SIR GRAVES GHASTLY – Lawson J. Deming portrayed this vampire character whose eponymous movie show ran from January 1967 to November 1982 in Detroit – a longer run than most other classic Movie Hosts. His Saturday afternoon at 1:00pm program was even syndicated in Cleveland and Washington, DC for a year or two during the 1970s.
(NOTE: Some sources claim that Lawson Deming hosted the syndicated shows as Count Alu Card.)
The backstory that Deming created for his tongue-in-cheek vampire was that he was over 400 years old and was originally Gravarious Ghastliano from Italy. After moving to England he met William Shakespeare and acted in his plays. One of Demings’ most frequent lines held that Queen Elizabeth had Sir Graves Ghastly hanged “but like a bad vaccination, it didn’t take.”
At the start of each episode Sir Graves would emerge from a coffin and make with his signature laugh – “”Nyeeea-aaaa-haa-haaaaa.” At show’s end he would climb back into the coffin and pull down the lid.
In between came old horror and sci-fi movies from classic Universal hits to So-Bad-They’re-Good bombs like Robot Monster,The Crawling Hand, Japan’s Starman flicks and others. Deming also portrayed a variety of supporting characters on Sir Graves Ghastly. Continue reading
THE FLYING DOCTOR (1959-1960) – This installment of Balladeer’s Blog’s Forgotten Television is a series that was based on the 1950s BBC radio show about Australia’s airborne doctors who tended to widely separated communities in the Outback. Previously, I covered the long-running Australian television series The Flying Doctors based on the same outfits. 
STANDOUT EPISODES: 
On March 9th, 1953 Dr. Jonas Salk announced his successful vaccine against poliomyelitis, the virus that causes polio. 
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The 4th seeded NORTH AMERICAN UNIVERSITY STALLIONS played the 1 seeds – the BLOOMFIELD COLLEGE BEARS. The Stallions put Bloomfield College on Upset alert with their 43-41 Halftime edge, then carried through by knocking off the top seeds by a final score of 98-88. North American University was led by Jamarric Hammond with a Double Double of 27 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists. (So almost a Triple Double.) 
SECOND SEMIFINAL – And in this game the 3 seeds – the BRYANT & STRATTON COLLEGE (Syracuse) BOBCATS – took on the 2nd seeded SOUTHEASTERN ILLINOIS COLLEGE FALCONS (should be Blue Falcons). SIC led 43-37 at the Half, only for the Bobcats to force Overtime with an 80-80 tie. In the extra session, BSC-Syracuse triumphed 92-87. Jordan Drain’s 25 points led the victors, while his fellow Bobcats Wayne Longmore and Khai Pugh logged Double Doubles of 15 points & 12 rebounds, and 13 points & 10 rebounds, respectively. 
CONAN THE BARBARIAN Vol 1 #52 (Jul 1975) 
Conan finds the Ring of the Black Shadow, thus animating a huge statue of the Scorpion God which guards the ring to keep it out of human hands. Our hero fights the statue and renders it inert again with a sword through its “brain.”
THE MAN AND THE MONSTER – Written by Henry M. Milner, this stage adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein differs significantly from her novel and was first performed on July 3rd, 1826 at the Royal Cobourg Theatre. 
TARZAN OF THE APES (1918) – Though Elmo had been appearing as an extra or in small supporting roles since 1913, his portrayal of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan in this movie put him on the map. For nitpickers, Gordon Griffith of silent Tom Sawyer fame played the very young Tarzan when his parents died early in this film, but Elmo Lincoln was the first adult Tarzan performer in movie history. 
Binns the sailor realizes Tarzan is the long-lost Greystoke heir and an expedition heads to Africa, headed by Professor Porter. The professor’s daughter Jane Porter (Enid Markey) accompanies her father’s expedition and winds up abducted by a villain only to be saved by our King of the Jungle. 
HBCU CONFERENCE: CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The title tilt in this storied conference pitted the 3 seeds – the SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AT NEW ORLEANS KNIGHTS – against the top seeded TOUGALOO COLLEGE BULLDOGS. The Knights were up 35-30 at Halftime but Tougaloo forced Overtime with a 72-72 tie. In the extra session SUNO won out 84-81. Dorian Booker led the victors with his 26 points. 
AMERICAN MIDWEST CONFERENCE: CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – Fighting it out for the conference crown were the top seeded COLUMBIA (MO) COUGARS and the 3 seeds – the WILLIAMS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY EAGLES. The Cougars had Williams Baptist on the run, leading them 42-29 at the midpoint before putting them away by a final tally of 83-71. Seventeen points from Max Rieger led the way for Columbia College. 
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS (1958-1959) – This Cold War spy series starred and was narrated by Bruce Gordon, who portrayed U.S. Navy Commander Matson (no first name given). Matson would take an active role in some episodes and would narrate from a supporting role in others. 
THE CAPE CANAVERAL STORY – Commander Matson and U.S. Naval Intelligence deal with a Soviet submarine sent to monitor American rocket tests at Cape Canaveral as well as with a Russian spy who tries forcing a charter boat captain in the area to take him to a spot where he can observe launches. Virginia “Mrs. Olson” Christine also stars. 
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