SCREAM-IN (June 20th, 1969 to August ?, 1971) – Love-Ins begat Laugh-In which begat Scream-In, a Bad Movie Show that went off the air when the station broadcasting it went bankrupt. Scream-In was previously titled Shock it to Me, a clever combination of the old Shock syndicated horror film package and the Laugh-In catch-phrase “Sock it to me!”
This Movie Host Show aired on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s WPGH Saturday nights at 7:00pm and sometimes 6:30pm to avoid having to go head-to-head with Pittsburgh’s iconic Movie Host Chilly Billy Cardilly (Bill Cardille) on Chiller Theater. Here are Scream-In‘s three hosts – Coagulus, Count Von Thirstenburg and Tarantula, who had a ghoulish sidekick called Hugo.
COAGULUS – The name of the actor playing this vampire character has not come down to us. Some sources state that Coagulus hosted WPGH’s original version of Scream-In titled just Supernatural Movie beginning in February 1969 – the same month the station started broadcasting.
This figure has been described by those who remember him as very much in the sarcastic style of Ghoulardi (Cleveland) and Sinister Seymour (Los Angeles). Coagulus leaned heavily into the So Bad They’re Good spirit that so many of us love about these old shows.
In late July, 1969 this host was fired, supposedly for wanting a raise. He was immediately replaced by another Movie Host character. See below. Continue reading
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