B-MOVIE HOST MADD FRANK (1985-1995)

Halloween Month continues here at Balladeer’s Blog with a look at another old Movie Host.

MADD FRANK – This ghoulish character was played by Kent Kamron, whose real name is Delray K. Dvoracek (but everyone knew him as Nancy). He hosted Madd Frank Presents on KVRR in Fargo, North Dakota from May 1985 to an unknown date in 1995.

The program originally aired Friday nights at 10:00pm, then was moved to 11:00pm Fridays and finally to Saturday nights in various timeslots.

Madd Frank Presents would open with the title character descending stairs which seemed to go on forever, deep down into the bowels of the Earth until Madd Frank reached his studio. He would then light a candle which rested on top of a small talking skull named George, also voiced by Delray Dvoracek.

Frank would then drape his cloak over the upright coffin in which rested a never-seen monster named Harvey, with Dvoracek doing the monster’s voice as well. After comedic opening patter – with Madd Frank’s intentionally groan-worthy jokes punctuated by rimshots – the Madd Programmer (James Erickson) would select a bad or campy movie from the crypt for Frank to present.

The flicks would be the usual So Bad They’re Good fare like The Corpse Grinders, Attack of the Giant Leeches, Day of the Triffids, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, etc.   

Madd Frank’s main sidekick was Ichy Bodd (Martin Jonason), a sort-of hunchback. When Delray Dvoracek had a heart attack on December 6th, 1986 Ichy Bodd sat in as the show’s host until Madd Frank was ready to return.

Another supporting player was Vanilla White, named after Vanna White and played by Judy Rae, who also played piano and sang on Madd Frank Presents. She also did the novelty dance called the Mummy Shuffle with Frank when the night’s movie was The Mummy’s Ghost.

The cast also included Bill Flint as mad MD Dr. Phil O’Dendron and Billy Jabber (Dave Prentice), a helmet-wearing mechanic. Lastly, there was the ugly doll Frizzy who spoke with another voice provided by Dvoracek.     

For the final season of Madd Frank Presents in 1994 -1995 the show was syndicated to forty states by the American Independent Network. Everything from old Bela Lugosi schlockers like Black Dragons to films like Gremlins were shown.

A documentary about this program titled Madd Frank Presents Madd Frank was produced a few years back. The character was inducted into the Horror Host Hall of Fame in 2013.

FOR OTHER MOVIE HOST ENTRIES CLICK HERE:   https://glitternight.com/category/movie-hosts/