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Post by Brad on Nov 11, 2004 0:58:14 GMT -5
Lock the doors and windows" was part of the opening to Thriller 18 - on WLEX. The words were spoken by WLEX weatherman - Jim Stephens who I understand still lives in Lexington. The opening was an animation of a man in a trench coat with a bomb. The music was too cool and I can still remember it. Wonder what song they used? Thriller 18 actually was revived in the 80s on WLEX.
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Post by Stan on Nov 14, 2004 18:39:42 GMT -5
I remember when Thriller 18 was revived on WLEX in the 1980s under the title, " "Monsterpiece Theatre." It was hosted by Cruiser and some other guy. Maybe they could help with some Thriller 18 facts. Like where is that wonderful animated man in the trench coat that lit a bomb and threw it at the TV viewers? Where and what was the Thriller 18 theme song that was used? It was an electric guitar with a base that sounded like a heart beat. Of course there was the sound of howling wind and coyotes thrown in the mix. Thanks for this wonderful website. It is the ONLY thing on the Internet about Thriller 18, WHTN's Chiller and Terror In The Night. Anyone remember Shock Theater on WKPT TV 19 in Kingsport, Tenn?
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Post by John Hourigan on Jan 29, 2006 18:23:45 GMT -5
"Monsterpiece Theatre" ran in 1986 and/or 1987 (I know it was those years because I remember what apartment I was living in at the time!). Monsterpiece Theatre ran after Saturday Night Live on Saturday nights, and I remember the Universal classics aired on the show, along with the "Plan 9 From Outer Space"-type flicks.
As I recall, Monsterpiece Theatre didn't run very long -- maybe a year?
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Post by John Hourigan on May 13, 2006 9:41:46 GMT -5
Does anyone know what years the original Thriller 18 aired?
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Post by Brad on May 18, 2006 14:27:39 GMT -5
John, that is the big question a lot of us would love to know. If some former employees of Channel 18 could find this site, we may get some answers. Terror in the Night was Lexington's first late night horror show. WLEX eventually jumped on the band wagon. Although I can't tell you exactly when Thriller 18 started, I can tell you when it wasn't on. Terror in the Night was going strong in 1965 and Thriller 18 had not yet been developed. At this time Channel 18 was still airing Tonight Show reruns at 11:30 on Saturday night. I would love to know when Thriller 18 premiered. I don't think there is much doubt where WLEX came up with the name of "Thriller 18." At that time - the station was airing the network show "Thriller" with Boris Karloff. After seeing countless promos in the 1960's asking us to "watch Thriller on 18," it seems to be a no brainier how someone came up with "Thriller 18." Just my opinion.
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Post by Jason on Jul 6, 2006 9:33:40 GMT -5
Someone said Jim Stephens lives in Lexington and works at Wal-Mart. Anyone know him? Tell him about this site.
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Post by Jeff Easley on Aug 4, 2006 23:40:40 GMT -5
Don't recall the dates,but I'm confident that Thriller 18 started as a Saturday afternoon show.I very distinctly recall the animated opening.I didn't know it moved to late nights eventually,until I read it on this site.
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Post by Sixties TV on Aug 6, 2006 2:10:27 GMT -5
Interesting to learn that Thriller 18 was originally an afternoon show. My memories during the late '60's and early '70's was Thriller 18 always going head to head with Terror in Night at 11:30 on Saturday nights. It was always difficult to decide which to watch. Both openings started at the same time. There was some wild channel changing around 11:31 PM at our house on Saturday nights. No remotes in those days. Each week, there was desperation when it was show time. "Do I watch the "Black Cat" on Thriller 18 or "The Wolfman" on Terror in the Night?"
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Post by Dave Powell on Aug 17, 2006 13:20:54 GMT -5
Jim Stephens is still in Lexington, and sometimes can be found greeting people at the Walmart near Russell Cave Road. When I started at WLEX in 1971, the "Announcers" included Jim, Peter Stoner, Sue Hackett (later Wylie-Fox). and News Director Billy Thompson.
Dave Powell
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Post by Emily on Sept 9, 2006 23:49:44 GMT -5
What would you give to have the "Thriller 18" theme song as a ringtone on your phone? Wow. If only Jim Stephens or Dave Powell could tell us where the music came from. I can hear it in my head. I just need to hear it on my phone.
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Post by Dave Powell on Sept 11, 2006 16:01:43 GMT -5
I called Jim Stephens and he doesn't remember doing the open for Thriller 18, but he could have.
According to Tony Michalski, who's only been here since 1974, Millicent Ghastly was Missy Johnson, who worked for WLEX then and is still in Lexington, seen on an occasional spot.
Dave Powell
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Post by Dave Powell on Sept 21, 2006 16:09:03 GMT -5
I listened to the Thriller 18 open and closes along with Tony Michalski and Paul Fast, all of whom were here back then. The open and one of the closes were Tom Hammond, The other is a tossup, but is not Jim Stephens.
Dave Powell, Chief Engineer, WLEX-TV/DT
Fingers you can Count On
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Post by Jeff Easley on Sept 26, 2006 9:28:31 GMT -5
Wow!What a kick to hear a"Thriller 18" open and close.I only remember the Saturday afternoon version,which never had voiceovers,if I recall correctly.I can only hope that someday the animation will surface.Does anyone recall this opening to Terror in the Night"?...in part,I think it said,"Lock the doors,Turn out the lights,and make sure there is no one in your house that you do not trust implicitly(I recall asking my mom what that word meant).for you see,there is terror in the night!MMwwahhahahaha!".I considered once trying to videotape a recreation of the "Terror"opening to stick on the front of the monster flicks I taped off the TV.....
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Post by Nobs on Feb 19, 2009 10:13:59 GMT -5
Hey gang,
I'm willing to be that the "man with the trench coat throwing the bomb' animation on "Thriller 18" was probably a syndicated package of show openings and closes that LEX 18 and other local stations bought in the 1960's.
In fact, some of the opens that Channel 18 used for their news, weather and sports in the mid-to-late 60's were also used by WAVE 3 in Louisville at that time. Also, when I was watching the old "Later with Bob Costas" show on NBC in the early 90's when he was interviewing Bob Schieffer of CBS News, they showed one of those syndicated opens of the news for the station Bob worked for at the time, WBAP-TV (now KXAS-TV) in Fort Worth-Dallas. And I'm sure there were other local stations that used those opens and closes to their programs.
Hopefully, someone else may know more about that and keep this here thread going. Like Orson Welles said during his "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast in 1938. "It there anyone out there?...Is there anyone?"
Bye y'all,
Nobs
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Post by Chuck Cantrell on Mar 1, 2009 19:48:34 GMT -5
I tried listening to the Thriller 18 open and close and it just spins awhile then kills the browser session. I guess it's another Vista bug. Too bad, because I really wanted to hear those.
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