RIP Zacherley - The Cool Ghoul

[tgb123]

2016 continues the parade of suckage. This is a little belated because I only learned of it last night from a friend back East.

Broadcasting pioneer/horror movie host John Zacherle gone at the ripe young age of 98

Forum members of a certain age remember the day when local television stations would program cheesy horror/SF movies, usually late at night Friday or Saturday. These movies would usually be hosted by some guy in makeup, and the king of them all was Zacherley. Not only was he one of the originators, he didn’t take the movies seriously, and would insert clips of himself doing some shtick into them. Long before MST3K was a thought in anyone’s mind, there was Zacherley.

Zacherley At Large.

In the mid-sixties he hosted a low-budget local knock-off of American Bandstand called Disc-O-Teen. One of the sponsors was Bic, whose pens were a hot item at the time because plastic!. Zach, live on the air, demonstrated the durability of the pen by firing it through the back of a couch with a crossbow, and then writing with it.

Farewell. There was no ghoul cooler.

[RichVR]

At first I was, Oh no! Then I was, He was still alive? Regardless, I loved him as a kid. Chiller Theater was awesome. RIP.

[geewhiz]

@tgb123

In the mid-sixties he hosted a low-budget local knock-off of American Bandstand called Disc-O-Teen. One of the sponsors was Bic, whose pens were a hot item at the time because plastic!. Zach, live on the air, demonstrated the durability of the pen by firing it through the back of a couch with a crossbow, and then writing with it.

I remember that commercial!

[tgb123]

@geewhiz

In the mid-sixties he hosted a low-budget local knock-off of American Bandstand called Disc-O-Teen. One of the sponsors was Bic, whose pens were a hot item at the time because plastic!. Zach, live on the air, demonstrated the durability of the pen by firing it through the back of a couch with a crossbow, and then writing with it.

I remember that commercial!

I’m glad someone else does. I can’t find it anywhere and was starting to think I hallucinated it.

[geewhiz]

@tgb123

I’m glad someone else does. I can’t find it anywhere and was starting to think I hallucinated it.

I checked with my dad-in-law and he remembers that commercial too.