Imagine going back to 1972 when this was produced. You’d sit with your family waiting for it to be broadcast. There were only three television channels, you couldn’t record it for later because home VCRs weren’t available, everyone gave the TV their rapt attention, there were telephones but it was stuck on a wall 60 feet away in the kitchen (nobody bothered to call during prime time anyway) and it was GLORIOUS! After the scary movie your mom gave you a cookie and a glass of milk and sent you to bed. Dad watched the news and the house was shut down by 11:30. It couldn’t have been any better!
I remember very well. I guess I was lucky because we had at least 10 channels but we lived near Toronto Ontario and got tv stations from Buffalo as well as other cities close by.
I am 59, thank you so much for turning me into an eight year old girl again. I loved the movies of the week, the night stalker series and Darren McGavin. Ahhh when TV was magical.
This story was good for it's time, but honestly Darren McGavin makes the movie. He absolutely carries it. Such charisma and charm! I can't imagine it without him!
I love the old black and white Sherlock Holmes series with Ronald Howard (son of Leslie Howard, GWTW Ashley Wilkes) and he reminded so much of someone, and I was trying to think who, then it hit me, Darrin MacGavin! The both have an inmate likability.
I remember the two movies when I was in high school, plus the series we never missed. No cell phones, computers, ipads or any other technology. No cable tv, no vcrs yet either. You watched at home or you missed it. A more perfect cast was never found.
When I was a kid, if we were allowed by my mom, we would stay up on Friday nights to watch The Night Stalker with Mom and Dad. There were only 4 channels on TV. Well, 5, if you count PBS. PBS was great for mysteries on Sundays. Mobile Mystery Theater it was called on Sunday afternoons. Sponsored by Mobile Oil Corporation. Anyway, The Night Stalker was my favorite to watch on Friday nights. I still remember laying on the carpet and watching The Night Stalker. Mom would make popcorn on the stove with Crisco and we could smell the popcorn cooking. What a wonderful time to be a kid. Then on Saturday mornings, Cartoons! How beautiful we were back then. Mom, Dad, us kids, and our country. God!, how I miss it.
LIFE WAS MUCH SIMPLER..WASN'T IT..SAME IN OUR HOUSE HOLD. ONE DAY A WEEK WAS TREAT NIGHT..WE LIVED IN APT..WITH A FIRE PLACE... ONLY HAVE IT ON WHEN DAD GOT IT GOING...AND VERY STRICT ABOUT THAT.. BUT THOSE WERE THE DAYS..AND WOULDN'T 🔥 HAVE CHANGED ONE THING ABOUT..
great recall Albert. It was great to be a kid growing up for the most part in this country in the 50's, 60's and 70's. I personally grew up in Las Vegas (b 1955) when the valley had 75k people living there. It was a trip living literally on the Strip (mid), as I did at times from 12yrs old to 18, as my parents were divorced, and my father lived in a few different apartments on the famed road, or just off it. We had, like you noted here with your experience growing up, only five channels. (if you counted the newly available PBS channel c1968) Where did you grow up?
This ABC Movie of The Week received wide viewing back in 1972, partly because it was on a school night, which made for it to be viewed by teenagers, who if it was on a weekend night, it wouldn't have had nearly the viewership numbers that it did. Because of this dynamic, the later tv series really an advantage with these viewers from this original telecast in '72, such as myself.
Only decades later did I realize how prominently Blacks and women were utilized thruout the series. The writers and producers were waaaay ahead of their time...and Hollywood's all the better for it! Thanks 👍
@@donarthiazi2443 Sorry, no sarcasm intended. Just an unsolicited observation that the series was portraying 1973 with black people and women in positions of authority before it became ' de rigueur'. Hope you feel better 😀
Wrote about this movie in my Diary. All the kids at school were talking about "The Night Stalker." the next day after it aired. Amazing to see Las Vegas, in it's young days.❤
When I was a kid ( 9 years old in 72 ), see and hear the intro for 'movie of the week' I know it was gonna be good and exciting...Gosh how I so miss those times..
I remember the Mystery Movie Theme the same way, Alias Smith and Jones and so many more - many of which we watched as a Family (especially comedies and variety shows) - I don't know if that even happens any more. Two favourites I watched with my daughters were the original "Life on Mars" and "CSI New York"
"high on pot or the hard stuff" Classic! _________ (poor dog!) It is worth watching just for the nostalgia of seeing those cars, filing cabinets, clunky telephones, and typewriters. I didn't even know I missed them. Except for the cars. I knew I missed them.
