Nightmare Theater: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia
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[[Category:{{Infobox television]]▼
| image = Ron Ross Nightmare Theater (Utah) promotional photo.png
| image_alt = Ron Ross Nightmare Theater (Utah) promotional photo
| caption = Ron Ross Nightmare Theater (Utah) promotional photo
| alt_name =
| genre = {{ubl|[[Horror film]]|[[Anthology series]]}}
| creator =
| showrunner =
| writer =
| screenplay =
| teleplay =
| story =
| director =
| presenter =
| starring =
| theme_music_composer =
| music =
| open_theme =
| end_theme =
| composer =
| country = United States
| language =
| num_seasons =
| num_series =
| num_episodes =
| list_episodes =
| runtime = 2 hours
| company =
| network = [[KTVX|KCPX]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|1962|09|28}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1982|10|16}}
}}
'''''Nightmare Theater''''' was an American late night TV horror program that was broadcast on KCPX (channel 4, now [[KTVX]]) in [[Salt Lake City, Utah]], from 1962 until 1982. The show first aired at 10:35 p.m. on September 28, 1962, with a showing of ''[[Attack of the 50 Foot Woman]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Salt Lake Tribune {{!}} September 28, 1962 {{!}} Page 24 |url=https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=28685043 |access-date=September 27, 2024 |website=newspapers.lib.utah.edu |language=en}}</ref> It was one of Utah's most popular and longest running shows. ''Nightmare Theater'' did not have a host, except for a short period in 1973. Very little documentation aside from newspaper ads is known to exist, except a few photographs of the opening credits, some audio recordings of the introduction, and memorabilia saved by Ron Ross, who would do the introductory voiceover starting in 1965.
== History ==
Nightmare Theater of [[Salt Lake City]] began at 10:35pm on September 28, [https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=28685043] on KCPX Channel 4 [[KTVX]] with a showing of [[Attack of the 50 Foot Woman]]. The show was broadcast for two decades, making it one of Utah's most popular and longest running shows. Originally just "Nightmare," "Theater" was not added until 1963. Initially, spelling of theater was inconsistent, with both "theatre" and "theater" being used. "Theater" became the preferred spelling. Nightmare Theater was not the first late night horror program in Salt Lake City. In 1958-59 Roderick, played by Jack Whittaker,<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 28, 1959 |title=Roderick, Host of Shock advertisement |url=https://www.sltrib.com |archive-url=https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=28931381&facet_paper=%22Salt+Lake+Tribune%22&date_tdt=%5B1958-01-01T00%3A00%3A00Z+TO+1959-12-31T00%3A00%3A00Z%5D&q=%28Roderick+AND+shock+AND+theater%29 |work=Salt Lake City Tribune |pages=22}}</ref> hosted [[Shock Theater]], a show broadcasting classic Universal monster movies supplied by a popular nationwide syndication package. Nightmare Theater did not have a host, except for a short period in 1973. Very little documentation aside from newspaper ads is known to exist, except a few photographs of the opening credits, some audio recordings of the introduction, and memorabilia saved by Ron Ross, who would do the introductory voiceover starting in 1965.
=== Title ===
The success of Nightmare Theater brought immediate competition. On November 23, 1962 Roderick's Towers started on [[KSL-TV]] Channel Five, featuring Jack Whitaker reprising his role as Roderick from 1957s Shock Theater. The show was short lived, lasting until May 22, 1964. On January 12, 1968 KSL again launches a competing show, Double Frightmare Theater. That show lasted until August 1969. Nightmare Theater also faced constant competition from talk shows. In April, 1967, the second feature was replaced by the [[The Joey Bishop Show (talk show)|Joey Bishop Show]]. However, the Joey Bishop Show was quickly moved to Sunday. Howard Pearson, the [[Deseret News]] television editor, notes in his April 28 article Double Nightmare Theater will be reinstated because of its popularity.[https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=26265574] In 1975, parts of Salt Lake City began to be wired for cable TV. One of the new channels was KTVU from San Francisco with the popular Creature Features hosted by [[Bob Wilkins]].▼
Originally the show was simply titled '''''Nightmare''''' with '''''Theater''''' not added until 1963 and initially spelled inconsistently, with both the British spelling ''theatre'' and the American spelling ''theater'' being used, although ''Theater'' became the preferred spelling.
