Poster for Ghoulita (Lietta Harvey) as the 1963-1964 host of KCOP Channel 13’s ‘Jeepers’ Creepers Theatre.’ Photo courtesy of Lietta Harvey. Copyright 2012
(All photos, except where indicated, courtesy of Jim Fetters. Copyright 2012)
Jeepers Creeper (Bob Guy) on the KCOP Channel 13 set of his horror show ‘Jeepers’ Creepers Theatre’ in 1962
In 1962, a Los Angeles-based television channel by the name of KCOP 13 premiered a horror show by the name of ‘Jeepers’ Creepers Theatre’, igniting in 12 year old Jimmy Fetters a love of horror hosts that was the beginning of a life-long addiction.
From 1962 to 1964 he painstakingly filmed each weekly episode the only way available in an era that predated VCRs and DVD recorders: using a reel to reel tape recorder.
But as much as he loved the shows, he-and the general audience-never knew about what went on behind the scenes; what occurred off-screen:live adult stage performances, lawsuits and cutthroat competition. What started off as risqué and sexy by 1954 standards ended as risqué and sexy by 1984 standards. Horror hosts affected 30 years of television history, a phenomenon that isn’t known by many of today’s generation, but is fondly remembered by the “Baby Boomers” such as myself.
Finding the tapes years later in the late 1990s, Jim Fetters was inspired to start a website, which led to contact from directors, script writers, actors, and the creators of the programs he’d enjoyed so much in his youth. With their full cooperation and assistance, he’s written a phenomenal book: “Creatures of the Night That We Loved So Well.”
Finally chronicled for future generations, the history of Southern California’s horror show hosts is lovingly collected in its 365 pages’ worth of interviews with hosts and script writers, over 250 photos (many published for the very first time), ads, actual scripts, little known trivia and more.
In addition, the book marks the first time that any publication has succeeded in revealing the identities of all those hosts: from Vampira to Elvira. It’s a remarkable achievement, to put it mildly.
Jim Fetters has written articles and worked as webmaster for Scary Monsters Magazine. Currently he lives in Boise, Idaho, where he spends his time “writing and dreaming” when he’s not acquiring history from nationally shown TV horror hosts. From his home in Idaho, Jim discussed with The Los Angeles Beat this unique and remarkable period in the history of Southern California television .
Your book is a simply amazing chronicle of the history of Southern California horror hosts. How did you even begin to write it, and what particular task(s)proved to be the most daunting in the writing of it?
Back in 1998, I found the box of reel to reel tapes from my childhood and transferred them to cassette so I could listen again; great memories!! I thought about creating a website and sharing my memories and the shows in Real Audio.
A couple months later, Mitch Waldow (News Director at KCOP) contacted me, and everything grew from there. I got to meet and spend time with Jim Sullivan (co-creator of Jeepers’ Creepers Theatre) and Lietta Harvey, who played ‘Ghoulita’. That turned into a magazine article for Scary Monsters Magazine. Then I started searching out the other hosts that I’d watched, and it bloomed into a 12 year project of research and interviews.
The hardest part was tracking down the hosts’ real names, then finding them in hopes for an interview. I had excellent help from Paul Parla and Eric Huffstutler for tracking down and contacting some very wonderful people.
Ghoulita (Lietta Harvey) chats with her ‘friend’ Doris. Photo courtesy of Lietta Harvey. Copyright 2012
1963 advert for host Ghoulita on ‘Jeepers’ Creepers Theatre’ on KCOP Channel 13
Jeepers’ Keeper (Fred Stuthman) arises from his coffin to welcome his audience on the Jeepers’ Creepers Theatre in 1964
Bob Guy as Jeepers, with his mummy in 1962
Fred Stuthman as Jeeper’s Keeper in 1964
Of all the revelations you discovered during the making of this book, which for you was the most shocking/surprising?
Television wasn’t the friendly thing I had always thought it was. As a kid, I thought these were TV shows and everyone got along with each other. But to learn of the lawsuits, and for one host that pretty much hated everyone else, and a station taken over by a conglomerate that pretty much abused it’s power over another host. Neither is discussed in my book. But the kindness of all the others made up for all that.
Jim, how old were you when you first began watching and taping (on a reel-to-reel tape recorder!) these now classic television programs?
I was 12 years old. It was 1962, and I had found ‘Jeepers’ Creepers Theatre’ on KCOP 13. Every Saturday night I’d be there in front of the TV with my tape recorder.
