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The History of Horror Movie Hosts!
From flickering late-night screens to campy costumes and corny jokes, horror movie hosts became an unlikely cultural phenomenon. These quirky guides not only introduced monster movies and B-movie thrillers to new generations but also created a shared community experience for fans who tuned in week after week.
In this episode, we explore:
- 📺 The origins of horror hosting in the 1950s with Shock Theater packages and local TV personalities.
- 👻 Trailblazers like Vampira, who pioneered the role of glamorous-but-ghoulish hostess.
- 🦇 Svengoolie, Elvira, and Joe Bob Briggs, who defined eras of horror hosting with humor, satire, and deep love of the genre.
- 🌙 Regional legends such as Fritz the Night Owl in Columbus and Ghoulardi in Cleveland, who left lasting local marks.
- 🎬 The revival of horror hosting in the streaming age, including the return of Joe Bob Briggs and the rise of digital horror communities.
We break down the humor, the low-budget creativity, and the way these hosts gave identity to late-night horror programming while shaping fan culture that thrives to this day.
- Bishop, Kyle William. American Zombie Gothic: The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of the Walking Dead in Popular Culture. McFarland, 2010.
- Bishop, Kyle William. The Cinematic Vampire: From Nosferatu to Twilight. Rutgers University Press, 2016.
- Heller-Nicholas, Alexandra. 1000 Women in Horror, 1895–2018. BearManor Media, 2019.
- Sconce, Jeffrey. Haunted Media: Electronic Presence from Telegraphy to Television. Duke University Press, 2000.
- Peary, Danny. Cult Movies. Delacorte Press, 1981.
- Skal, David J. The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror. Faber & Faber, 1993.
- Weaver, Tom. Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers. McFarland, 1988.
- Museum of Broadcast Communications – Vampira
- Svengoolie Official Site
- Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs (Shudder)
Job Bob Briggs: www.joebobbriggs.com
Elvira: https://www.elvira.com/
Svengoolie: https://metv.com/svengoolie
Subscribe to Shudder: www.shudder.com
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-on-the-margins/exclusive-content
View all episodes
By John WilliamsonFrom flickering late-night screens to campy costumes and corny jokes, horror movie hosts became an unlikely cultural phenomenon. These quirky guides not only introduced monster movies and B-movie thrillers to new generations but also created a shared community experience for fans who tuned in week after week.
In this episode, we explore:
- 📺 The origins of horror hosting in the 1950s with Shock Theater packages and local TV personalities.
- 👻 Trailblazers like Vampira, who pioneered the role of glamorous-but-ghoulish hostess.
- 🦇 Svengoolie, Elvira, and Joe Bob Briggs, who defined eras of horror hosting with humor, satire, and deep love of the genre.
- 🌙 Regional legends such as Fritz the Night Owl in Columbus and Ghoulardi in Cleveland, who left lasting local marks.
- 🎬 The revival of horror hosting in the streaming age, including the return of Joe Bob Briggs and the rise of digital horror communities.
We break down the humor, the low-budget creativity, and the way these hosts gave identity to late-night horror programming while shaping fan culture that thrives to this day.
- Bishop, Kyle William. American Zombie Gothic: The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of the Walking Dead in Popular Culture. McFarland, 2010.
- Bishop, Kyle William. The Cinematic Vampire: From Nosferatu to Twilight. Rutgers University Press, 2016.
- Heller-Nicholas, Alexandra. 1000 Women in Horror, 1895–2018. BearManor Media, 2019.
- Sconce, Jeffrey. Haunted Media: Electronic Presence from Telegraphy to Television. Duke University Press, 2000.
- Peary, Danny. Cult Movies. Delacorte Press, 1981.
- Skal, David J. The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror. Faber & Faber, 1993.
- Weaver, Tom. Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers. McFarland, 1988.
- Museum of Broadcast Communications – Vampira
- Svengoolie Official Site
- Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs (Shudder)
Job Bob Briggs: www.joebobbriggs.com
Elvira: https://www.elvira.com/
Svengoolie: https://metv.com/svengoolie
Subscribe to Shudder: www.shudder.com
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-on-the-margins/exclusive-content