#Janos Skorzeny

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The evil werewolf Janos Skorzeny in the 1987 Werewolf series, designed by Rick Baker and realized by Greg Cannom. Skorzeny's design was originally for the series protagonist's werewolf form, but was deemed as too scary and so relegated to Chuck Connors' character!

Sadly no behind the scenes images, and the show is not restored yet, so screenshots will do for now.

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Barry Atwater as Janos Skorzeny in The Night Stalker

Watercolors on Paper, 8.5" x 11", 2024

By Josh Ryals

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Janos Skorzeny from The Night Stalker

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The Kolchak Report :The Night Stalker 1972

Welcome to the Kolchak Report where I am gonna review every episode of Kolchak the Night Stalker,but before I do that Im going to talk about the two TV movies that lead to the series ,starting with 1972's The Night Stalker

Hasbeen investigative reporter Carl Kolchek (DArren McGavin ) is investigating A mad killer known as Janos Skorzeny(Barry Atwater ) is going around draining women of blood in Las Vegas ,when he starts to realize theymight be dealing with an actual vampire

SO in the 70's the vampire started being seen as a kind of a quaint idea ,so a few writers thought "What if a vampire attacked in modern times",so we got stuff like Salems Lot and Blacula but I think the best of them is Night Stalker .Its a pretty realistic take on a vampire .Like all the tropes are there(The crosses,the stakes,the fangs) but the feel is very much that this is a murder mystery/thriller where the villain happens to be a vampire ,and that groundedness makes it legit spooky .Barry Atwater is legit chilling ,with an imposing physical presence and acts more like a cornered animal then a person .However he isnt the main focus,the focus is on the utter denile by the police and politicians to admit there is a real vampire going around

Cast is solid including Ralph Meeker as the token buddy of Kolchak ,Claude Akins as the bullheaded sheriff ,CArol Lynley as Kolchaks girlfriend,and the always awesome Simon Oakland as Kolchaks boss Tony Vincenzo,who would go on to be the main supporting character for Kolchak going forward

The standout however is Kolchak himself played by the great Darren McGavin.....Im gonna see if I keep thios thought to the end of the series,but Kolchak maybe one of my favorite horror heroes .Hes an obnoxious blowhardt but he belives in the truth ,and as a newsman his job is to lay out all the facts,no matter how absurd they maybe and who doesnt want them said .When the supernatural is staring him in the face ,he rolls with it and has to do what it takes to take it on

This is a great TV horror movie ,and a perfect watch around Halloween time .The film has a clear ending so if you wanna watch it as a stand alone,you can find it on youtube

This is only the begining of Kolchak ,as next up we shall talk about its sequel the Night Strangler

@angelixgutz @marquisedemasque @princesssarisa @the-blue-fairie @amalthea9 @filmcityworld1 @theancientvaleofsoulmaking @ariel-seagull-wings @themousefromfantasyland @makingboneboy

[collinsportmaine]

Barry Atwater as the vampire Janos Skorzeny in “The Night Stalker” (1972). This TV movie introduced Carl Kolchak.

[vintage1981]

Kolchak: The Night Stalker - Available Now from Kino Lorber Studio Classics

Kolchak: The Night Stalker, the uniquely eerie mystery series that paved the way for The X-Files, finally comes to Blu-ray with all 20 episodes digitally restored to capture every shiver, every scream and every bump in the night. Emmy nominee Darren McGavin reprises his role from the popular television movies The Night Stalker (1972) and The Night Strangler (1973) as Carl Kolchak, a headstrong investigative reporter on the trail of the paranormal: zombies, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, succubi and even aliens. No matter how unnatural or unbelievable, Kolchak is there to uncover the truth… one supernatural threat at a time.

Join the hunt in the dark alleys and creepy hidden lairs of Chicago with such sensational guest stars as Scatman Crothers, Antonio Fargas, Tom Skerritt, Dick Van Patten, Jamie Farr, Phil Silvers, Jim Backus, William Smith, Julie Adams, Cathy Lee Crosby, Carolyn Jones, Tom Bosley and many more. Kolchak: The Night Stalker co-starred Simon Oakland (Bullitt) and Ruth McDevitt (The Birds).

