Pgh. Chiller Theater returns

[ACORN]

Growing up in the 412 area code Sat. nights was Chiller Theater night.
Started at 11:30 after the news and ran until ? (I don’t think I ever made it).
A double feature of B grade horror films.
Hosted by Chilly Billy Cardilly along with a handful of characters.
I’m sure most urban areas hade their own versions.
I read where WPXI will be reviving it for a short while.
I guess the writers strike has put SNL on hiatus.
I’d like to see them bring it back permanently.
At my age I still don’t think I’d make it till the end.
Wayyy past my bed time.
Chiller Theater returning 60 years after original show aired on Channel 11 – WPXI

 

[jeffrefrig]

I remember Saturday nights as a kid, waiting for the “stupid news” to end to watch Chilly Billy on Saturday nights. Of course we had to watch Studio Wrestling, Ring Side Rosie, Pie Traynor selling furnaces for American Heating, and all the big name wrestlers. I think Studio Wrestling came on around 7:00 or so. You had bragging rights if you went to school
Monday and knew how the second movie ended. Their opening music was Henry Mancini’s “Experiment in Terror”. Yeah, I remember that show a little. Bill Cardille played a reporter in the low-budget “ Night Of The Living Dead.” The little girl who killed her mother with a masonry trowel was one of my daughter’s teachers at Pittsburgh CAPA school (Creative And Performing Arts.) Yeah, I barely remember Chiller Theater!
Much better movies than we see at 8:00 on Svengoolie!

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

Those were the days! Late night B&W TV with the station sign off at 1:30 or 2am.
I remember Chilly Billy doing an expose on the Pittsburgh subway system.
And then there was the KDKA morning show radio personalities Art Pallan and Bob Troy with their local character interviews, Sue Wickely and Alice Quippa among others.

John

 

[ACORN]

Those were the days! Late night B&W TV with the station sign off at 1:30 or 2am.
I remember Chilly Billy doing an expose on the Pittsburgh subway system.
And then there was the KDKA morning show radio personalities Art Pallan and Bob Troy with their local character interviews, Sue Wickely and Alice Quippa among others.

John

My Dad liked Rege Cordic(sp?) on KDKA in the morning. He had many colorful characters on the show. Louis the Garbage Man, for one. He created Old Frothingslosh Beer the beer with the foam on the bottom. The gag proved so popular Pgh Brewing(Iron City Beer) picked up actual production.
Back then KDKA ruled the airwaves in Pgh. I believe they stated it was heard in 48 states and Canada and Mexico due to their 50,000 watt clear channel signal.
An interesting page on Cordic/Olde Frothingslosh, if you’re so inclined.
They replaced their transmission antenna and the signal now isn’t nearly as wide spread.
Old Frothingslosh
Good times and fond memories. Of course being a kid I was ignorant with world affairs, communism, Viet Nam etc.

 

[soFlaNative]

I had cousins in Oakmont who would rattle off Silly Billy jokes when we were kids.
Any relation to Chilly?

 

[ACORN]

I had cousins in Oakmont who would rattle off Silly Billy jokes when we were kids.
Any relation to Chilly?

No idea.
Bill Cardille was a staple of Pgh airwaves.
He hosted Studio Wrestling on Saturday nights followed at 11:30 by Chiller Theater.
Later on he was on WJAS radio DJing the music of the 40s, 50s and 60s. Big band music and standards.
Anytime Dad worked around the house he had the radio on. Usually tuned to WJAS.
Made me appreciate the era’s music.

 

[ACORN]

Jeff, I had high hopes for Svengoolie when it came to market.
It just doesn’t cut it, to me.

 

[Rule3]

Creature Feature with Dr Paul Bearer!


Creature Feature (TV Series 1971–1995) - IMDb


I was thinking about this the other day and wished there was a similar show on cable now. It would be better than anything broadcast now!

 

[Grayfox]

During the 1960s in Memphis on WHBQ, there was a show called Fantastic Features which played a lot of the 1950s horror/sci-fi movies. It was hosted by a vampire like character named Sivad. Sivad was played by station executive Watson Davis. The name,Sivad, was simply Davis spelled backwards. The man relished the role and played it to the hilt.
It was extremely popular with Davis doing may public appearances.
I watched it every Saturday night.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QgwgDvq3t4[/ame]

 

[Golddollar]

And then there was the KDKA morning show radio personalities Art Pallan and Bob Troy with their local character interviews, Sue Wickely and Alice Quippa among others.

What? No Slipper E. Rock?

 

[CH4]

During the 70s, in my neck of the woods, it was "Creature Features." One of my favorites was "The Creature from the Black Lagoon." Although corny now, it was sure real back then; but so was Batman, etc. The good ole' days.

 

[SweetMK]

You did not live near Pittsburgh in the 1960's,,
unless you cruised Saturday night blasting the hits that were spun by Jim Quinn!!,,,

Jim Quinn - Wikipedia

 

[jeffrefrig]

Porky Cheswick? I think he was “somebody.”

 

[Rustyt1953]

In the Greater Cincinnati viewing area in the 60's and 70's we had Bob Shreve and the Cool Ghoul doing late night horror with a side order of Vaudvillian slapstick.

 

[ACORN]

In my neighborhood we listened to Terry Lee (Trunzo) on WMCK McKeesport then on WIXZ I believe in East McKeesport. Mainly because a buddy of our’s sister dated him. We had to support the effort.
Jim Quinn was a big name in town later on.
He visited my High School.

 

[Countrycuz]

During the 70s, in my neck of the woods, it was "Creature Features." One of my favorites was "The Creature from the Black Lagoon." Although corny now, it was sure real back then; but so was Batman, etc. The good ole' days.

One of my favorites too. What teenage boy didn't want to watch Julie Adams in a swimsuit?

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

And then there was the KDKA morning show radio personalities Art Pallan and Bob Troy with their local character interviews, Sue Wickely and Alice Quippa among others.

? No Slipper E. Rock?

Perhaps, but it is beyond my memory!

John

 

[twodog max]

There was Chiller theater down here when I was a kid. I do not think I ever saw the ending of one.
I would like to see that come back. It would be way better than the trash on today.
It would need to be an afternoon matinee or I still would never see the end.

 

[JH1951]

In SC PA we had "Tales From the Crypt" hosted by the cryptkeeper, Leroy... Later when cable and 'superstations' came along we had Dr. Shock on WPHL out of Philadelphia. Dr. Shock actually had a roadshow too, with weekend appearances all over between Philly and Harrisburg (I would catch him occasionally in Hershey). All generally the same format with old horror movies and a splash or two of Adrienne Jo Barbeau, but enjoyable none the less. I find Svengoolie a poor imitation and don't indulge in his show very often.

 

[625-10scc]

Nosmo King