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Creature Features (WNEW)
Encyclopedia
Creature Features a classic horror film
show broadcast in the New York Metropolitan Area
, on WNEW
, Channel 5 (Metromedia Broadcasting
). It was hosted by Lou Steele
(The Creep), who became familiar to Channel 5 viewers as the guy who started off the 10 o'clock News by asking: "It's 10 p.m.; do you know where your children are?"
and competition from WPIX
's Chiller Theatre
.
, Frankenstein
, Bride of Frankenstein
, The Mummy
, plus many Boris Karloff
and Bela Lugosi
films and others.
They also aired all the movies produced and distributed by American International Pictures
. This included all the Roger Corman
B-movies of the 1950s and 1960s like The Raven
, and The Terror
, plus most of the Japanese "monster movies
" produced by Toho Studios
, and Daiei Motion Picture Company (famous for their Godzilla
and Gamera
movies).
They also broadcast all the best British horror films by Hammer Film Productions
, like The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula: Prince of Darkness
, The Phantom of the Opera
, The Curse of the Werewolf
, and The Hound of the Baskervilles
. Also Amicus Productions
, and Tigon British Film Productions
films such as Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
, and The House That Dripped Blood
.
But what became most well known about Creature Features is the airing of all the 1950s science fiction movies. These included Them!, The Thing from Another World
, It Came from Outer Space
, The War of the Worlds
, and Forbidden Planet
.
In late 1973 Creature Features was dropped from its nighttime slot and replaced by football games and other programming (although the Saturday's horror movies continued with Chiller Theater). When horror movies eventually returned to Saturday night, they would usually air in a late night timeslot.
Creature Features would resurface at odd intervals, specifically during 1976 - 1978, but none of these runs lasted for very long. Sadly, Lou Steele, The Creep himself, died of a heart attack in February 2001.
s, Steele didn’t utilize any ghoulish make-up or trappings, instead striking a somewhat sinister/hipster
attitude with sunglasses and harsh lighting. Among various contests and gimmicks during the show's run was "Creature Quotes", in which individual words of a longer phrase (“A stitch in time saves Frankenstein
", "Don’t get chummy with the Mummy
") were flashed momentarily on the bottom of the screen at various times during the movie.
. The track was most likely taken from the 1959 Dick Jacobs LP
, Themes from Horror Movies (Coral
757240).
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
show broadcast in the New York Metropolitan Area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
, on WNEW
WNYW
WNYW, virtual channel 5 , is the flagship television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in New York City. The station's transmitter is atop the Empire State Building and its studio facilities are located in the Yorkville section of Manhattan...
, Channel 5 (Metromedia Broadcasting
Metromedia
Metromedia was a media company that owned radio and television stations in the United States from 1956 to 1986 and owned Orion Pictures from 1986-1997.- Overview :...
). It was hosted by Lou Steele
Lou Steele
Louis J. "Lou" Steele was an American actor, radio, and television announcer.Born Louis Ferraioli in 1928, he was an announcer on Armed Forces Radio during the Korean War, and was the voice who informed the troops that their commander, General Douglas MacArthur, had been recalled by President...
(The Creep), who became familiar to Channel 5 viewers as the guy who started off the 10 o'clock News by asking: "It's 10 p.m.; do you know where your children are?"
History
Creature Features first aired from July to August 1969 on a test run, and was found to be a hit. The movies broadcast were taken from the classic horror movies of the 1930s and 1940s, the horror and science-fiction films of the 1950s, British horror films of the 1960s, and the Japanese "giant monster" movies of the 1960s, and early 1970s. It was continued on the air from November 1969 to August 1973, but was cancelled due to poor ratingsNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
and competition from WPIX
WPIX
WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...
's Chiller Theatre
Chiller Theatre
Chiller Theatre may refer to:*Chiller Theatre *Chiller Theatre *Chiller Theatre *The title, title track and inspiration for 2001 album of musician John Babcock....
.
The movies
Creature Features normally showed classic Universal Horror, like DraculaDracula (1931 film)
Dracula is a 1931 vampire-horror film directed by Tod Browning and starring Bela Lugosi as the title character. The film was produced by Universal and is based on the stage play of the same name by Hamilton Deane and John L...
, Frankenstein
Frankenstein (1931 film)
Frankenstein is a 1931 Pre-Code Horror Monster film from Universal Pictures directed by James Whale and adapted from the play by Peggy Webling which in turn is based on the novel of the same name by Mary Shelley. The film stars Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles and Boris Karloff, and features...