Kolchak: The Night Stalker is an American television series that aired on ABC during the 1974-1975 season. The series followed wire service reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) who investigates mysterious crimes with unlikely causes, particularly those involving the supernatural or science fiction, including fantastic creatures. The series was preceded by the two television movies, The Night Stalker (1972) and The Night Strangler (1973). Although the series lasted only a single season, it rapidly achieved cult status and has remained very popular in syndication.
I remember watching one episode where he was seeing the lips of a Zombie shut, what episode or movie title was that one in?? My mom and me both agreed it was the scariest thing we'd ever seen!
This is seriously one of the best vampire films of all time. Based on the realism, script, and actors. Two Mike Hammer's together against a single unbelievable foe. RIP to all involved
This is the greatest vampire movie I've ever seen. I was 12 in 1972 when I saw The Night Stalker. Love the intro of ABC movie of the week. It brings back warm feelings of family togetherness.
Was thinking the same when the music kicked in. I’m the same age. Oldest of 5. Watched with my bros. Check out the Norliss Tapes & Salems Lot. Good Vamps 👻
I will take the peace & quite of the 1970s any day over this BS we have today. Three to five TV Channels, no VCRs, Records, 8 Track-Tapes, and Cassettes, Albums, and then Large Laser Disk ( what we call DVDs & Blue-Ray today) began in 1978. Those were good times...
My late brother loved the Night Stalker series. He would have been in his glory. This brings back so many memories and saddness. I love these movies, as well. Ms. B. Churchill
Oh my goodness! I had forgotten all about the ABC Movie of the Week! This is when the whole family would sit in the den and watch the same movie because there were very few channels on TV. I can remember my big sister popping popcorn on the stove, and my dad sitting in his favorite chair ... a La-Z-Boy recliner.
I used to watch the movie of the week with my mother. There was McMillian and Wife and others as well. I loved these times RIP mom. You were the best mother ever.
mccloud and columbo....and macmillian and wife are all still broadcast here in philadelphia on channel 10.2 over the airwaves..free....the rest of our programs come from free sites on the net that have every show possible
My parents let me watch both movies but they covered my eyes at points....even though it scared the hell out of me i loved it!!!! When the show started they let my big brother and myself watch them alone.....I was almost 8 when the show started and i loved it more than ever!!!! Monday morning in school all of us brave boys who watched would excitedly discuss things like headless motorcycle riders and 8ft tall native american spellcasters.........werewolves and zombies... aliens vampires jack the ripper.......Louisiana swamp monsters....monsters that looked like those you trusted most......i watch metv every saturday night at midnight....50 years later I still love watching it being broadcast and I hope there are youngsters today who find it as cool and engaging as i did at that tender age.....may the legend of the man called kolchack live on!
I remember watching this in that 70’s house I grew up in, with the shag carpet, the orange sofa, and the avocado recliners. Mom was on the couch, Dad in the recliner, my sister sleeping in the rocker, and I was on a quilt in the floor, watching that huge floor model TV. Nobody wanted to go to bed afterwards, and Dad made an extra check of all of the doors. Oh, for the days when my Dad was alive, and we were all still young…
@@leapinglaura7343 As a native Las Vegan (b 1955), who has lived all my life here, (sans 6-7 yrs abroad in the late 70's/early-mid 80's), I nurd-ishly stop this movie here on UA-cam occasionally, to verify small details, that as a longtime local, who was 16/17 yrs old at the time of the filming and playing of this, satiate my memories then. Still trying to sleuth out the location of the interior casino shots. Downtown or Strip casino? There's a case, albeit minimal, that the casino MIGHT be the Stardust, as in a shot where the casino gaming table supervisor watching the action on the table of the individual playing blackjack and talking to McGavin, is wearing a matching garish colored blazer, shirt trio. I was working as a 16 yr old busboy in Aug/Sept '71, at the coffee shop (Palm Room) there. (Stardust)
Was in the 8th grade when it aired in 72 Couldn't wait too watch it ABC advertised it alot Kept me on the edge of our flowered sofa At that time it was the most viewed movie on network TV in history
"bwkticn," "Nobody wanted to go to bed afterwards, and Dad made an extra check of all of the doors." Not unlike Tuesday nights, only a few years prior -- after another fright fest watching "The Invaders," also on ABC. 'Alien beings from another planet' [how the narration went in the main titles] -- that only architect David Vincent (like Darren McGavin as Kolchak; Vincent was skillfully played by, and ideally suited for, Roy Thinnes) knew about -- scared the bejesus out of most of us.
We used mattresses on door frames on concrete blocks with lots of pillows for couch and our rug was light yellow and the fridge avocado green. The kitchen counter tile was avocado green with dark wood paneling.
Same here. I was turned on to it when it was part of CBS Friday latenite in the late 70's. Stayed up late as a 9 year old with all the living room lights off to add atmosphere.