=== Background ===
Unlike similar shows in other cities, Salt Lake's Nightmare Theater had no long-running host to introduce the movies. In 1965, popular local icon [[iarchive:copy-of-nightmare-202306251600-final/page/35/mode/1up|Ron Ross]] began voiceover introductions, which lasted until 1971. One recording of the show's introduction is known to exist.[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=78VpJCqH3ak&pp=ygUybmlnaHRtYXJlIHRoZWF0ZXIgLSBrY3B4IGluIHNhbHQgbGFrZSBjaXR5IC0gMTk3MHM%3D] Ross was well known in the community, primarily as children's show host Fireman Frank.[https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/saltlaketribune/name/william-ross-obituary?id=2118299] Salt Lake Tribune television editor [[Harold Schindler|Harold Schnidler]] discusses the arrival of a new package of horror films as well as the show's popularity in a 1967 column.[https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=30817396] On August 2, 1973, Nightmare Theater received it's only host, Dr. Volapuc. Alternative spellings include Volupuc, Volupuk, Volapuk, and Volapuc. Dr. Volapuc was short-lived, introducing a run of classic Universal monster movies during his six month stint. No photos of the host are known to exist. Often incorrectly noted as being played by Ron Ross, Dr. Volapuc was Larry John, know for playing Cannonball in the popular series [[Hotel Balderdash]]. John was paid $50 per Nightmare Theater appearance.[https://archive.org/details/dr.-volapuc-3] His shows ended with a reminder Volapuc backwards was "Cup a Love."▼
''Nightmare Theater'' was not the first late night horror program in Salt Lake City. In 1958–59, Roderick, played by Jack Whittaker,<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 28, 1959 |title=Roderick, Host of Shock advertisement |url=https://www.sltrib.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927141517/https://www.sltrib.com/ |work=Salt Lake City Tribune |pages=22 |archive-date=September 27, 2024 |access-date=September 27, 2024 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> hosted ''[[Shock Theater]]'', a show broadcasting classic Universal monster movies supplied by a popular nationwide syndication package.
▲The success of ''Nightmare Theater'' brought immediate competition. On November 23, 1962, ''Roderick's Towers'' started on [[KSL-TV]] Channel(channel Five5), featuring Jack Whitaker reprising his role as Roderick from 1957s1957's ''Shock Theater''. The show was short lived, lasting until May 22, 1964. On January 12, 1968, KSL again launcheslaunched a competing show, ''Double Frightmare Theater''. That show lasted until August 1969. ''Nightmare Theater'' also faced constant competition from talk shows. In April, 1967, the second feature was replaced by the ''[[The Joey Bishop Show (talk show)|The Joey Bishop Show]]''. However, the ''Joey Bishop Show'' was quickly moved to Sunday. Howard Pearson, the ''[[Deseret News]]'' television editor, notes in his April 28 article that ''Double Nightmare Theater'' willwould be reinstated because of its popularity.[<ref>{{cite web | url=https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=26265574] | title=Deseret News | 1967-04-28 | Page 47 }}</ref> In 1975, parts of Salt Lake City began to be wired for [[cable TV]]. One of the new channels was [[KTVU]] from [[San Francisco]] with the popular ''Creature Features'' hosted by [[Bob Wilkins]].