Brand New 2K Masters for All 20 Episodes

NEW Interview with David Chase, the Creator of The Sopranos and Co-Writer of Eight Kolchak: The Night Stalker Episodes

NEW Interview with Dana Gould, the Creator of Stan Against Evil

NEW Booklet Essay by Mark Dawidziak, the Author of The Night Stalker Companion and Kolchak Novel, Grave Secrets

NEW Audio Commentary for THE RIPPER by Mark Dawidziak, the Author of The Night Stalker Companion and Kolchak Novel, Grave Secrets

NEW Audio Commentary for THE ZOMBIE by Author/Historian David J. Schow

NEW Audio Commentary for THEY HAVE BEEN, THEY ARE, THEY WILL BE… by Novelist/Critic Kim Newman and Writer/Journalist Barry Forshaw

NEW Audio Commentary for THE VAMPIRE by Film Historian Tim Lucas

NEW Audio Commentary for THE WEREWOLF by Filmmaker/Historian Constantine Nasr

NEW Audio Commentary for FIREFALL by Author/Historian David J. Schow

NEW Audio Commentary for THE DEVIL’S PLATFORM by Filmmaker/Historian Constantine Nasr and Screenwriter/Producer Rodney Barnes

NEW Audio Commentary for BAD MEDICINE by Film Historian/Screenwriter Gary Gerani

NEW Audio Commentary for THE SPANISH MOSS MURDERS by Film Historian/Screenwriter Steve Haberman

NEW Audio Commentary for THE SPANISH MOSS MURDERS by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Screenwriter/Producer Cyrus Voris

NEW Audio Commentary for THE ENERGY EATER by Mike White and Chris Stachiw of The Kolchak Tapes Podcast

NEW Audio Commentary for HORROR IN THE HEIGHTS by Film Historian/Screenwriter Gary Gerani

NEW Audio Commentary for MR. R.I.N.G. by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Screenwriter/Producer Cyrus Voris

NEW Audio Commentary for PRIMAL SCREAM by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Screenwriter/Producer Cyrus Voris

NEW Audio Commentary for THE TREVI COLLECTION by Film Historian/Author Amanda Reyes

NEW Audio Commentary for CHOPPER by Novelist/Critic Kim Newman and Writer/Journalist Barry Forshaw

NEW Audio Commentary for DEMON IN LACE by Novelist/Critic Kim Newman and Writer/Journalist Barry Forshaw

NEW Audio Commentary for LEGACY OF TERROR by Film Historian/Author Amanda Reyes

NEW Audio Commentary for THE KNIGHTLY MURDERS by Filmmaker/Historian Michael Schlesinger

NEW Audio Commentary for THE YOUTH KILLER by Novelist/Critic Kim Newman and Writer/Journalist Barry Forshaw

NEW Audio Commentary for THE SENTRY by Film Historian/Screenwriter Gary Gerani

THE DEVIL’S PLATFORM – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

BAD MEDICINE – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

THE SPANISH MOSS MURDERS – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

THE ENERGY EATER – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

HORROR IN THE HEIGHTS – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

MR. R.I.N.G. – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

PRIMAL SCREAM – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

THE TREVI COLLECTION – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

CHOPPER – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

DEMON IN LACE – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

LEGACY OF TERROR – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

THE KNIGHTLY MURDERS – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

THE YOUTH KILLER – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

THE SENTRY – TV Spot (New 2K Master)

Newly Commissioned Art by Mark Maddox

Optional English Subtitles

https://tinyurl.com/KolchakBlu

[collinsportmaine]

One of the best vampire movies.

