A lot of you are gonna say “Huh? What’s he talking about?” And some might even get a little cheesed off. But it isn’t everyone whose career extends over six decades; and Zacherley, “the Cool Ghoul”–horror movie host, disc jockey, presidential candidate–had the hottest show on TV when I was ten years old. And here he is at 94, still working. How I love to hear that trademark wacky laugh of his!
Come on down a little-traveled stretch of Memory Lane. No one ever came close to matching Zacherley, when it came to spoofing Grade-D horror movies: often imitated, never duplicated. Great singing voice, too. I still find myself, at odd and unexpected intervals, singing one of his ditties. “When a mummy meets a mummy, floating down the Nile/ Should a mummy greet a mummy with a nasty smile?”
It was all in fun, just a lot of innocent horsing around on TV, and my friends and I all loved it.
I wonder if it’s too late to get a copy of Zacherley’s short story anthology, Zacherley’s Vulture Stew.
Well, you got me. This is one I don’t remember, but it looks like it would’ve been fun 🙂
Oh, he was tremendous fun! Made the cover of TV Guide once, too. But it may be his show was only aired in the Northeast and in California–although you’d think he was nationwide, if he was going to be on the cover of a national magazine.
I simply don’t remember, so I’ll have to look it up.
I vaguely remember the man and his ghoulish antics. I do remember my dad playing a 45 called “Dinner With Drac” around Halloween. I also remember “The Monster Mash — It Was a Graveyard Smash!” My dad was fond of novelty songs. When I was a teenager living in Philadelphia, I used to watch a scary movie show hosted by Dr. Shock, played by Joe Zawislak, a lawyer from the Manayunk neighborhood in northwest Philadelphia. His character was similar to John Zacherley’s. He introduced horror movies sometimes “video-bombing” a really lousy movie and showing his distaste with a sour face for whichever scene he was sticking his head in. He did magic tricks and told corny jokes. His daughter, “Bubbles” (don’t think that’s her real name), sometimes came on the show. My dad knew of Mr. Zawislak’s family since Dad was originally a Manayunker before moving to Kensington. I enjoyed Dr. Shock. He passed away some time ago. Amazing about John Zacherley. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, yeah, “Dinner With Drac”–the big kid on our street had that record. Wonderful memories!
Thanks for sharing Dr. Shock (rhymes with Spock… hmmm)