Show Toppers: ‘Kolchak: The Night Stalker’ (1974)

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Creeping out the 1970s
‘Kolchak: The Night Stalker,’ 1974

In keeping with the spooky Halloween theme – old news now on November 1st, I know, but I’m writing this on All Hallow’s Eve – today’s Show Toppers features Kolchak: The Nightstalker.

Kolchak: The Nightstalker first aired as a TV movie (The Nightstalker) in 1971 and continued with another TV film (The Night Strangler) in 1973. The series proper originally ran Friday evenings on ABC from September, 1974 to August, 1975.

Darren (‘A Christmas Story’) McGavin is Carl Kolchak
‘Kolchak: The Night Stalker,’ 1974

Darren McGavin starred as Chicago newspaper reporter, Carl Kolchak who investigated and reported on supernatural and downright bizarre stories. Kolchak’s disbelieving editor, Tony Vincenzo, was played by Simon Oakland. Jack Grinnage and Ruth McDevitt rounded out the cast. Take in the spooky intro below.

Kolchak: The Nightstalker Wiki, IMDb

Previously, on Show Toppers: The Invisible Man (1975)

‘The Paul Lynde Halloween Special’ (1976)

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“ABC’s answer to trick or treat”
‘The Paul Lynde Halloween Special,’ October, 1976

On October 29, 1976 a comedic monster known as The Paul Lynde Halloween Special ate up television screens across America. Here now, in its entirety, you can watch that marvelous beast in frightening action once again.

Are you brave enough to enjoy the full 50 minutes of horrific 1970s fun? Get a load of this line-up and you’ll want to dive right in: KISS (rocking three songs in their network TV debut)! Florence Henderson! Billy Barty! Witchiepoo! Tim Conway! Pinky Tuscadero! The Wicked Witch of the West! Betty White! Donny & Marie Osmond! And more…

Middle America meet Kiss
‘Detroit Rock City,’ ‘The Paul Lynde Halloween Special,’ 1976

‘The Paul Lynde Halloween Special,’ 1976

Huge thanks to Vintage Los Angeles for posting a link to the special on their Facebook page and sparking my re-post. Happy Halloween!

The Paul Lynde Halloween Special IMDb

Scary!?
Donny & Marie Osmond, The Paul Lynde Halloween Special, 1976

Trailer Tuesday: The Goodbye Girl

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“Your lips may say “No, no,” but there’s “Yes, yes’ in your eyes.”
‘The Goodbye Girl,’ 1977

The Goodbye Girl hit theaters in November of 1977. Written by Neil Simon and directed by Herbert Ross, this comedy, a critical and commercial smash-hit, won the Golden Globe for Best Picture (musical or comedy) and netted star, Richard Dreyfuss, the Academy Award for Best Actor.

The picture is a real charmer with some laugh-out-loud moments and I can remember relating to and liking child actress and Academy Award-nominee Quinn Cummings at age 11.

Quinn Cummings, ‘The Goodbye Girl,’ 1977

I was already a fan of Dreyfuss from Jaws and American Graffiti and November ’77 turned out to be a hell of a month for the actor. Close Encounters of the Third Kind opened just two weeks earlier. Talk about “Career Highs.”

I enjoyed Academy Award-nominee Marsha Mason’s performance as well but didn’t realize at such a young age what a hottie she was. Intelligent, witty and sexy. Wow! Catch the trailer.

The Goodbye Girl Wiki, IMDB
The Goodbye Girl review at Every70sMovie

Previously, on Trailer Tuesday: Play Misty for Me

Music for Monday: Average White Band, ‘School Boy Crush’

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A cut above…
Average White Band, ‘School Boy Crush,’ 1975

“She said ‘Look, boy.’ ‘Don’t you touch.’ That ain’t much. It’s only a school boy crush.”

It’s been a few months since we shined the musical spotlight on Scotland’s Average White Band. Let’s remedy that right now as we can all use a shot of tasty funk to survive Monday.

Here’s AWB performing the groove-tastic “School Boy Crush” on Soul Train circa 1975. “School Boy Crush” appears on the L.P., Cut the Cake, which hit record shops in the summer of ’75.

Previously, on Music for Monday: John Lennon, ‘Stand By Me’

Shazam!’: Michael Gray Interviewed, promo video

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The moment you’ve waited for: “Shazam!”
Michael Gray, ‘Shazam!’ TV series, mid-1970s

I reported the other day on the impending release of the Shazam! complete series DVD collection from Warner Brothers. Well, the disc is out now and series star Michael Gray (Billy Batson) has been doing some promotion this past week.

Check in with KSite TV for a short new interview with Gray and see what the man has been up to. You can gather up a few Shazam!-related tidbits while there. Here’s a quote chunk below and a Shazam! promo video:

“Ksite: How far did you guys actually go to shoot? You kept in this area, didn’t you, even though Mentor and Billy were driving all around the country?

Gray: We kept in this area. We never did anything in the studio. It was all outdoors or on location. Whether it was Vasquez Rocks or down in San Pedro, or somewhere else, it was all within a couple-hour drive of Los Angeles.”

Shazam! Wiki

Mood Music: Carl Perkins, ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ (live, 1971)

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“Let’s go, guitar!”
Carl Perkins, ‘The Johnny Cash Show,’ 1971

Here’s a short, shakin’ shock of Mood Music for your Saturday evening. Carl Perkins performing “Blue Suede Shoes” on The Johnny Cash Show which aired on January 21, 1971. A minute and a half of stomping good fun. Play it loud.

Carl Perkins Wiki, The Johnny Cash Show IMDb