Monster Squad
Encyclopedia
Monster Squad is a television series that aired Saturday mornings on NBC
from 1976-1977 that is unrelated to the later movie of the same name
.
The series stars Fred Grandy
(who also starred in The Love Boat
and was later elected to the United States House of Representatives
) as Walt, a criminology
student working as a night watchman at "Fred's Wax Museum". To pass the time, Walt built a prototype "Crime Computer" hidden in a large stone sarcophagus
near an exhibit of legendary monsters. When Walt plugged in his computer, "oscillating vibrations" brought to life the wax statues of Dracula
(Henry Polic II
), the Wolfman
(Buck Kartalian) who here was named "Bruce W. Wolf" (with one episode revealing that the "W" stood for "Were"), and Frankenstein's Monster
(Michael Lane) who was referred to as "Frank N. Stein" in the credits.
The monsters, wanting to make up for the misdeeds of their pasts, became superhero
crimefighters who used their unique abilities to challenge and defeat various supervillain
s. In most episodes, Walt would send the monsters out to investigate crimes and fight the villains while monitoring the activities from the wax museum via the Crime Computer, presumably because his job required him to be at the wax museum
at all times. However, Walt would sometimes join the climactic battle with his comrades in some episodes and come to the rescue when needed.
The Squad had their own customized black Monster Van, and each monster had a "utility belt" with a communicator device used to keep in touch with Walt, who had apparently created them for the monsters to use. Their CB-style code-names were "Nightflyer" (Drac), "Chamber of Horrors" (Walt), "Green Machine" (Frank), and "Furball" (Bruce).
The show was comparable to the 1960s Batman
TV show, not surprising considering that creator Stanley Ralph Ross
had been one of the main writers on that series. The villains were often exaggerated camp
villains much like the ones on Batman in keeping with the "superhero
" tone of the show, and were often played by familiar-faced guest stars of the time period like Alice Ghostley
("Queen Bee"), Marty Allen ("Lorenzo Music
a"), Jonathan Harris
("The Astrologer
"), Julie Newmar
("Ultra Witch"), Avery Schreiber
("The Weatherman") and Vito Scotti
("Albert/Alberta
").
A later, unrelated animated television series by Hanna-Barbera Productions called Drak Pack
had a similar premise.
Though the Squad are supposed to be wax statues, it often appears that they are something else entirely as they apparently have all the memories of the monsters they are based on. In several episodes a statue of the Invisible Man can be seen in an alcove on the opposite side of the monsters' exhibit. It is never explained why this statue remains unaffected by the Crime Computer's oscillating vibrations.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from 1976-1977 that is unrelated to the later movie of the same name
The Monster Squad
The Monster Squad is a comedy/horror film written by Shane Black and Fred Dekker and directed by Fred Dekker . It was released by Tri-Star Pictures on August 14, 1987. The film features the classic monsters , led by Count Dracula...
.
The series stars Fred Grandy
Fred Grandy
Fredrick Lawrence "Fred" Grandy is a former actor best known for his role as 'Gopher' on the sitcom The Love Boat and who later became a member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Iowa...
(who also starred in The Love Boat
The Love Boat
The Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24,1977, until May 24,1986.The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain...
and was later elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
) as Walt, a criminology
Criminology
Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
student working as a night watchman at "Fred's Wax Museum". To pass the time, Walt built a prototype "Crime Computer" hidden in a large stone sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
near an exhibit of legendary monsters. When Walt plugged in his computer, "oscillating vibrations" brought to life the wax statues of Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
(Henry Polic II
Henry Polic II
Henry Polic II is a stage, screen, and voice actor best known for his role as Jerry Silver in the American 1980s television series Webster, as well as his frequent game show appearances on such series as Super Password and The $100,000 Pyramid...
), the Wolfman
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
(Buck Kartalian) who here was named "Bruce W. Wolf" (with one episode revealing that the "W" stood for "Were"), and Frankenstein's Monster
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...
(Michael Lane) who was referred to as "Frank N. Stein" in the credits.
The monsters, wanting to make up for the misdeeds of their pasts, became superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
crimefighters who used their unique abilities to challenge and defeat various supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s. In most episodes, Walt would send the monsters out to investigate crimes and fight the villains while monitoring the activities from the wax museum via the Crime Computer, presumably because his job required him to be at the wax museum
Wax museum
A wax museum or waxworks consists of a collection of wax sculptures representing famous people from history and contemporary personalities exhibited in lifelike poses....
at all times. However, Walt would sometimes join the climactic battle with his comrades in some episodes and come to the rescue when needed.