For how many years did you tape these programs, and who was the first horror show host that you taped?
I started taping Jeepers’ Creepers Theatre in 1962, and continued taping each Saturday night until 1964. As a kid, I couldn’t afford to but more reels, so I stopped taping them. I do regret that now! I was lucky enough to have a few Jeepers-including his last show that happens to be Ghoulita’s first show. I have a couple of Jeepers’ Keeper shows too.
Sadly, out of all the reels I kept for so many years most had become brittle with age, so only a few shows were rescued from the tapes. But luckily, I wasn’t the only one taping the shows!
What was it about this type of program, this genre, that made it so appealing to you, and continues to make it so all these years later?
They were completely different than any other shows on TV. Sure, there were movie hosts, but they were ‘normal’ people. Horror hosts making it possible to laugh at scary movies, making it possible to stay up late at night, get scared at the movie, then be laughing with the host about it. You really had to be there and experience it. Consider Grimsley: he’d have his promos for “Grimsleyland ( a take-off on Disneyland) where you can bury your friends and have fun!” He showed us it was ok to make fun of and laugh at stuff that would ordinarily scare the hell out of kids.
Robert Foster as ‘Grimsley’ in 1975, from KHJ TV Channel 9’s ‘Grimsley’s Mortuary’
Of the many hosts over the years, who was your favorite and why?
Impossible to pick one. Jeepers was the first one that created my addiction. Ghoulita, she stole my little black heart so many years ago… and she still won’t tell me where she keeps it! I’d have to list them all. For one reason or another they all are my favorite.
Who was your least favorite, and why?
Nope, that one doesn’t exist.
In the book, you discuss the ‘cutthroat’ rivalry and competition between the various hosts. Was there one particularly nasty rivalry that comes to your mind, and what was the outcome of that?
The first was between Dr. Diablo and The Old Woman airing the same night. Dr.Diablo started a month before The Old Woman, but KTLA (TV Channel 5) placed her show a bit later in the evening and grabbed the “SHOCK!” movie package first. So the combination of classic Universal films and a later time slot-after the kiddies were in bed-allowed for a bigger audience. The article (covered in the book) goes into more detail, along with the announcement of Dr. Diablo’s last airing. Then Mae Clarke’s lawsuit, Vampira’s lawsuit…
I read that you literally stumbled upon the existence of the 1950s host Dr. Diablo. How did you come to find out about him, and does that indicate that perhaps there are more currently forgotten hosts out there waiting to be rediscovered?
1957 advert for the show ‘Terror!’ hosted by Dr. Diablo (Dan Riss) on KCOP Channel 13
While researching the Old Woman, I found an article covering the rivalry between her and Dr. Diablo. That sent me on another search quest! Who was ‘Dr. Diablo’ and how long did he air? With more research, I found out he was Dan Riss:a prominent movie actor and local KCOP 13 weekend news host.
After “Creatures of the Night…” was published, I received a very nice email from Dan Riss’ son, who was very happy to find his Dad remembered as Dr. Diablo and, in fact, shared 9 full scripts of ‘TERROR!’ (Diablo’s show) with me.
Yes, a new host has been found since publication: ‘Arachnid’ on KCHU TV Channel 18, which was a UHF station from very early 1960’s, remembered by Don Whittaker. There is more searching to be done!
I remember my sister being a fan of the 1950s horror host ‘The Old Woman’; talking about the ‘poignant’ quality she had and how she would envision herself as part of the films she showed each week. I read that she and KTLA became involved in a lawsuit against them, filed by none other than the actress Mae Clarke! Can you tell our readers more about that?
Ottola Nesmith as The Old Woman in 1957
You are correct. The lawsuit brought national attention. The Old Woman, Ottola Nesmith, did envision herself as the heroine of each movie she presented on the show.
For her show’s premiere airing of ‘Frankernstein’, she told the audience that she was Mae Clarke:”a washed up has-been.” Yep that brought the lawsuit which Mae Clarke lost, and The Old Woman continued envisioning herself as the female lead in each movie shown, which included the ones she really had appeared in like “The Wolfman” and a couple of others.
As we’d discussed earlier, I have a real ‘soft spot’ for one horror host in particular: Ghoulita. I was all of seven years old when I first watched her on Jeepers’ Creepers Theatre in 1963. Recently, you shared on Youtube the amazing tape of the audition for that role, and I was awestruck at her transformation. The actress (Lietta Harvey)became increasingly more ‘ghoulish’ until she fully transformed into the Ghoulita we all loved. I honestly didn’t believe at first that the woman in the audition tape was the same woman!
