By Richard Church~
Please grade on a curve, as I am writing this at 3AM (and I’ve been up since 6AM, yesterday), and these accounts may or may not be completely fabricated!
I’m always going to remember this week for two reasons; 1) I was somehow able to have an accident in a rental car halfway across the country and 2) I met Ormon FREAKIN’ Grimsby! I’m happy to say that latter went a long way in easing the pain of the former!
With both Terror Daves currently running amok in New England, we’re pleased to welcome the great Thomas Berdinski as our guest blogger! Mr. Berdinski directs, writes, and produces for The Cult of Moi and Vous Film Producioni Company LLC as well as runs a great site called The Italian Zombie Movie. If his name sounds familiar, that’s because Berdinski and his wonderful work is no stranger to TERROR FROM BETOND THE DAVES! Be sure to check out his wonderful GIANT RUBBER MONSTER MOVIE post HERE. Today, he’ll be sharing his own narrative of an exciting event that took place last weekend….
Recently, I joked with friends that this Halloween season I’d be like a Grateful Dead “Deadhead” or Jimmy Buffett “Parrot head” and follow the Horror Host Svengoolie around wherever he goes. Throughout this latest Svengoolie “tour,” I’ve made it as far north as J.J. Blinkers near the Wisconsin border and all the way out to The Amhurst Asylum in Valparaiso, Indiana with the month not even half over. I do have to say that of all these wonderful venues, NONE were as beautiful as Long Grove, Illinois where Sven appeared last Saturday at a new 365 day Halloween store – “Harper’s Hollow!”
Photo Courtesy of Jim Roche
Last Sunday, I grabbed the kids and headed over to the town made infamous by the Svengoolies – Berwyn, Illinois – to observe a rather unusual event. The Annual “Houby” parade has taken place for over forty years now and, along with the National horror host, has become a local Berwyn tradition! For those scratching their heads wondering what a “Houby” is, it is the Czechoslovakian word for “mushroom.” Yes, you are reading this correctly, the entire parade is dedicated to mushrooms! Mushrooms and truffles are to the Czechs’ what the tomato is to the Italians. It is a big part of their culture and it should also be noted that other “Houby” events take place throughout the year in other places throughout the United States.
On the chilly first day of October, I made my way to Valparaiso, Indiana to catch National Horror Host, Svengoolie, during his annual appearance at the Amhurst Asylum Haunted Attraction! Turning off a busy main highway, I soon found myself on rural country roads which, for a horror fan, isn’t always a good thing. For awhile I started worrying that I was lost, until a small sign appeared near a cross-way pointing to the venue.
Not long ago we interviewed the winner of the 2007 FOX Reality Show – “Search for the Next Elvira,” April Wahlin. TERROR FROM BEYOND THE DAVES is now pleased to welcome one of the quintessential Elvira-impersonators, Patterson Lundquist, who graciously agreed to do this interview as well as share even more insights regarding the show! We’d like to thank Patterson for not only answering all of our questions but doing so with an amazing amount of honesty.