The Squad had their own customized black Monster Van, and each monster had a "utility belt" with a communicator device used to keep in touch with Walt, who had apparently created them for the monsters to use. Their CB-style code-names were "Nightflyer" (Drac), "Chamber of Horrors" (Walt), "Green Machine" (Frank), and "Furball" (Bruce).
The show was comparable to the 1960s Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
TV show, not surprising considering that creator Stanley Ralph Ross
Stanley Ralph Ross
Stanley Ralph Ross was raised in Brooklyn New York, starting his career in advertising, then soon going to work as a writer and actor on various television shows, most notably cult-classics such as the 1960s Batman series starring Adam West and also The Monkees...
had been one of the main writers on that series. The villains were often exaggerated camp
Camp (style)
Camp is an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its taste and ironic value. The concept is closely related to kitsch, and things with camp appeal may also be described as being "cheesy"...
villains much like the ones on Batman in keeping with the "superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
" tone of the show, and were often played by familiar-faced guest stars of the time period like Alice Ghostley
Alice Ghostley
Alice Margaret Ghostley was an American actress. She was best known for her roles as housekeeper Esmeralda on Bewitched, as Cousin Alice on Mayberry R.F.D., and as Bernice Clifton on Designing Women, for which she received an Emmy Nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1992...
("Queen Bee"), Marty Allen ("Lorenzo Music
Lorenzo Music
Lorenzo Music was an American actor, voice actor, writer, television producer and musician. His best-known roles include voicing the animated cartoon cat Garfield, and Carlton the doorman on the CBS sitcom Rhoda...
a"), Jonathan Harris
Jonathan Harris
Jonathan Harris was an American stage and film character actor. Two of his best-known roles were as the timid accountant Bradford Webster in the TV version of The Third Man, and the comic villain Dr. Zachary Smith, in the 1960s sci-fi television series, Lost in Space...
("The Astrologer
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
"), Julie Newmar
Julie Newmar
Julie Newmar is an American actress, dancer and singer. Her most famous role is Catwoman in the Batman television series.-Early life:...
("Ultra Witch"), Avery Schreiber
Avery Schreiber
Avery Lawrence Schreiber was an American comedian and actor. He was a veteran of stage, TV, and film.-Biography:...
("The Weatherman") and Vito Scotti
Vito Scotti
Vito Scotti was a veteran character actor who played many roles, primarily from the late-1940s to the mid-1990s. He was known as a man of a thousand faces, for his ability to assume so many divergent roles in more than 200 screen roles, in a nearly 50 year career. He was known for his resourceful...
("Albert/Alberta
Hermaphrodite
In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes.Many taxonomic groups of animals do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both...
").
A later, unrelated animated television series by Hanna-Barbera Productions called Drak Pack
Drak Pack
Drak Pack was an animated television series. It aired in the United States on CBS Saturday Morning between September 6, 1980 and September 12, 1982. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera's Australian subsidiary, listed in the credits as "Hanna-Barbera Pty. Ltd"...
had a similar premise.
Though the Squad are supposed to be wax statues, it often appears that they are something else entirely as they apparently have all the memories of the monsters they are based on. In several episodes a statue of the Invisible Man can be seen in an alcove on the opposite side of the monsters' exhibit. It is never explained why this statue remains unaffected by the Crime Computer's oscillating vibrations.
Episode titles
Each episode is named after the villain of that episode.| № | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Queen Bee" | 1976.Sep.11 |
| 2 | "Mr. Mephisto" | 1976.Sep.18 |
| 3 | "The Tickler" | 1976.Sep.25 |
| 4 | "The Ringmaster" | 1976.Oct.02 |
| 5 | "Music Man" | 1976.Oct.09 |
| 6 | "No Face" | 1976.Oct.16 |
| 7 | "The Astrologer" | 1976.Oct.23 |
| 8 | "Ultra Witch" | 1976.Oct.30 |
| 9 | "The Wizard" | 1976.Nov.06 |
| 10 | "The Skull" | 1976.Nov.13 |
| 11 | "The Weatherman" | 1976.Nov.20 |
| 12 | "Lawrence of Moravia" | 1976.Nov.27 |
| 13 | "Albert/Alberta" | 1976.Dec.04 |