Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Zomboo

Real name: Frank Leto

Years active: 1999-Current 

So we end our look at Nevada's horror hosts with the other one still on the air. Zomboo is a nutty guy hosting flicks from his castle. The show started out as Frank's House of Horror Movies, airing on KOLO-TV Channel 8 out of Reno. A year later, the show got renamed to Zomboo's House of Horror Movies. 

And yes, the whole thing is a Munsters reference. For one particular episode, Eddie (Butch Patrick) is obsessed with the local host, Zombo, at least until he meets the guy and learns to his horror that the host is just an actor and not a zombie wizard. 

Kind of odd that thing to reference, but eh, he's having fun. 

Zomboo's House of Horror Movies

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Sinister Minister

 Real name: Sean Smith

Years active: 2003-present 

One of the few hosts we've mentioned this year who's still broadcasting. Hosting Midnight Massacre Theatre on Vegas 35 KVTE (although I've heard he moved to ROKU), the Sinister Minster along with a bevy of bewitching Altagirls watch the best and the worst. 

A unique look, plus he's still active as best as I can tell so that puts him leagues ahead of other hosts. 

Horror Hosts 2025 Retrospective: Mike Ward

 Real name: Mike Ward

Years active: 1997-2010

Hosting Cheap Thrills Theatre on SNCAT Channel 16 out of Reno, this might be the most honestly named host and show ever put to air. The show is so cheap the host can't even afford to be a character. Cheap or subtlety brilliant?

Seems to have vanished from the net too, which is a great shame.  

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Vegas Vampire

 Real name: Jim Parker 

Years active: 1960s-1970

What a character. Former disc jockey and stock car promoter, the Vegas Vampire hosted Shock Theater on KHBV Channel 5 out of Hendersonville.

He would riff on everyone, up and to and including Richard Nixson (which allegedly got him in hot water, as one jabbing literally involved him sticking a bunch of pins into a Nixson voodoo doll). Costumes, puns, and he would end the reader mail segment by torching the mail. 

You don't find acts like that anymore. 

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Baron Von Brenner

 Real name: Wendall J. Brenner

Years active: 1958-1960

Now this was a guy who almost slipped my notice. Hosting Shock on KOLO-TV Channel 8 out of Reno, the Baron seemed to be your standard vampire type host. 

Can't seem to find that much else about the fellow, but it is nice that that not all hosts were in Vegas. 

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Count Cool Rider

 Real name: Danny Coker

Years active: 1990 to 2000

Moving West, we head to the Silver State and the count of cool himself, Count Cool Rider. Hosting Saturday Fright at the Movies on what was formerly KFBT-TV Channel 33, the Count was half vampire half Elvis.

Suave and actually had some films that weren't always public domain, the Count cracked wise with a bevy of undead beauties in between classic and not so classic. 

He's also the same guy from Counting Cars. I didn't know that. 

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Margali

 Real name: Niels Erickson 

Years active: 1990-1993

After Scarticia, Jackson wouldn't have another host until the 90s and here we go. Hosting Thriller Theatre Staring Margali, airing on WDBD-TV Channel 40 in Jackson, the pale mystic, along with a disembodied hand and unseen werewolf announcer, picked the worst movies.

Actually won a few awards. Seemed to be a pretty standard host, although the white motif was a change from the usual black fright wigs. 

The show was also briefly syndicated in Georgia and Alabama but it started in Jackson and thus, a Mississippi host. 

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Scarticia

 Real name: Unknown 

Years active: 1971-1975

Kicking off another year of fright and fear and this time out we take a look at the Magnolia State. Yes, Mississippi is kicking things off this year and we look at one of the first hosts, Scarticia. 

Her actual name? No idea, but she hosted Horrible Movies WAPT-TV Channel 16 out of Jackson. Not much info but it seems they roped the station secretary into the doing the job, but from all accounts she did a decent job. 

Her character seemed a not quite Vampira and not quite Morticia but she was good with the snark. Seems she was replaced as host but a couple of a guys with chainsaws but I was unable to find anything about them.

Sir Cecil Creape

 Sir Cecil Creape, 2nd horror host of Nashville. 

Dr. Shock

 

Dr. Shock, horror host of Chattanooga; the second one. 

