumper may have been the same one played out on the west coast on other Tribune stations. I'll explain.
On another board, I've communicated with others who describe an opening for their "Chiller Theatre" that had
a strong resemblance to the one I saw. Remember, I don't recall the intro, just the bumper. Here's how other
viewers describe it:
"I remember both 'Chiller' and its rival, 'Science Fiction Theater' back in the 1960s.
'SFT' specialized in bona fide SF 'B' movies, while 'Chiller' was more inclusive,
emphasis on horror films, the gorier the better. In those days the time gap between
theatrical runs of films and their appearances on TV was large - as much as five or
ten years. On the other hand, unlike today, no movie was too old to be rerun.
Between these two shows, one could build up, in those pre-VHS-tape days,
quite a large repertoire of the genre.
"The opening image of 'SFT' was eerie and abstractly impressionistic - with appropriate
awesomely sonorous music. The 'Chlller' opening logo was less subtle: The word 'Chiller'
was drawn in white paint on a black board, then lifted up, the gooey white paint slowly
runnning down the board like blood ( it was broadcast in B&W in those days ) and the
resulting effect was marvelous."
Another viewer chimes in:
"Memory validated!
"I, too, remember this version of the 'CHILLER' opening more than any other which may
have preceded or followed it: Mid-60s and in chilling black and white!
"In addition to the word 'Chiller' dripping blood-like down the screen in pure white, there
included ( at least in the Los Angeles area ):
1) The sound of a pendulum clock ticking;
2) A visual of that pendulum in motion;
3) A human skull slowly emerging from a watery liquid ( acid ...? ) which appeared quite
black on the screen; and, of course,
4) That creepy music ...
"Everywhere I search for this I am confronted with the later ( color ) version with the hand
emerging from the earth ... if anyone out there knows where I can find this mid-60's black
and white version, please let me know ... Thanks!"
Excited, though somewhat skeptical, I boomerang:
"So, it IS true that ( WPiX's version of ) 'Chiller Theatre' was syndicated outside NYC ...
our version of the program came via WPiX Channel 11 out of New York, a station owned
by The Tribune Company ... therefore, it must have been a Tribune station beaming
'Chiller' out to your house, correct?
"My version of the intro you describe is shoddy at best, perhaps I'm thinking of the bumper only,
which is TV speak for a shortened version shown between commercials to let the viewer know
what he's watching. Therefore I can't verify the skull bit at all ... is it possible you're thinking of the
lead-in to 'The Screaming Skull'? There's another discrepancy: I remember the 'Chiller' logo
painting being the reverse to what people are relating online, though I could easily be wrong."
The same poster recently reiterates:
"I not only distinctly remember, as you do, the word 'Chiller' in pure white scrawl
dripping 'blood-like' down the screen on a black background, but also a human
skull slowly emerging from some sort of clear liquid which was probably water
but which I always imagined was acid ( on the screen it appeared quite black )
and the sound of a ( grandfather ) clock's pendulum ticking.
"It has been proposed by others that I might be confusing the skull image with the
final scene in 'House on Haunted Hill' ( which is an understandable proposal from
those who have never seen this version of the 'Chiller' opening ), but no. This is a vivid
and indelible image which was repeated countless times as I sat each day in rapt terror
at the images unfolding ...
"And the music! I wish I could recall the music. I know there was music playing behind all
of this imagery but I can't for the life of me recall it ..."
Thread, Net, Match: WPiX was NOT the only station that broadcast its version of "Chiller Theatre",
and there IS a lost intro that succeeded the B+W montage that's up on YouTube® and was reaired
last Halloween for The 60th Anniversary celebration of the station.
Net, Part Deux: WE WANNA SEE IT AGAIN.
Your move!