Lietta Harvey in her early 1960s audition for the role as horror show host ‘Ghoulita’
Lietta Harvey auditioning in April 1963 for the role of ‘Ghoulita’ on Jeepers’ Creepers Theatre
The ever lovely Ghoulita! Yes, in the book are several photos of Ghoulita’s original look. On the back of one was scribed “She’s too attractive – UGLYFY her!”
Ghoulita was and is one of a kind! Back then she was “The Mae West of the graveyard” and as she puts it today “The Meryl Streep of the streets.” She is such a sweet lady and dear friend! In the epilogue of the book you’ll read about our meeting and how she held my hand because I was so star struck with her!
Another of the horror hosts that really stands out in my childhood memories was ‘Moona Lisa’, whom I swear Elvira must have patterned herself after to the point that I’m surprised that didn’t result in a lawsuit, lol! I understand that host had an amazingly long run on television, and I remember the hoopla back in the 1970s when she filled in for Larry Vincent (Sinister Seymour) on KHJ TV Channel 9’s “Fright Night”, when Larry was quite ill battling his stomach cancer.
Actually, Elvira did have a lawsuit brought against her, but by Maila Nurmi (Vampira). Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) had a lot of similarities to Vampira: her couch and the film set, her look and mannerisms. Elvira and KHJ won the suit.
Vampira (Maila Nurmi) on her KTLA Channel 5 studio set in 1955. Photo courtesy of The Estate of Maila Nurmi. Copyright 2012
Cassandra Peterson as ‘Elvira’ in the 1980s. Photo courtesy of The official Elvira, Mistress of the Dark Website. Copyright 2012
Moona Lisa is a very kind lady that was too friendly to be offended or worry about being copied. She’d take that as a compliment.
1970s advert for Moona Lisa as the host of KHJ TV Channel 9’s “Fright Night”
“Girl-god of the galaxies” Moona Lisa (Lisa Clark) struts her stuff!
If there was one horror host that everyone in my family could agree on loving it was the one and only ‘Sinister Seymour’ (the late Larry Vincent)! Of all the various horror hosts, he seems to have had one of the greatest impacts, yet only one piece of film footage (a brief outtake)is known to have survived all these years later.
Outtake of “Fright Night” with Sinister Seymour
Everyone loves Seymour! I’ve been fortunate in that Douglas McEwan and I have been friends for many years. Douglas was a very close friend to Larry, and was his script writer for Larry’s last run on KHJ and his last Knott’s Berry Farm show. Douglas was kind enough to write the foreword for the book, and shared a lot of his memories and personal photos for Seymour’s chapter too. Larry was one of a kind; a very nice human being! And he is sorely missed by those of us that loved him. And as Seymour would say ” I’d like to thank you for remembering me… I’d like to, but it’s not my style!”
Seymour (Larry Vincent) with his alter ego ‘Banjo Billy’ on “Fright Night” at the KHJ TV channel 9 studio set in 1971.
The 1970s advert for Seymour’s (Larry Vincent) KTLA Channel 5 program “Monster Rally”
Early 1970s advert for Seymour’s “Fright Night” on KHJ TV Channel 9
Many years ago, I spoke to a former programmer for KHJ TV Channel 9:the station that aired Fright Night which featured ‘Sinister Seymour’ (followed a few years later by ‘Grimsley’ in Grimsley’s Mortuary). The former programmer told me that the station, in an effort to save money, had ‘recycled’ Seymour’s episodes, taping over them! Since today there is no known copy in existence-other than a brief outtake-do you think that one might be found someday, and if so, how?
All the stations re-used the kinescopes. Very large, heavy and very expensive tape used for the shows. The one short clip of Seymour was a blooper that someone at the station saved, unknown to the station.
The only kinescopes that I’ve seen from back then are Ghoulita’s audition tape that she saved all those years. When I contacted her back in 1998, she was kind enough to send it to me and we both donated it to the Los Angeles Television Museum at UCLA. And Bob Burns saved the one with his appearance on Jeepers’ Creepers Theatre with the original host Jeepers. Unless someone else has saved a tape and it’s hiding in a box lost in a garage or attic, someday another show may turn up.
