THE HILARIOUS HOUSE OF FRIGHTENSTEIN (1971-1974) – Balladeer’s Blog’s recent review of Countdown Canada (1970) generated so much excitement that I decided to go to the Canada Well once again with this classic children’s series which combined kid-friendly monsters with educational programming and the always welcome Vincent Price.
Picture The Groovy Goolies crossed with The Electric Company and you’ll grasp the vibe of The Hilarious House of Frightenstein, created by Ted Barris. Vincent Price not only introduced each sketch during the show, but also did the program’s beloved opening in which – long before his spoken word bit in Thriller – he recited the campy introductory poem.
That poem went “Another lovely day begins, for ghosts and ghouls with greenish skin. So close your eyes and you will find, that you’ve arrived in Frightenstein. Perhaps the Count will find a way, to make his monster work today. For if he solves this monster-mania, he can return to Transylvania! So welcome where the sun won’t shine, to the castle of Count Frightenstein!” And then Price did his patented sinister laugh, again like he would go on to do for Thriller more than a decade later.
As that intro indicated, the premise to this show was that Count Frightenstein and the others at his castle in Frankenstone were living in exile from Transylvania until he could bring Brucie J. Monster (basically the Frankenstein Monster) back to life. That backstory was really just the excuse for the ensuing madness in the form of kid-friendly comedy sketches and educational material, all presented with monsters as the characters. Continue reading
COUNTDOWN CANADA (1970) – Here at Balladeer’s Blog I am amazed that this vintage Canadian Television work of speculative fiction hasn’t received renewed fame in 2026. And not one IMDb review as of this writing. 
THE GALLERY OF MADAME LIU-TSONG aka MADAME LIU-TSONG (1951) – The great Anna May Wong starred in this Dumont Network program, which was THE FIRST U.S. TELEVISION SERIES WITH AN ASIAN-AMERICAN STAR. Wong had worked in Silent Films like Peter Pan and The Thief of Bagdad, then as Fu Manchu’s daughter in a few talkies. 
TENAFLY (1973-1974) – The same television season that Richard Roundtree’s Shaft was adapted as a small-screen series, another black detective show titled Tenafly debuted. 
HUCK FINN – A musical adaptation of part of the Mark Twain novel Huckleberry Finn. Earle Hyman, who played Cliff Huxtable’s father on Cosby, starred as Jim, Jimmy Boyd was Huck, BASIL RATHBONE played the Duke, Jack Carson the King, and FLORENCE HENDERSON was Mary Jane Wilk. Songs included Loafin’ on the Water, My Friend Huckleberry Finn, Funny but Likable and Too Wonderful for Me. 
MCGURK (1979) 
U.S. STEEL HOUR: SEASON FOUR (1956-1957) – “The Broadway of Television” was back for another season. Some standout episodes from this season:
BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY – PAUL NEWMAN, George Peppard, Albert Salmi, Barbara Babcock and Clu Gulager star in the TV version of this classic story. A major league pitcher (Paul Newman) learns his catcher (George Peppard in his television debut) is dying from a rare disease. He honors the catcher’s request to keep the situation a secret from the rest of the team. 
CORONET BLUE (1967) – Another intriguing but short-lived television series created by future 
A TIME TO BE BORN, A TIME TO DIE – After our amnesiac hero pulls himself out of New York Harbor he adopts the name Michael Alden based on the name of the physician treating him and the hospital in which he is laid up. His fingerprints come back with no match and Michael goes on the run from his enigmatic pursuers and struggles to learn what “Coronet Blue” means. 
BANACEK (1972-1974) – George Peppard starred as insurance investigator Thomas Banacek solving seemingly impossible thefts in this rotating series from NBC’s Wednesday Night Mystery Movie. NBC launched the Wednesday Night Mystery series in an attempt to duplicate the success of its Sunday Night Mystery Movie which had launched iconic detective shows like Columbo, McMillan and Wife & McCloud. 
An insurance detective recovering the stolen item would save the parent company from having to pay the entire insurance policy amount. They would only have to pay a certain percentage to the detective solving the theft and recovering the insured object. 
DOLLY (1976-1977) – This half-hour series was launched after singer Dolly Parton’s years of success as a supporting performer on Porter Wagoner’s show. Dolly featured Ms. Parton and usually one celebrity guest performing songs. The series ran for 26 episodes. Dolly’s hit Love is Like a Butterfly was the opening theme and at the end of each show she would perform a little bit of I Will Always Love You. 
EPISODE ONE – For some reason, kiddie show host Bob Keeshan – Captain Kangaroo himself – was the guest in this episode. He and Dolly sang Three Little Fishes together. Keeshan soloed on Thank Heaven for Little Girls (I wish I was kidding but I’m not.) and Sleepyhead. 