The exact end date of Salt Lake City's Nightmare Theater is nebulous. October 16, 1982 is the last time "Nightmare Theater" is listed by KCPX Channel 4. The movie shown was [[Invasion from Inner Earth]].[https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=29053859] However, genre movies occupy the time slot thru the end of 1982 and until March 19, 1983. Additionally, beginning October 23, 1982 (a week after the last listing) the Salt Lake Tribune stopped listing movie slot titles for all movies on every channel. The final genre movie in the time slot was [[Star Pilot]]. The next week a rock and roll show occupied the time slot.▼
▲[[Category:television]]
=== Content ===
[[Category:utah]]▼
▲Unlike similar shows in other cities, Salt Lake's ''Nightmare Theater'' had no long-running host to introduce the movies. In 1965, popular local icon [[iarchive:copy-of-nightmare-202306251600-final/page/35/mode/1up|Ron Ross]] began voiceover introductions, which lasted until 1971. One recording of the show's introduction is known to exist.[<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://mwww.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=78VpJCqH3ak&pp |title=ygUybmlnaHRtYXJlIHRoZWF0ZXIgLSBrY3B4IGluIHNhbHQgbGFrZSBjaXR5IC0gMTk3MHM%3D]Nightmare Theater Intro (KCPX, Salt Lake City, c. 1982) |date=May 1, 2014 |first=Wes|last=Clark |access-date=September 27, 2024 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Ross was well known in the community, primarily as children's show host Fireman Frank.[<ref>{{Cite web |title=William Ross Obituary (1928 - 2019) - Salt Lake City, UT - The Salt Lake Tribune |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/saltlaketribune/name/william-ross-obituary?id=2118299] |access-date=September 27, 2024 |website=Legacy.com}}</ref> ''Salt Lake Tribune'' television editor [[Harold Schindler|Harold Schnidler]] discussesdiscussed the arrival of a new package of horror films as well as the show's popularity in a 1967 column.[<ref>{{Cite web |title=Salt Lake Tribune {{!}} July 28, 1967 {{!}} Page 36 |url=https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=30817396] |access-date=September 27, 2024 |website=newspapers.lib.utah.edu |language=en}}</ref> On August 2, 1973, ''Nightmare Theater'' received it'sits only host, Dr. Volapuc. Alternative spellings include Volupuc, Volupuk, Volapuk, and Volapuc. Dr. Volapuc was short-lived, introducing a run of classic Universal monster movies during his six -month stint. No photos of the host are known to exist. Often incorrectly noted as being played by Ron Ross, Dr. Volapuc was Larry John, knowknown for playing Cannonball in the popular series ''[[Hotel Balderdash]]''. John was paid $50 per ''Nightmare Theater'' appearance.[<ref>{{Citation |first1=Bradford Grant|last1=Boyle |first2=Richard|last2=Adams |title=Dr. Volapuc. Host of Nightmare Theater of Salt Lake City. |url=https://archive.org/details/dr.-volapuc-3] |access-date=September 27, 2024}}</ref> His shows ended with a reminder Volapuc backwards was "Cup a Love.".
=== End ===
▲The exact end date of Salt Lake City's ''Nightmare Theater'' is nebulous. October 16, 1982, is the last time "Nightmare Theater"it is listed by KCPX Channel 4. The movie shown was ''[[Invasion from Inner Earth]]''.[<ref>{{Cite web |title=Salt Lake Tribune {{!}} October 16, 1982 {{!}} Page 29 |url=https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=29053859] |access-date=September 27, 2024 |website=newspapers.lib.utah.edu |language=en}}</ref> However, genre movies occupyoccupied the time slot thru the end of 1982 and until March 19, 1983. Additionally, beginning October 23, 1982 (a week after the last listing), the ''Salt Lake Tribune'' stopped listing movie slot titles for all movies on every channel. The final genre movie in the time slot was ''[[Star Pilot]]''. The next week a rock and roll show occupied the time slot.
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [[iarchive:nightmare-book-cover-6-15-d-final|Index of the movies shown]]
[[Category:1962 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1982 American television series endings]]
[[Category:American motion picture television series]]
▲[[Category:utahHorror television]]