Television horror hosts have been popular throughout various parts of the United States for many years. What was it about the hosts that hailed from Southern California that really made them stand out from the rest; gave them their unique and lasting appeal?
All regions have their favorite hosts, and each stands out in their own way. But Southern California had the very first horror host:Vampira in 1954. Plus Southern California had the advantage of having so many stations available to us, and they had imagination back then. The stations aired what the fans wanted to see, and we did want those crazy and lovable hosts that made us laugh. None of us watched for the movie; we watched for the host.
After a 50 year reign on American television in So. California, this genre finally came to an end. Why do you think that happened?
Sadly, big business taking over ‘local’ tv stations. Think back to all the ‘local’ shows you used to watch throughout the day and night; they don’t exist anymore. Local news and the rest is now network and infomercials, and the tv viewer isn’t a consideration any longer. It’s a very sad thing when they look at money instead of the wants of local viewers. Look at LA tv stations:how many are owned by the same conglomerate? Look at KCOP, KTLA and others websites. Very sad that there is no individuality anymore. Bet you’re sorry you got me started on that!
I understand that you have a new book coming out. Can you tell our readers about that?
A few are in the works right now. One is a collection of Lon Chaney Sr. Newspaper articles and film ads from across the country, covering from 1909 thru his death in 1930. Another covers horror hosts across the country including some that are still active like Dr. Gangrene, Count Gore de Vol and Halloween Jack. There are a lot of hosts still airing their creepy selves.
Jim, it’s been such a pleasure talking with you today about one of my favorite subjects. Thank you for taking the time from your busy schedule to share with our readers these fascinating insights into a period of Southern California television history that many of us consider one of its best. Please stop by again soon!
I’d like to thank you so very much for your kind words and this opportunity to talk with you. “Creatures of the Night…” has been a labor of love for me. I’ve been fortunate to meet some of the kindest, most generous people: the hosts themselves. They not only shared their time and memories with me, they also shared rare photos and scripts. My thanks to them for making a childhood dream come true. 
Very cool. You’ve got me Googling all these people now… The only ones I knew were Vampira and Elvira!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the article, Simone! 🙂
This was a really FUN interview; the subject is
so near and dear to my heart!
Me and my siblings grew up
watching all these great horror hosts; my sister loved
watching “The Old Woman” on KTLA channel 5 and
Vampira’s show too! The earliest horror host I can personally
remember watching was “Jeepers” when I was only SIX.
But, as in the case of Jim Fetters, it was Ghoulita who
(as Jim so beautifully puts it) stole my little black heart…
and still won’t tell me WHERE she put it, all these years later,lol! 😉
Amazing – I am always fascinated by regional TV stories. Thanks for writing this!
I plan on doing MORE articles about our LA-based television history, Paul! One of the things I’m doing right now is trying to arrange interviews with some of the stars from years past, the ones that you, me and our readers grew up watching here in LA! I’d love to interview my childhood ‘hero’:Ghoulita (Lietta Harvey)! She was probably the very first TV character that caught my imagination.
Although nowadays it’s music that I primarily cover in my articles, during my childhood it was TELEVISION, not music, that took front row center in all of my family affairs. My family just LOVED watching TV:the set was on almost every waking minute in my household! I recall my childhood memories as much-if not MORE-by the programs we watched as anything we actually did as a family or as individuals. TV was THAT important to the Pena family! 😉
I know it was not a horror show, but I was on the Pier Five Club, hosted by Tom Hatton, on KTLA in December of 1962. I had just turned five in late November, and my name was pulled out of the hopper to appear on the show. I still have the hat, club membership card, and the gifts I brought back from the show. Great memories!
I loved Tom Hatton!
I look forward to future interviews, Shirley. This one held particular fascination for me because of the subject matter – my Saturdays as a kid revolved around the Boston area’s TV double bill of monster movies, Creature Double Feature (which used Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s “Toccata” as its theme song). It didn’t have a host per se for decades – only the voice of the local announcer and later WHDH DJ/cartoon show host Dale Dorman. In the early ’80s, the station bought segments from Son of Svengoolie in Chicago, which were total anarchy and greatly appreciated by empty-headed teens like myself. Sven is now syndicated on MeTV on Saturday nights, so LA residents with cable can at least get some dose of a horror host on TV. The last ones to have an actual local broadcast were I believe Ivonna Cadaver and Butch Patrick on KBAK in Bakersfield, which was airing as of a few years ago. It was pretty weak.
