KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER AUTOGRAPHS

One of my favorite television series in my High School years was Darren McGavin in Kolchak:The Night Stalker. The main cast of the show was simple there was the star Darren McGavin, his long suffering boss Simon Oakland, his insufferable co-worker Jack Grinnage and the sweet advice/puzzle columnist Ruth McDevitt. There was an attempt to add another co-worker played by Carol Ann Susi for three episodes. John Fiedler played "Gordy" the morgue worker in three episodes. The roles of police officers were often given to solid character actors such as Keenan Wynn (2 episodes), John Dehner, William Daniels, Charles Aidman and James Gregory among others. Richard Keil played the monster in two episodes. Sadly there were only 20 episodes of the series and two movies. There was an ill advised attempt to do a remake of the series that bore no resemblance to the classic original.

Here is Darren McGavin:

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on August 30, 2017 at 7:26pm

Awesome thread. Come on Gordy, give me the number and let's just get on with it!

What about Wally Cox? He was literally perfect as the researcher!

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on August 31, 2017 at 4:49am

Thank you Eric. Yes Gordy was running a numbers racket out of the morgue so technically he was not taking bribes! I love the one where his boss was telling Kolchak something and Gordy was behind him shaking his head. I think that was one of the last things Wally Cox did. I almost think I have a Wally Cox autograph somewhere.

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on August 31, 2017 at 8:35am

Oh, I remember that. He actually gave Karl the report or something and covered for him. But only if you help him schlep that dead guy... ;)

Wally was loveable! "Yes!...Well?" He died within months I believe.

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on August 31, 2017 at 9:53am

Hah! Darn, I was gonna quote that line re Grandpa. I'll have to settle for his very odd "Henry!? I have to go now." That episode is among the very best. The ideas. Lead ingots? And that police captain - from Barney Miller and Star Trek and more. Surely a Twilight Zone? Once I passed...oh, I don't know his name, but the guy who pronounced Burgess Meredith as "Obsolete!" in that episode of Zone, I passed him in the quiet Zen or whatever (all respect) garden in Central Park - that quiet Zone. I whispered "you are obsolete!" to him, and got a nice smile. I think this bit is sort of my Strawberry Fields but I can't recall. This is like 20+ years ago.

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on August 31, 2017 at 10:25am

I also like when James Gregory and Kolchak are looking at the stacked lead ingots and they disappear. I agree that episode is one I watch a lot. Horror in the Heights is great too, the vampire and werewolf ones too. I have Fritz Weaver who was in the Twilight Zone episode and so many other things. He was a great actor.

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on August 31, 2017 at 10:36am

Correction - supposed to read - "...by Strawberry Fields..."That is him, Fritz Weaver! I imagine he must have passed on by now. But, as I recall, the "castle" was visible, so perhaps not by Strawberry Fields.

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on September 19, 2017 at 3:08pm

Excellent Scott! Oh yeah! The Chopper. I rarely watch that one. I love the second pilot film and the episodes with the zombie, spanish moss/"salad", lead/alien thing, most the first 10. I was amazed to see Richard Anderson just died - as in the film - very old! Outlived the vast majority of that cast - like Dr. Richard Malcolm, or Dr. Malcolm Richards, wanted! Super collection!

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on September 19, 2017 at 3:26pm

Thank you Eric I appreciate it. I agree "Chopper" was down on the list for me as well. I also liked Horror in the Heights mainly because of Phil Silvers. The alien one is among my favorites as was the werewolf one with the great Henry Jones and character actor Lewis Charles playing the steward. The vampire pilot film really scared the daylights out of me when it first aired. Richard Anderson was a great actor I didn't realize he died that is very sad. I missed out on an opportunity to meet him a couple years ago.

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on September 19, 2017 at 4:05pm

I like the werewolf one too because it takes place on the liner built to replace the Mauretania that I write about. Used to write about. Look closely and you will see two vessels used - one is the Queen Mary of 1934 which was already hard docked in 1973 (and appearing in The Poseidon Adventure etc) and the other shown in stock footage - was it France or? They are so very different it is laughable (in a good way). I love that show. Now I want corned beef!

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on September 19, 2017 at 5:35pm

In WWII my father sailed over on the second Mauretania it was being used as a troop transport. He said he was afraid of being sea sick but it sailed so smooth he never was. Was the liner in Kolchak the one that replaced the first or second Mauretania? I love movies that take place on ships or high rise apartment buildings for some reason lol. Lewis Charles was great as the somewhat shady ship steward who was always trying to sell something to Kolchak.

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on September 19, 2017 at 5:55pm

The liner mostly seen (onboard) is the Queen Mary of 1934. She was built to replace "my" Mauretania on 1907. That first Mauretania was doing 26.75 knots even before entering service in Nov on '07 and remained the fasted thing on the ocean until 1929. The ship that beat her record won by some 30 minutes! Mauretania attempted to regain this Blue Riband title, and although she did not, she smashed every previous record she set.

Yes, the steward trying to sell stuff - I forget about that! I love your collection, but I love your knowledge because that makes it sparkle.

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on October 13, 2017 at 2:22pm

DOUGLAS V. FOWLEY (1911-1998) a great character actor who played in various westerns, and several mysteries including Charlie Chan, The Thin Man and Ellery Queen movies. He played Doc Holliday on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. Fowley appeared in episodes of Gunsmoke, The Andy Griffith Show, Gomer Pyle, U. S. M.C., The Lucy Show and many more. He appeared in an episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker "The Trevi Collection."