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'Shock Armstrong' The All-American Ghoul
Many local television stations worth their salt had a late-night horror movie presented by a 'horrific' host. The country's most famous horror host, John Zacherle, broadcast out of New York. Vampira, the infamous female host who appeared in Edward D. Wood's Plan Nine From Outer Space, was seen in Los Angeles. Elvira, also of Los Angeles, was a riff on Vampira and still is popular to this day. In the 1950's, St. Petersburg's WSUN had "The Nightcrawler," and on Saturday afternoons in the early 60's, WFLA broadcast 'Terminus...the Theater of Science Fiction.' There was no live host; only a somber announcer and a slide showing the Terminus name over an amorphous blob. In the 70's, Tampa Bay viewers enjoyed Dr. Paul Bearer on WTOG, Channel 44. Bearer was pretty funny and had quite a long run, BUT, the grand-daddy of Tampa Bay horror hosts, however, is --
'Shock' Armstrong, the All-American Ghoul.
This is his (shudder) true tale!
