Name: Shock Theater
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Horror
Released: 1963-01-18
Rating: 8.6
Cast: Ernie Anderson

Ghoulardi was an essential part of childhood in the 60s

At least, if you were lucky enough to live in Cleveland in the mid-60s. The Ghoulardi show aired Friday nights and again Saturday afternoon.  It was a great way to catch all the horror and sci-fi flicks that were made.  I mean, where else were you going to get the chance to eventually catch all of Jon Agar's flicks? Ghoulardi was a certified phenomenon by '65.  Merchandise was everywhere, from t-shirts and sweat shirts to special drinks at the Manners Big Boy restaurant.  I remember the Ghoulardi shake, served in a plastic mug with Ghoulardi's face on it, drunk through a licquorice straw. One of the classic bits on the show was blowing up model kits.  The movie would fade out and up would come a close-up of, say, a battleship with a fuse sticking out of a smokestack.  A hand would come in with a lit match and light the fuse.  The fuse would burn down, the ship would explode, and cut to a commercial.... Ghoulardi also did the first music video I ever saw, a dramatization of the Royal Guardsmen's pop hit, "Snoopy versus the Red Baron."

When Ernie Anderson's buddy Tim Conway made it semi-big in Hollywood, Ernie decided to follow him westward.  He eventually made it big as an announcer for ABC.  Any time you heard a voiceover, chances were it was Ernie's golden voice.

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

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The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The horror genre features stories that aim to elicit fear, suspense, and a sense of dread in its audience. Horror stories often explore themes related to the unknown, the supernatural, and the macabre, and they frequently evoke strong emotional reactions such as anxiety, terror, and unease.

The mystery genre features the investigation and solving of a puzzle, typically a crime or an enigmatic event. Mysteries are known for their suspenseful narratives, intricate plots, and the challenge they present to readers or viewers to piece together clues and solve the central mystery alongside the characters.

Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. in Chinatown (1974)

The sci-fi genre, short for science fiction, features imaginative and futuristic concepts that are often rooted in scientific principles, technology, and possibilities. These stories delve into "what if" questions and can serve as a platform to address contemporary social, political, and ethical issues by projecting them onto future or alternate settings.

James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The thriller genre features suspense, tension, and excitement. These stories are known for keeping audiences on the edge of their seats and delivering intense emotional experiences by revolving around high-stakes situations, dangerous conflicts, and the constant anticipation of unexpected events.

"Friday Night at the Cheapies", later "Shock Theater", was a hosted horror/sci-fi movie series with Ernest Earle Anderson as Ghoulardi on WJW Channel 8 Cleveland, Ohio from 18 January 1963 to 16 December 1966.

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Shock Theater

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