Halloween Month rolls along with this look at a very old British series of telefilms that presented some classic horror tales during Christmas Season. The tales themselves were NOT set around Christmas, so they make for nice Halloween Season viewing, too.
A GHOST STORY FOR CHRISTMAS – I’m only covering the original 1971-1978 run of these horror stories. The series was revived decades later but – especially for American viewers – the original run of (at the longest) 50-minute installments truly counts as Forgotten Television.
THE STALLS OF BARCHESTER (Dec 24th, 1971) – Dr. Black (Clive Swift), a scholar cataloguing the book collection at Barchester Cathedral, comes across the diary of a former Archdeacon who murdered his predecessor so he could rise to the position. The killer was then haunted by ghostly figures in the form of the carvings on the cathedral’s choir stalls. Also starring Robert Hardy, Thelma Barlow and Will Leighton. Continue reading
Like Balladeer’s Blog pointed out last year the increasingly unhinged Anti-Trump Right, the American Left and their Corporate Media allies have accomplished the seemingly impossible: they’ve turned Donald Trump into a sympathetic underdog. 
NUMBER FOUR TAKES A FALL – In NCAA Division 3, the number 12 BETHEL (MN) ROYALS welcomed the nation’s 4th ranked ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY JOHNNIES in this game. A 3-0 Royals edge to end the 1st Quarter became a 10-10 tie at the midpoint. After a scoreless 3rd Quarter, the 4th saw Bethel University dispatch the Johnnies 17-10. 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER SIX – NCAA Division 2’s 7th ranked UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT THE PERMIAN BASIN FALCONS were on the road against the number 6 team in the nation – the ANGELO STATE RAMS. By Halftime the Falcons were on top 21-7 before Angelo State cut that to 21-14 in the 3rd Quarter. UT-Permian Basin consummated the mild Upset 28-14 in the 4th. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER TEN – In the NAIA, the FLORIDA MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY LIONS paid a visit to the 10th ranked team in the country – the SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY FIRE. A 10-0 1st Quarter lead for the Fire was cut to a mere 17-14 edge over their opponents by the Half. The 3rd Quarter ended with the Lions up 21-20 and the 4th in a 28-23 FMU win. 
MAN-SIZE IN MARBLE (1887) – One of the iconic Edith Nesbit’s short horror stories. This was first published in the December of 1887 issue of the magazine Home Chimes. Nesbit later included it in her collection of short stories titled Grim Tales (1893). For modern readers – and possibly Victorian Age readers, too – it’s always clear where the story is headed but it’s still worth checking out. 
MYSTIC COMICS Vol 1 #1 (Mar 1940) 
B. Dynamic Man – Scientist Dr. Simon Goettler creates 
Yes, those government “shutdowns” that aren’t technically shutdowns have happened 
CEMETERY OF TERROR (1985) – HALLOWEEN MONTH CONTINUES! Released in Mexico as Cementerio del terror, this overlooked movie makes for some nice Halloween season viewing and is even set on October 31st. Cemetery of Terror is not as campy as Mexican Wrestling Horror flicks or notorious works like 
Once again, Balladeer’s Blog looks at the fragmentary remains of one of the lesser-known ancient Greek comedy playwrights, in this case Philyllius. This comic poet’s career seems to have spanned approximately from the 410s BC to 390 BC. One of his comedies won 1st prize at a Lenaea festival in the 390s and he won 1st prize at an unknown Dionysia. His fellow comedian Strattis credited him with being the first Attic Old Comic to use real torches on stage.
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