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TV Guide  -  January 20 - 26, 1962

Kevin Joseph Aloysius "Chuck" Connors (April 10, 1921 – November 10, 1992) Film and television actor, writer, and professional basketball and baseball player. He is one of only 13 athletes in the history of American professional sports to have played both Major League Baseball (Brooklyn Dodgers 1949, Chicago Cubs, 1951) and in the National Basketball Association (Boston Celtics 1947–48). With a 40-year film and television career, he is best known for his five-year role as Lucas McCain in the highly rated ABC series The Rifleman 1958–63).

Connors had a rare comedic role in a 1955 episode ("Flight to the North") of Adventures of Superman. He portrayed Sylvester J. Superman, a lanky rustic yokel who shared the same name as the title character of the series.

Connors was cast as Lou Brissie, a former professional baseball player wounded during World War II, in the 1956 episode "The Comeback" of the religion anthology series Crossroads. Don DeFore portrayed the Reverend C. E. "Stoney" Jackson, who offered the spiritual insight to assist Brissie's recovery so that he could return to the game. Grant Withers was cast as Coach Whitey Martin; Crossroads regular Robert Carson also played a coach in this episode. Edd Byrnes, Rhys Williams, and Robert Fuller played former soldiers. X Brands is cast as a baseball player.

He also became a lovable television character actor, guest-starring in dozens of shows. His guest-starring debut was on an episode of NBC's Dear Phoebe. He played in two episodes, one as the bandit Sam Bass, on Dale Robertson's NBC western Tales of Wells Fargo.

Other television appearances were on Hey, Jeannie!, The Loretta Young Show, Schlitz Playhouse, Screen Directors Playhouse, Four Star Playhouse, Matinee Theatre, Cavalcade of America, Gunsmoke, The Gale Storm Show, The West Point Story, The Millionaire, General Electric Theater hosted by Ronald Reagan, Wagon Train, The Restless Gun with John Payne, Murder, She Wrote, Date with the Angels with Betty White, The DuPont Show with June Allyson, The Virginian, Night Gallery hosted by Rod Serling, and Here's Lucy with Lucille Ball.

As Connors was strongly typecast for playing the firearmed rancher-turned-single-father, he then starred in several short-lived series, including: ABC's Arrest and Trial (1963–1964), an early forerunner of Law and Order featuring two young actors Ben Gazzara and Don Galloway, NBC's post-Civil War-era series Branded (1965–1966) and the 1967–1968 ABC series Cowboy in Africa, alongside British actor Ronald Howard and Tom Nardini. Connors guest-starred in a last-season episode of Night Gallery titled  "The Ring With the Red Velvet Ropes". In 1973 and 1974 he hosted a television series called Thrill Seekers.

In 1983, Connors joined Sam Elliott, Cybill Shepherd, Ken Curtis and Noah Beery, Jr. in the short-lived NBC series The Yellow Rose, about a modern Texas ranching family. In 1985, he guest-starred as "King Powers" in the ABC TV series Spenser: For Hire, starring Robert Urich. In 1987, he co-starred in the Fox series Werewolf, as drifter Janos Skorzeny. In 1988, he guest-starred as "Gideon" in the TV series Paradise, starring Lee Horsley.   (Wikipedia)

[kideternity]

Dmitri Pushkin Gavril Ivanovich Leonid Kovar Anya Savenlovich Janos Prohaska Serafina + Mikhail Arkadin Christina/Ivana Molotova Brion/Bronislav Markov Sasha/Scarlet Nightrider Count Vertigo Nina Skorzeny and Tefe Holland my Beloveds 

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Here is Content Abnormal issue #4!  Enjoy!  Above are the inside contents and below is the outside cover:

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Tonight, Oct. 21's "31 Days of Halloween" Sketch Is...

... Janos Skorzeny from THE TV MOVIE CLASSIC "The Night Stalker (1972)!!!

(Screenplay by the HORROR GOD Richard Matheson!)

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Barry Atwater as Janos Skorzeny in one of the best vampire movies - ever, “The Night Stalker” (1972). It’s the TV movie that also introduced Darren McGavin as Carl Kolchak.

