There are many lads and lasses in these parts, who are old enough in years (yet young enough at heart) to remember this laugh, ‘Nee-aahahaahaaa!?
Growing up in the Detroit television market during the 1970s, I was one of the legion of kids who saved Saturday afternoons for one show, and one show only — Sir Graves Ghastly.
When we kids of the 70s heard Sir Graves intone these words, ‘Turn out the lights, pull down the shades and cuddle up in your favorite spot by the telly . . .? we knew fun would ensue.
The reason I write today about Sir Graves, is I just heard he passed away. When I heard that, I was distressed — I had missed the news. I, Don Rush, the kid who watched every Saturday to see if my drawings made it to the Art Ghoullery, the kid who often wrote Sir Graves with questions about monsters, the kid who sent Christmas cards to Sir Graves . . . I, I did not hear the news and I am in the news biz, damnit!
Where’s the justice is that?
Ohmygawd I used to love that show. And, it wasn’t like we had great television reception up here in the hinterlands of north Oakland County, all the other stations had clearer reception than Sir Graves?. Which is to say, Channel 7 (ABC) and Channel 4 (NBC) and Channel 9 (Windsor TV) came in better than the CBS affiliate, Channel 2 (Sir Graves? station). Despite the crystal clear programming on the ‘other? stations, I stayed with the fuzziness and the occasional wavy picture on Channel 2. I was loyal to Sir Graves.
To thems too old or too young to know of Sir Graves, his show was wrapped around monster movies. Old classics, like The Mummy, The Wolfman, Frankenstein and Dracula to ‘B? films of the 1950s and 60s, like The Creature From the Black Lagoon, The Incredible Shrinking Man, Robinson Crusoe on Mars and Godzilla were shown. He was a movie host with the movies I still love today. He also did comedy skits and acted out a number of other characters (including The Glob — a character painted on his chin, filmed close up and upside down).
Just by happenstance, after I heard the news of Sir Graves? death (exactly one week ago), I was thumbing thrrough some old picture albums. In one I found a yellowed postcard with Sir Graves? face on it. I remembered how excited I was to get that in the mail — I got it cuz I had sent him a Christmas card. On the back, stamped in red, were the words he ended his show with, ‘Happy Hauntings.?
I was going to write, ‘I was surprised I saved that postcard.? But, probing a little deeper into my psyche, I am not surprised at all. I was a geek of a kid.
One cold, winter’s Saturday afternoon, Sir Graves was showing the original Wolfman, with Lon Chaney, Jr. Dad was on the couch, Mom was in the kitchen, the girls and I were on the floor in front of the ‘telly.? I noticed when the woeful Lawrence Talbot turns into the Wolfman, and runs away, it was on his tippy-toes.
‘Dad,? asked I, ‘Why does the Wolfman run on his toes??
Dad didn’t know. ‘Mom,? asked I, ‘Why does the Wolfman run his toes??
‘I don’t know, why don’t you write Sir Graves.?
And, as soon as the show was over, write I did. For the record, I never got the answer. Also, for the record I did see my art in the Ghoullery on three occasions.
To research for this column, I Googled ‘Sir Graves? and found very a cool site hosted by Keith Milford, www.sirgravesghastly.com. Lots of pictures, facts (Like, the show ran from 1967 to 1982 and at one time, 70 percent of the tuned in audience for the Detroit Metro market watched him. Amazing.) and history about Lawson Deming — aka Sir Graves. I recommend the site. Even though this is late (he died on April 26 and today is October 31), I write this: Good-bye, Sir Graves, Saturdays were your days. Happy Hauntings, to you.
Remember Sir Graves? E-mail your thoughts to: dontrushmedon@charter.net