Horror Host 2024 Retrospective: Dr. Scar

Dr. Scar

Real name: Jack Jacobson

Years active: Late 1960s to 1970s

And thus we end our look back at horror hosts with the last host from Arizona. Dr. Scar hosted Big 9 Chiller on KGUN-TB Channel 9 in Tuscon. I've read he also hosted Science Fiction Theater at roughly the same time. 

Like many hosts, Dr. Scar was also the host of the local kid show. Marshall KGUN is an odd name for a cowboy, but what do I know?

Dr. Scar seem to be your typical sardonic host but he sounded like he was having fun with the role. 

Horror Host 2024 Retrospective: Ghoulina/Ghoulia

 Ghoulina/Ghoulia?

Real name: Shirl Selman

Years active: 1957 to 1958

As we move into the Grand Canyon State of Arizona we have a mystery here folks. Most of my sources say the first host in the state was Ghoulina yet all the main published works talk of a Ghoulia. Misspelling? Mandella Effect?

Ghoulia hosted Classic Nightmares on KOLD-TV Channel 12 in Tuscon. I found more information on the children's show she hosted than anything else and while some tidbits on her station's history were nice, I fear info on the show itself was a bit flat. She seemed to be of the Vampira school of hosting, emerging from a coffin and a set decorated with a large lizard. 

Horror Host 2024 Retrospective: Ghost Host

Ghost Host 

Real name: George Lewis

Years active 1971 to 1985

Host of Ghost Host Theatre on WBFF Channel 45, out of Baltimore, this will end our look back at the hosts of Maryland. The Ghost Host was also Captain Cheapskate during the day. 

The show was fairly cheap, with the same footage of the host being used every episode only with new dialogue being dubbed over. He later moved to Pennsylvania, as best as I can tell. 

He tried and I suppose that will have to do. 

Horror Host 2024 Retrospective: Dr. and Mrs. Lucifer

 Dr. and Mrs. Lucifer 

Real names: Richard and Nancy Lee Dix

Years active: 1957 to 1959

This year we'll start our horror host lookback in the Old Line State, Maryland. Dr. and Mrs. Lucifer (no relation to Nashville's Dr. Lucifer) hosted Shock! at WBAL Channel 11 out of Baltimore. 

A mad scientist with a bountiful wife/assistant, Dr. Lucifer was more comedic than his Nashville counterpart. There were running gags and overall the doctor seemed more bumbling than anything else. 

The show ended after a short run but Richard Dix went on to a long career in local theater

Horror Hosts: Dr. Shock

 Can't quite recall the artist but here's Chattanooga master of scarimones-Dr. Shock and Dingbat!

Horror Host: Sivad

 By K. Cooper Art

Yes, the Memphis host himself! One more host this month to even things out I think. 

Horror Hosts: The Count of Five

 Picked this up a while ago, and what may be the only bit of fanart done of the Count of Five. 

By Crystal Daughtrey

Horror Host 2023 Retrospective: Ashley Ghastly

Real name: Cyrus Newitt

Years active:  1978-1982 (?)

So we end with the only South Carolina host I could find anything on, Ashley Ghastly. He hosted Scream Theatre on WCSC-TV Channel 5 in Charleston. 

From what I was able to find, he seemed to be a pretty popular host, having several sidekicks and even a fan club. The character was painted with your usual skull/top hat bit but he seemed cool.

Horror Host 2023 Retrospective: Dr. Shroud

 Real name: ???

Years active: 1960s-1970s?

Yeesh, thought the Gravedigger was a lost host? This dude (woman?) makes him look like Elvira. 

Seriously, found even less on the doc. Some sources put them around the Columbia area but even then no one seems 100% percent sure. Good name though, for whatever that's worth. 

Horror Host 2023 Retrospective: The Gravedigger

 Real name: ???

Years active: 1960s

Still had some time left this month, so why not move into the Palmetto State? Yup, for the rest of the month we'll be looking into the hosts of South Carolina. 

The Gravedigger is sadly a lost host, and I mean lost. We know for sure there was show, the Graveyard Shift, on WIS-TV Channel 10 in Columbia. 

Sadly that was it as far as I could find. Everyone agrees he was on in the 1960's but as far as exact dates? Came up with nada. Any readers out there care to comment?