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Darren McGavin‘s agents called him to say that ABC had purchased the rights to a yet-to-be-published book called The Kolchak Papers. The script by Richard Matheson was in its early stages and McGavin was the intended star of the would-be movie. “ListenABC,” McGavin’s representative said, “it’s this crazy story about a reporter and some kind of monster in Vegas. You don’t want to do this.” (McGavin) Darren McGavin read the script then gave it to his wife to see if she agreed with him. The consensus was, “it’s terrific.”

The NIght Stalker aired on ABC on January 11, 1972. Directed by John Llewellyn Moxey and produced by Dan Curtis, best known at the time for Dark Shadows, The Night Stalker became ABC’s highest rated original TV movie and the most widely viewed TV movie to date. The movie did so well, in fact, that it was released as a theatrical vehicle abroad. One thing we can say about audiences in 1972 is that they had fabulous taste because The Night Stalker is indeed terrific.

  If you’re a fan of horror or a fan of film noir The Night Stalker will grab you from the opening scene. “This is a story about the greatest manhunt in history,” we hear Carl Kolchak’s voice say over a tape recorder, “Judge for yourself the story’s believability.” Kolchak is an investigative reporter and the crimes he mentions in the opening are the work of a vampire. We learn this in flashback with definitive film noir style as he retells the incredible story. If you think this can’t happen where you live Kolchak will prove you wrong despite what the authorities might say or how hard the powers that be try to deny the story, which inevitably happens.

As this story goes – there are a series of murders plaguing the Las Vegas strip. All of the victims have had their bodies drained of blood. The suspect’s true identity is discovered by the authorities as one Janos Skorzeny who’s been suspected of blood-draining murders in the past. They even corner Skorzeny when he attempts to rob a hospital of its blood shooting him several times without effect. But there’s no mention of vampirism until Carl Kolchak researches vampire lore and puts the pieces together. Skorzeny has super human strength, he is able to outrun cars and motorcycles, he has the taste for blood thing and so on. Despite these facts, however, Kolchak’s editor, Anthony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland) thinks that the existence of a vampire is ridiculous. Vincenzo is often exasperated by Kolchak who never plays by the rules. The two have great chemistry and forge a dependable friendship in between bouts of shouting, which make for enjoyable exchanges at every turn.

Lo and behold after many arguments and suspension of duties, Kolchak is able to convince the police that the perpetrator is a vampire and along with FBI agent, Bernie Jenks (played by Ralph Meeker) he goes to Skorzeny’s lair to destroy him. Kolchak is able to put a stake through Skorzeny’s heart as he’d read it’s the sure-fire way to kill that particular type of monster. This happens after a fierce battle during which several other vampire rules are proven true. For instance, Skorzeny is repelled by a cross and is afraid of sunlight, just as we thought he’d be. By the way, the music by Bob Cobert in The Night Stalker is great as was the case with so many made-for-TV movies of the 1970s, but particularly noteworthy during the final fight scene is that some of the music from House of Dark Shadows (1970) was used.

Luckily for Kolchak he had a credible witness at hand during his destruction of the vampire and yet – adding insult to injury – he is arrested for murder. There is nothing the authorities will do to quell the story of a vampire loose in Vegas. And when Kolchak’s full story appears in the papers it is a different, falsified account of the happenings, which is why our hero is an embittered man telling a tale of deceit as well as murder. Kolchak tells a cautionary tale where the people’s right to know is way down the list of priorities for those who hold all the power.

Darren McGavin delivers such an unforgettable portrayal of Carl Kolchak that he alone is enough of a reason to watch this movie and its descendents. Kolchak is unrelenting in his pursuit of a breaking story. He gets “in” with the beat cops, bribes any and all players who can give him information and is funny as all heck. His voiceovers as the story progresses are a definite plus if you like that sort of thing – and I do. Not only is it reminiscent of noir, it’s a terrific storytelling technique that helps move the pace along and tells us a lot about the character.

Fans of horror might find a bit of camp where the monster element is concerned in The Night Stalker, but if you’re a fan of classics the camp just adds to the enjoyment. Kolchak even mentions Lugosi at one point putting to rest any doubt you may have about who was/is the definitive vampire in popular culture. Barry Atwater plays Skorzeny with flair adding the requisite growls and hisses to the proceedings following is some famous footsteps.