, Bride of Frankenstein
Bride of Frankenstein
Bride of Frankenstein is a 1935 American horror film, the first sequel to Frankenstein...
, The Mummy
The Mummy (1932 film)
The Mummy is a 1932 horror film from Universal Studios directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff as a revived ancient Egyptian priest. The movie also features Zita Johann, David Manners and Edward Van Sloan...
, plus many Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
and Bela Lugosi
Béla Lugosi
Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó , commonly known as Bela Lugosi, was a Hungarian actor of stage and screen. He was best known for having played Count Dracula in the Broadway play and subsequent film version, as well as having starred in several of Ed Wood's low budget films in the last years of his...
films and others.
They also aired all the movies produced and distributed by American International Pictures
American International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
. This included all the Roger Corman
Roger Corman
Roger William Corman is an American film producer, director and actor. He has mostly worked on low-budget B movies. Some of Corman's work has an established critical reputation, such as his cycle of films adapted from the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, and in 2009 he won an Honorary Academy Award for...
B-movies of the 1950s and 1960s like The Raven
The Raven (1963 film)
The Raven is a B movie horror-comedy produced and directed by Roger Corman. The film stars Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Boris Karloff as a trio of rival sorcerers. Part of a series of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations produced by Corman through American International Pictures, the film was written by...
, and The Terror
The Terror (1963 film)
The Terror is an American horror film produced by Roger Corman, and famous for being filmed on leftover film sets from other AIP productions, including The Haunted Palace...
, plus most of the Japanese "monster movies
Kaiju
is a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster". Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
" produced by Toho Studios
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
, and Daiei Motion Picture Company (famous for their Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
and Gamera
Gamera
is a giant, flying turtle from a popular series of kaiju films produced by Daiei Motion Picture Company in Japan. Created in 1965 to rival the success of Toho Studios' Godzilla during the daikaiju boom of the mid-to-late 1960s, Gamera has gained fame and notoriety as a Japanese icon in his own...
movies).
They also broadcast all the best British horror films by Hammer Film Productions
Hammer Film Productions
Hammer Film Productions is a film production company based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1934, the company is best known for a series of Gothic "Hammer Horror" films made from the mid-1950s until the 1970s. Hammer also produced science fiction, thrillers, film noir and comedies and in later...
, like The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula: Prince of Darkness
Dracula: Prince of Darkness
Dracula: Prince of Darkness is a 1966 British horror film directed by Terence Fisher for Hammer Studios. The film was photographed in Techniscope by Michael Reed, designed by Bernard Robinson and scored by James Bernard.-Plot:...
, The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera (1962 film)
The Phantom of the Opera is a 1962 British film based on the novel by Gaston Leroux. The film was made by Hammer Film Productions.-Plot:The film opens in Victorian London on a December night in 1900....
, The Curse of the Werewolf
The Curse of the Werewolf
The Curse of the Werewolf is a British film based on the novel The Werewolf of Paris by Guy Endore. The film was made by the British film studio Hammer Film Productions and was shot at Bray Studios.-Plot:...
, and The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959 film)
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1959 British detective film produced by Hammer Films and directed by Terence Fisher.The film is the first adaptation from the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel of the same name to be filmed in colour and stars Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes, Sir Christopher Lee as...
. Also Amicus Productions
Amicus Productions
Amicus Productions is a British film production company, based at Shepperton Studios, England. It was founded by American producer and screenwriter Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg.-Horror:...
, and Tigon British Film Productions
Tigon British Film Productions
Tigon British Film Productions or Tigon was a film production and distribution company founded by Tony Tenser in 1966. It is most famous for its horror films, particularly Witchfinder General and Blood on Satan's Claw...
films such as Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
Dr. Terror's House of Horrors is a 1965 British horror film from Amicus Productions, directed by veteran horror director Freddie Francis, written by Milton Subotsky, and starred Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee....
, and The House That Dripped Blood
The House That Dripped Blood
The House That Dripped Blood is a 1970 British horror anthology film directed by Peter Duffell and distributed by Amicus Productions. It stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Nyree Dawn Porter, Denholm Elliott, and Jon Pertwee...
.
But what became most well known about Creature Features is the airing of all the 1950s science fiction movies. These included Them!, The Thing from Another World
The Thing from Another World
The Thing from Another World , is a 1951 science fiction film based on the 1938 novella "Who Goes There?" by John W. Campbell . It tells the story of an Air Force crew and scientists at a remote Arctic research outpost who fight a malevolent plant-based alien being...
