Karloff leafs through a large tome with AS SURE AS MY NAME IS BORIS KARLOFF actors’ pictures on each page. For “The Thriller premieres. I have seen Twisted Image” and “The Hungry Glass,” Karloff at Lincoln matinees of the stars appear in mirrors. For episodes Frankenstein 1970 and Abbott involving dismemberment (“The Terror and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and in Teakwood” and “Guillotine”), only the Mr. Hyde; however, Karloff’s actors’ heads are seen. In “The Premature classic horrors have yet to find a Burial” they appear in coffins. Thanks to television time that reaches me. Thriller, I put name to face for dozens of Over the next few years, I will actors. Regardless of the series or episode, see most of Karloff’s 1930s and they usually play the same character: Tom 1940s films without thinking of Helmore (wife killer), Judith Evelyn (killed the grandfatherly host of Thriller wife), Patricia Barry (loose and loving it), as the man beneath the makeup Constance Ford (uptight and hating it), Ed of Frankenstein’s Monster. Nelson (lovable loser), George Grizzard The fall television season (pathetic loser), Robert Middleton (too big begins with The Twilight Zone re- to miss), Reggie Nalder (too thin to forget), turning to Friday nights at 10:00 Sue Ane Langdon (sweet blonde), Patricia p.m. on CBS; Alfred Hitchcock Medina (mean brunette), and many others. Presents on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. After Karloff names the cast, intersecting on NBC, and One Step Beyond on white lines cut up the screen as the theme Thriller, hosted by Boris Karloff, premiered Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. on ABC. music blares. Thriller’s jazzy theme, heavy September 13, 1960, on NBC. (Courtesy of Added to Tuesday, at 9:00 p.m. on the brass and bongos, counters Karloff’s Ronald V. Borst/Hollywood Movie Posters) on NBC, is Thriller, the only calm and suggests a wilder ride than is usu- one-hour show among them. ally provided by the episode that follows. into guilt and terror and murder as a home run by Bill Mazeroski. I remember Compared to its competition, Not much for a 10-year-old in the pre- sure as my name is Boris Karloff. Mantle running over from center field, Thriller is schizophrenic. It tries miere episode of September 13, 1960, but I standing next to Yogi Berra in left field as to be all three, with a bit of The remember “The Twisted Image” quite well. True to Thriller’s confusion, Lily’s eyes both helplessly watch the ball go over the Untouchables thrown in. Thriller A delusional woman convinces herself that have nothing to do with the drama. Merle, an fence. Their heartbreak mirrors mine. features crime bosses, serial her boss loves her. Enter Karloff: equally delusional clerk, convinces himself Through the Yankees’ loss and Thriller’s killers, murderous spouses, and that he is Patterson. One delusional obsessive travails comes the presidential race. Richard deceitful lovers, as well as venge- Her eyes were often upon him. kills the other, and then kidnaps Patterson’s Nixon and John Kennedy debate four times ful ghosts, haunted houses and Candid, admiring, possessive. Her daughter before meeting a terrible end—a lot (September 26, and October 7, 13, and 21) ancient curses, witches and war- extraordinary eyes. Alan Patterson of plot for a one-hour show. and more or less replay the World Series. locks, mad doctors and demons. was aware of them for almost a Gangsters, murderous relatives, and Kennedy starts off strong, Nixon comes back At its best, Thriller provides month. And they were to lead him kids with guns populate the next five from the dead, and both are at their best for great fright nights. No other episodes: I ignore them all. So the finale. Kennedy, like the Pirates, squeaks series scares us kids like Thriller. do many viewers, and produc- to a win. I have less clear memories of the Wednesdays at school, I am often ers of Thriller scramble to save debates than of the debates on the debates asked, “Did you see Thriller?” their show. Firings and hirings that follow. Everyone offers opinions. Tuesday nights have five result in William Frye running October 25 brings Thriller’s first foray spiels by hosts: Alfred Hitch- a horror unit within the produc- into horror, “The Purple Room.” I have seen cock’s and John Newland’s pro- tion. The best Thriller episodes the plot before: an heir must spend the night logues and epilogues, and Karl- to follow come from Frye. in a haunted house or forfeit his inheritance. off’s prologues (and epilogues on In September and October The melodrama works for me in 1960, and I some episodes). Karloff usually 1960, as Thriller struggles, I overlook then what I see today as a cheap places last among them. He has am more occupied with the mask used for the face of the ghost. less to do than his fellow hosts, presidential race—the first that I After “The Purple Room” come another sometimes little more than recit- remember well—and the World seven episodes of crime and intrigue. None By Frank J. Dello Stritto 1959, nine-year-old Frank pushed back his ing names of the week’s stars. The approach Series. The 1960 series pits my of them stick in my mind. The Christmas bedtime. A year later came Thriller. changes week-to-week, and whether light- Yankees against the Pittsburgh holidays bring back-to-back horrors, two of Below is an extract from Frank Dello hearted or serious, comforting or threaten- Pirates and is still the most Thriller’s best episodes. One of them I find Stritto’s new book, I Saw What I Saw When He’s the kind of netherworld ing, I enjoy his brief introductions/outros. thrilling of my life. It was as quite thought provoking; the other, for me, I Saw It – Growing Up in the 1950s & 1960s character that’s forever popping Karloff usually appears a few minutes into schizophrenic as Thriller: the is the scariest hour in television history. with Television Reruns & Old Movies. The up in nightmares. My nightmares the show, after an opening teaser from the Yankees either win by incredible “The Cheaters” is the first Thriller that book begins with the Kids’ TV that Frank at any rate. drama. I learn to listen for the week’s vari- scores (16-3, 10-0, 12-0) or lose Momma warns me is too scary. Something grew up with. He moved on to watching –Host of Thriller describing the ant of his catchphrase, “as sure my name is close games. The team breaks Momma reads gives her a heads-up on tele- old movies on television and attending title character of “The Incred- Boris Karloff, this is a thriller!” In “The Cheaters,” when a pair of spectacles are worn, virtually all series batting re- vision too strong for kids. Momma never ible Doktor Markesan” they enable the owner to see the truth in others. Harry Saturday matinees at his local theater. He Karloff names the week’s principal Townes (shown) starred. That episode and “The Hungry cords—and my hero, Mickey objects to my watching The Untouchables, the then discovered “late night” television— players as their faces appear. The roll call Glass,” which aired the following week, were two of the Mantle, bats .400 with three most violent show on television. She does not not too late, though, for Frank was an early 1960: I do not really know who Boris is done with wit. For a tale about a murder- best episodes from the show’s two-year run. (Courtesy of home runs—but loses in the bot- understand that warnings of new horrors Ronald V. Borst/Hollywood Movie Posters) bird. But when Twilight Zone beckoned in Karloff is when the new television series ing book dealer (“A Good Imagination”), tom of the ninth of Game 7, on only make me more anxious to see them.

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