Also in the cast is Carol Lynley who plays Kolchak’s girlfriend, Gail Foster. Charles McGraw plays to type as the Police Chief, Larry Linville of M*A*S*H fame plays a doctor and the great Elisha Cook, Jr. shows up in a small role. Another special treat for classic fans is the appearance of Ralph Meeker. Interestingly – to further the film noir ties in The Night Stalker, which really is more noir than it is horror – both McGavin and Meeker have played Mickey Spillane’s fictional detective Mike Hammer. Meeker played Hammer in Robert Aldrich’s Kiss Me Deadly (1955), and McGavin in Mike Hammer the TV series (1958-19959).

  Given the success of The Night Stalker it’s no surprise that Carl Kolchak would be back for another dangerous investigation. Our tenacious, imperfect hero turns in another memorable round with a supernatural villain in The Night Strangler, which originally aired on ABC on January 16, 1973. Dan Curtis takes the helm for this vehicle and delivers another quick-paced, humor-laced movie with a terrific lot of players including Wally Cox, Jo Ann Pflug, Scott Brady, John Carradine, Al Lewis of The Munsters fame with the ultimate treat being Margaret Hamilton who plays a professor who’s an expert on elixirs. Back for another turn from the first movie are film noir elements and Simon Oakland as Tony Vincenzo.

Although he vowed never to mention the vampire story to anyone ever again after the last outing we see Kolchak trying to convince people of the story when The Night Strangler opens. Having been fired from the Vegas paper after the vampire fiasco, our investigative journalist finds himself in Seattle, Washington. Luckily, Vincenzo is in Seattle as well and hires Kolchak to cover a series of murders. This time the victims are exotic dancers who have been strangled with such incredible force that their necks are crushed. Also, each victim has had some of her blood removed with a syringe and each has traces of rotted flesh on her neck.

With the help of a historian/researcher (Wally Cox), Kolchak discovers that similar rash of killings have occurred every 21 years since 1889 with the series lasting 18 days each time. Recognizing that time is of the essence Kolchak presses the authorities to act, but as was the case in The Night Stalker, no one but Kolchak is eager to make the details of the murders public and they drag their feet. That’s especially true when Kolchak tells the police that the murderer is 144-year-old Civil War surgeon, Dr. Richard Malcolm (played by TV favorite Richard Anderson) who is killing to get his hands on the blood needed for his elixir of life, a youth potion that lasts 21 years at a time. I know it sounds kind of crazy, but it’s true!

Needless to say Carl Kolchak gets his man and the scoop. But once again he is fired along with Vincenzo because no one wants Seattle to know the murders were being committed by a corpse so the real story is once again suppressed. Those frustrations are expected, but we get another enjoyable final battle in this entry. This time Kolchak fights the should-be-long-dead Dr. Malcolm in a lost, Civil War-era city that lies hidden underneath Seattle. Malcolm lives, hides and performs his experiments in the hidden city, which is reminiscent of The Phantom of the Opera story and is just as sinister.

The Night Strangler proved almost as popular as its predecessor garnering strong ratings and eventually prompting ABC to order a TV series in lieu of a third movie, which was in the works. The third movie was to be set in New York as we see Kolchak and Vincenzo discussing at the end of The Night Strangler after they’re both fired in Seattle. Instead, the TV series, Kolchak: The Night Stalker,��features both McGavin and Oakland reprising their roles working for the Chicago Independent News Service. The premise for the series stayed close to the movies in that Kolchak seemed to have a talent for attracting crimes involving the supernatural to include werewolves, zombies and many other creatures of the night.

  In the series Kolchak always has a hard time convincing Vincenzo that the criminals are not products of his imagination, but rather living (more or less), breathing creatures. Those exchanges between the two where Vincenzo loses his temper and Kolchak does what he wants anyway are favorite scenes of mine. Also enjoyable are the villains in the episode, which naturally come from classic stories. The first episode of the series features Jack the Ripper who is alive and well and back to his old tricks.