I loved this artical. What got me here was that I was watching a cheesy horror film and I come to remember Seymour of “Fright Night” on khj tv. Had a childhood friend in the neighborhood, he and I would have sleepovers and religiously watched Fright Night. We lived in the San Fernando Valley and i belive it was after the ’71 Sylmar quake. We didnt care what the movie was, we just wanted to see Seymour make fun of it, whether it was the acting, the plot even the pink hat with white poka dots ( he had the same one on set) in some beach monster surf film shot in Malibu. Well one night at my house in our pj,s laughing so hard bout woke my parents up there was an aftershock. And sure as heck 4 seconds later theres Seymour running around the studio trying to duck and cover as the cameras were shaking, stage was shaking. My buddy and I just looked at each other and started bursting out in laughter to the point we were about to wet our pj’s. Thats when I realized that this was a live broacast.
Thank you for allowing me to share that lil piece of my history.
Meeting Seymour at a car show was a highlight of my 1st grade year.
I would have LOVED to have met Sinister Seymour at a car show or anywhere! 🙂
Hi Alain,
THANKS so much for stopping by to share “that lil piece of history.”
I’d have loved to have personally seen that; it must have been hilarious!
I’ll have to share your story with author Jim Fetters. Thanks for the memories. 🙂
I just happened on your account of Jeepers Creepers tv show and it jarred my head back to the early 60s…my mother and I moved from NJ to Palms Ca in june 1963 and my mom and a friend of mine some how wound up going to KCOP …I think it was on Monday nites ( don’t hold me to that) and watched the tapeing of the Jeepers Creepers shows for the next week…thank you for jarring my memory ….
Hi Peter,
THANKS so much for stopping by to to share your story! God, how I would have LOVED to have been able to watch the taping of Jeepers Creepers! Your mom and friend were so lucky!! 😀
Even though I lived in Yuma Arizona I was able to watch KHJ-TV from the late 60’s
onward My first late night Fright Night host was Larry Vince Mr. Seymour. He was
great and then of course my all time favorite Mona Lisa! She was Hot! Sexy and for
the times, with our country going to the moon and space…Perfect. Her voice and her
Moon base is still in my mind., I liked Elvira too but to me Moona Lisa is my favorite
Hi Gary,
THANKS so much for stopping by to share your memories of one of my favorite television shows! Like you, I enjoyed watching Moona Lisa more than I did Elvira. She just had that certain something about her! Take care! 🙂
Thank you so much for such a great effort. I can’t wait for your book to arrive. I was fortune to have experienced several horror show hosts. Starting with Goulardi in 63, Moona Lisa 65-68 and Dr. Cadaverino. Whenever we traveled on vacation to visit relatives it seemed all kids watched a Saturday late night horror host. I’d like to mention about Moona Lisa’s entro theme music. Originally it was “ARIES-The Fire Fighter” from THE ZODIAC-COSMIC SOUNDS lp.I remember that very clearly because that was one of my favorite albums at the time and was surprised when they started using it. Another thing I remember about Moona Lisa was when they were showing “Earth vs The Flying Saucers she had local “Chicken Delight” paper plates hanging around the set, hilarious! Lastly, I wonder if anyone knows who recorded that wonderful xylophone background music. I was so glad to hear a few seconds of it from Moona Liza on You-tube. Keep up the good work. Mike Sussek
I have the “Jeepers Creepers” DVD with the mummy show and it is great. Best part were the ads which were ALL for toys. Shows who the audience was! I still can not figure out why he was only on the air for, I believe, one or two seasons. Does anyone know?
Thanks for the great interview. So much rare and interesting information and photos. Also helpful as I’m writing a huge article on gothic horror on TV (1949-1979) for “Scary Monsters” magazine (planned for issue #109, April 2018). How I wish there was existing footage from House of Horror (KPTV Portland, 1957-58) with Tarantula Ghoul, another Vampira type hostess.
I remember Moonalisa well on Science “Fiction Theater in San Diego, but I much preferred her beautiful predecessor Cosmocina who lived on an asteroid. The rumor in San Diego was that Cosmocina was Raquel Welch who worked at channel 8 as a weather girl.
I watched jeepers creepers from the first. Bob Guy I believed was the first. I was disappointed when he was replaced. I remember that night when someone replaced him. I talked to Betty Hart about it. Betty was like my second mother. I was brought up in Azuss. I’m 68 now