, It Came from Outer Space
It Came from Outer Space
It Came from Outer Space is a 1953 science fiction 3-D film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, and Charles Drake. It was Universal's first film to be filmed in 3-D.- Plot :...
, The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds (1953 film)
The War of the Worlds is a 1953 science fiction film starring Gene Barry and Ann Robinson. It was the first on-screen loose adaptation of the H. G. Wells classic novel of the same name...
, and Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet is a 1956 science fiction film directed by Fred M. Wilcox, with a screenplay by Cyril Hume. It stars Leslie Nielsen, Walter Pidgeon, and Anne Francis. The characters and its setting have been compared to those in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, and its plot contains certain...
.
Seasons
The following is a checklist and brief broadcast history of the Creature Features horror movie showcase:- Promo Season
- July, 1969 - August, 1969 (7:30pm Saturday)
- 1st. Season
- November, 1969 - September, 1970 (8:30pm Saturday)
- 2 cd. Season (Double Feature)
- October, 1970 - September, 1971 (12:00 Noon, 8:30pm Saturday)
- 3rd. Season
- November, 1971 - June, 1972 (8:30pm Friday)
- 4th. Season
- July, 1972 - September, 1972 (7:30 Friday)
- 5th. Season (Double Feature)
- October, 1972 - September, 1972 (12:00 Noon, 11:30pm Saturday)
- 6th. Season
- October, 1972 - December, 1972 (12:00 Noon Saturday)
- 7th. Season
- January, 1973 - March, 1973 (8:30pm Saturday)
- 8th. Season
- April, 1973 - June, 1973 (12:00 Noon Saturday)
- 9th. Season (Double Feature)
- July, 1973 - August, 1973 (12:00 Noon, 8:30pm Saturday)
In late 1973 Creature Features was dropped from its nighttime slot and replaced by football games and other programming (although the Saturday's horror movies continued with Chiller Theater). When horror movies eventually returned to Saturday night, they would usually air in a late night timeslot.
Creature Features would resurface at odd intervals, specifically during 1976 - 1978, but none of these runs lasted for very long. Sadly, Lou Steele, The Creep himself, died of a heart attack in February 2001.
1979-1980 re-broadcast
In November 1979, Channel 5 began rebroadcasting some of the old Creature Features shows. Instead of airing in its old 8:30 p.m. slot, Creature Features became a late night showcase, showing a triple feature with each airing. The first movie went out under the familiar Creature Features name, the second movie was Son of Creature Features and the third film was shown as Revenge of Creature Features. Once again poor ratings and competition with WPIX caused its cancellation in May 1980.Lou Steele
Unlike other horror hostHorror host
Horror hosts are a particular type of television presenter, often tasked with presenting low-grade films to television audiences. This tradition is primarily American, though there have been a few international hosts over the years.-Film Packages:...
s, Steele didn’t utilize any ghoulish make-up or trappings, instead striking a somewhat sinister/hipster
Hipster (1940s subculture)
Hipster, as used in the 1940s, referred to aficionados of jazz, in particular bebop, which became popular in the early 1940s. The hipster adopted the lifestyle of the jazz musician, including some or all of the following: dress, slang, use of cannabis and other drugs, relaxed attitude, sarcastic...
attitude with sunglasses and harsh lighting. Among various contests and gimmicks during the show's run was "Creature Quotes", in which individual words of a longer phrase (“A stitch in time saves Frankenstein
Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
", "Don’t get chummy with the Mummy
The Mummy (1932 film)
The Mummy is a 1932 horror film from Universal Studios directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff as a revived ancient Egyptian priest. The movie also features Zita Johann, David Manners and Edward Van Sloan...
") were flashed momentarily on the bottom of the screen at various times during the movie.
Intro music
The intro music for Creature Features was Herman Stein's "Visitors from Space" from the score of the 1953 film It Came from Outer SpaceIt Came from Outer Space
It Came from Outer Space is a 1953 science fiction 3-D film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, and Charles Drake. It was Universal's first film to be filmed in 3-D.- Plot :...
. The track was most likely taken from the 1959 Dick Jacobs LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
, Themes from Horror Movies (Coral
Coral Records
Coral Records was a Decca Records subsidiary formed in 1949. It recorded pop artists McGuire Sisters and Teresa Brewer, as well as rock and roller Buddy Holly....
757240).