When ABC-TV began heavily hyping their Las Vegas Vampire flick in late
1970, early 71, featuring a seer-sucker clad, straw hat wearing
down-and-out reporter, portrayed by the inimitable Darren McGavin, the
15-year old kid version of me was duly psyched. Evidently, I
wasn't the only one. The modern-day version of the Dracula
legend remains one of the highest rated TV-movies in history.
The adapted screenplay by the legendary Richard Matheson did not
disappoint, John Llewellyn Moxey's deft direction heightened the
suspense and McGavin's energetic performance enthralled. All
that, along with a brilliant supporting cast, including Ralph Meeker,
Claude Akins, Barry Atwater, Carol Linley, Larry Linville and the
enormously talented Simon Oakland, very nearly assured a hit.
The big ratings also brought the inevitable sequel -- 1973's The
Night Strangler, pretty much a relocated copy of the original, yet
hugely entertaining, buoyed by the manic performances of McGavin and
Oakland. Irresistible also were the terrifically casted supporting
players, including Wally Cox in a spot-on performance as the records
keeper in the musty tomb of the Chronicle's basement. John
Carradine, Scott Brady, Margaret Hamilton, Al Lewis, and Ivor Francis
all turn in very nearly perfect, tongue-in-cheek performances
like the old pros they were.
The series, while showing numerous flashes of brilliance during
its run, probably failed because of this cookie-cutter approach to the
stories. And yet, while lasting only a portion of one
season, there are so many collected memories from K:TNS that never
went away. Who could forget the sight of Carl crawling into the
hearse in the junkyard, preparing to sew the dormant zombie's lips
shut after filling his mouth with rock salt? Or Carl convincing
Monique into the trunk of his Mustang so that she might get a better
photo? Or the games with Gordy the Ghoul in the morgue? Or
the Peremalfait slowly rising up out of the sewer? Or Carl appearing to
waiver just before he fires an arrow into what for all intents and
purposes is Miss
Emily? Or Carl riffing on some hapless police captain or beat
cop? It just doesn't get much better than that.
Over the years, I caught reruns of the series on late night TV
and various showings of the movies here and there. I never
seemed to tire of watching them, even though I can quote
the dialog from almost every episode. In a brilliant move, Columbia House
released the complete series on VHS some years ago, and yes, I watch
them still frequently.
Why this site, then? The K:TNS Sci-Fi Channel site
is quite good, and Steve Crow's site is among the best, both of which
and more are linked here. Sometime in 1995, I saw McGavin's turn
as Tony's mentor in a two-part episode of "The Commish".
Something clicked in my head and I began writing a teleplay in which
Carl Kolchak returned. Not with some new actor playing Carl in
his 40's, but Carl as he would've been at that time, somewhere around 70, in
semi-retirement, but irascible as ever and still nite stalkin'.
It became a bizarre obsession with me and I worked many a late night
until it was finished. It has been gathering dust in my closet
for years, so I thought, why not share it with other K:TNS fans?
It was a labor of love for me, an opportunity to revisit old friends,
so to speak, and invent some new ones. I hope you enjoy the
script, gentle reader, and please feel free to comment. I know
it's not perfect by any means, but man, was it fun to write!
Walt Hicks
