I Was a TV Horror Host: Memoirs of a Creature Features Man Horror Book Review

Once upon a time there were weird TV hosts in costumes who introduced old horror and science fiction movies on late-night programming. John Stanley, who hosted the highly rated “Creature Features” in the San Francisco-Bay Area for six years (1979-84), preferred to be just himself in normal clothing—but in the process met some of the most unusual entertainment icons of the 20th Century. In addition to an historic overview of creepy storytellers from early movies and the Golden Age of Radio, this pictorial history, including 559 photos, many in print for the first time, updates Stanley’s exclusive interview material to describe such leading players as Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner and Gene Roddenberry of “Star Trek,” Lucille Ball, Arnold Schwarzenegger, fantasy author Ray Bradbury, Psycho novelist Robert Bloch, “Psycho” star Anthony Perkins, Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, special effects master Ray Harryhausen, B-picture producer Roger Corman, movie gimmick specialist William Castle, George Romero, and “Star Wars” figures Anthony Daniels, David Prowse and Peter Mayhew. Stanley also profiles fellow horror hosts Joe Bob Briggs, Elvira, Ghoulardi and Zacherley. The result is a swirling cauldron of fascinating media history—as only Stanley, who spent 33 years at the San Francisco Chronicle writing about movies and TV production, could recast it.