HORROR HOSTS: Building the better Monster! Part 1
The upcoming Horrorhound Weekend in Indianapolis is really a quadruple threat. You have celebrity guests, an immense dealer room, the horror hosts, and Maskfest! This is not to suggest, however, that any of these need be exclusive. While Maskfest could easily be a convention in its own right, horror hosts can be quite crafty themselves.
Not long ago my co-blogger, David Albaugh, did an extensive piece on David Lady (if you were naughty and missed it you can check it out HERE). David Lady, host of The Late Dr. Show, and his wife are well known in the horror community for their amazing creations. In this, they are not alone.
Meeting David Lady at last year’s Horrorhound with his “Jan in the Pan” from THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE!
Horror hosts have historically needed to be crafty when it came to creating props & characters for their shows. Working on a shoestring budget afforded very little luxury for buying state of the art materials or, for that matter, co-stars. Some hosts have been more successful at accomplishing this than others. Dr. Destruction is an artist and craftsman who has relied on his abilities to get the most out of his show. With no assistance, he has single-handedly created his own set, art work, and even masks – most notably a replica of “The Elephant Man.”
You don’t need a full moon to appreciate Dr. Destruction’s hand-crafted gypsy wagon from THE WOLF MAN
Wolfman Mac’s Chiller Drive-in boasts the talents of Dave Ivey. Mr. Ivey is no stranger to the realm of horror hosts. In 1976 he joined Ohio’s The Ghoul Show. Here he would serve multiple functions as the show’s Art Director, writer, cartoon animator, as well as prop maker. This would include The Ghoul’s beloved character “Froggy.”
Ohio’s The Ghoul was aided by the talents of Dave Ivey!
The Ghoul’s legacy lives on with The Chiller Drive-in’s “Son of Froggy” seen her with Larry Gibbs at Horrorhound 2010
Dave Ivey would go on to continue both his craft, and The Ghoul’s legacy, via Wolfman Mac’s Chiller Drive-in. Assisting this show with writing, creating characters, along with his costume making/prop skills has clearly earned Ivey a respectable rank in the Wolfman’s pack. One of his most ambitious characters is that of “Oscar the Ogre,” whom I had the privilege of meeting at The Chiller Drive-in Open House last September (more on that story HERE). My favorite Dave Ivey character, however, is “The Milkman” featured in Wolfman Mac’s presentation of EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE. To purchase this episode and other great Mac merchandise be sure to visit their website!
Oscar the Ogre instills Terror from Beyond Dave (Ivey) at The Chiller Drive-in!
But there is one host who has gone above in beyond in not only in the creating his character, but an entire “Monster Madhouse.” More on that story in our next installment!
Karlos Borloff: You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!
Dave F.
And don’t forget to cast your ballot for “Best Blog of 2010″ TERROR FROM BEYOND THE DAVES by clicking the link below!