Although Kolchak: The Night Stalker aired for only one season, from 1974 to 1975 on ABC, it is highly recommended viewing. Many of the enjoyable elements of the movies make the transition to TV and far outshine what you may find on network TV today with few exceptions. Another short-lived series, Night Stalker was given a shot in 2005 with Stuart Townsend taking over the Kolchak role.

♦

I intended this post to be my submission to the Movie of the Week Blogathon hosted by Classic Film and TV Cafe, but alas I am quite late to the party. I didn’t want to ignore Kolchak completely, however, so I offer this as encouragement to the event, its host and Carl Kolchak all of which should not be ignored!

  Movie of the Week: THE NIGHT STALKER and THE NIGHT STRANGLER Darren McGavin's agents called him to say that ABC had purchased the rights to a yet-to-be-published book called 

[docrotten]

The Night Stalker (1972) – Episode 84 – Decades of Horror 1970s

"So think about it and try to tell yourself wherever you may be, in the quiet of your home, in the safety of your bed, try to tell yourself, It couldn't happen here." As all horror fans know, of course, it could happen here. It always happens here! Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they journey back to 1970s Las Vegas with Carl Kolchak in search of The Night Stalker (1972).

Decades of Horror 1970s Episode 83 – The Night Stalker (1972)

Before it premiered in 1972, no one predicted the impact The Night Stalker would have on the horror genre as seen on network television. Produced by Dan Curtis, directed by John Llewellyn Moxey, written by Richard Matheson from a novel by Jeff Rice, the film unexpectedly set a ratings record for TV-movies. Its success led to a follow-up telefilm, The Night Strangler (1973), and a legendary TV series, Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974-1975). To top it off, The Night Stalker was the first film in the successful pairing of Curtis and Matheson that would last for half-a-dozen films through Dead of Night (1977).

The story of The Night Stalker is told through a series of audio tape recordings, documenting an unprinted story written by Carl Kolchak, a rebellious, idealistic reporter. Kolchak believes a series of killings have been committed by a vampire but, not surprisingly, he can’t seem to convince anyone else. When the powers-that-be are finally forced to face the truth, a temporarily triumphant Kolchak discovers he’s been playing a rigged game all along.

Darren McGavin is Carl Kolchak as he creates an iconic character from Matheson’s brilliant screenplay. McGavin is supported by a cast of venerable character actors that include Simon Oakland as Vincenzo, Kolchak’s editor; Ralph Meeker as Bernie Jenks, one of Kolchak’s few allies; Claude Akins as Sheriff Butcher; Kent Smith as D.A. Paine; Charles McGraw as Chief Masterson; Elisha Cook Jr. as Mickey Crawford, Kolchak’s key source; and Larry Linville as Coroner Makurji. The superlative cast of The Night Stalker is rounded out by Carol Lynley and Barry Atwater, as Kolchak’s girlfriend Gail and the vampire Janos Skorzeny, respectively.

The 1970s Grue Crew all saw the television premiere of The Night Stalker and are adamant regarding how well it holds up. Chad reflects on the after-effects experienced by his young self when he first saw the film, and emphatically declares his love for all things Kolchak. As a vampire aficionado, Bill is impressed by the feral nature of Atwater’s portrayal of Skorzeny, and voices his appreciation for the unique elements this film brings to the vampire canon. Jeff talks about how well Bob Cobert’s score enhances the film and gives some shoutouts to the classic era of horror by means of a short quiz about two of the film’s many character actors. Kolchak’s signature attire (porkpie hat and shabby suit) gets Doc fired up and the final confrontation between Kolchak and Skorzeny fans his flame even higher.  As the Grue Crew’s fearless leader, Doc does his usual masterful job keeping everyone on track and what would a Gruesome Magazine podcast be without a demonstration of his skill at the innovative pronunciation of names? How many ways can you say "Janos Skorzeny?" (We love you, Doc!)

We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans:  leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.

Check out this episode!