As a person who works on movies and TV shows...I still think this was one of the best shows on TV when I was a kid...still love it...and McGavin was awesome.
darren was the ultimate professional.............not just this but everything he was in...........a rare breed...up there with peter falk............a great friend
i met (columbo) through sinatra met darren through telly savalas.......and i rate tel better than all of them put together..........and they were all brilliant
theres is a funny story about why i called telly, tel...even though his name wasnt terry, english slang for terry he said if i change my name 2 terry what will you call me then...........i said..........ted........hahahaha
I remember watching this movie with my dad (R.I.P., Dad) when I was a sophomore in high school, all those years ago. Still gives me chills. The actor, Barry Atwater, who portrayed the vampire was badass! The growling, snarling, hissing!
One of the only movies that showed the true strength of the vampire.Tossing officers like rag dolls and impervious to bullets. Barry Atwater gave an outstanding performance without uttering a single word.
My dad turned all 7 of us kids onto tons of great television. Mission Impossible Columbo Kolchak The Night Stalker and too many others to mention. This 1972 movie of the week and 1973 follow up (The Night Strangler)movie led to the television series. The two movies broke viewership rating records for those two years. It was tough to try to make+tell as jam packed a story+production in 45-50 minutes when it transitioned into a weekly series, but the series was very rewarding too. Darrin McGavin was a gem of an actor, perfect here. Part of my childhood childhood died when Don Adam's, Bob Denver, and Darren McGavin all died the same weekend several years ago. Just came back 14 days later and watched the original movie which started it all AGAIN. The combination of Darren McGavin great acting and great writing make this 1972 movie one I can come back and watch again and again by now dozens of times if not hundreds.
This great movie, and series was the inspiration for the X-Files, as quoted by Chris Carter. Darren McGavin never received the Emmy he deserved for this role as acknowledged by the entertainment industry. Rest in peace Mr. McGavin, your perfectly fallible, dogged-reporter "Carl Kolchak" lives on with a whole generation of Boomers and their kids.
I'm 58 - I use to watch this show when I was 11yo. It terrified me. I never watched horror in my adult life, this maybe why. Funny and wonderful to revisit this classic. Thankyou. Xx
Love kolchak, as a kid.Still do, always will be. Excellent script,actors,everything. Perfect storm of a macabre series. Pretty sure x-files came from this.
Fond memories of a time long past. These were the kind of shows that went past your bedtime during the weekdays. You rarely saw the end until you were older and happened to catch the full episodes in reruns. This was before the internets ease of information access. Thank you !
03:48 Did you all notice, when he pulled down his mask??? That's FRANK BURNS OF MASH!!! ~ Larry Linville!!!! 🤩 Also I just Love seeing Las Vegas in its smaller days! Most of all the old casinos are gone but I can see everything that used to be there!!! Beautiful.
This was probably the best of all of the Movie of the Week editions. I remember watching this when it was first shown on TV; it scared the crap out of my entire family. Those were the good old days of network television!
What a trip back in time. I was 8 or 9 years old when the Night Stalker episodes began playing once every week. They always came on after the 10 O'Clock news Saturday night. We had church to go to Sunday morning so I always had to beg Mom to let me stay up and watch "The Late Movie". Mom only allowed me to stay up and watch under threat of, "Dont give any backlash about being to tired to get up get ready for church; if you make us late to church - that'll be the last time you ever get to watch The Late Show. Yea, as a kid, I could barely function without my 2/3 hours of sleep I was used to.., but one thing I never was, and that was ever being the last to be ready Sunday morning. Loved my Night Stalker movies back then! Darren McGavin definately made it worth watching
I liked McGavin's confidence and personality. I also liked the way his character so bravely fought the monsters he encountered all alone. He was always outmatched, but it never stopped him from tracking them down and finding a way to finish them off. Modern vampires drive cars or fly private planes, like in another vampire film I saw, "The Nightflier."
The Movie of The Week opening really hit me with nostalgia! The world always has its problems, but the world was better for its simplicity. It's important to move forward, but much good was lost not just the bad.
Darrin mcgavinwhat agreat talent and underrated actor really scary show thank you again UA-cam for bringing back classic shows like these ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Darren McGavin could do no wrong. Good guy or bad guy, he could act with the best of them. This flick is one of THE finest TV movies ever made. Action, realism, solid acting, one of my favorite movies as a kid, and still stands up to anything produced these days.
In 1972, I was working for a New Hampshire newspaper as a bureau correspondent. I had flown out to Ohio to spend the holidays with my family. On the way back home, my plane was grounded at LaGuardia because of snowy weather and I had to spend the night at the airport. I bought myself copies of the Night Stalker and the Night Strangler at the airport bookstore and read them while I was spending the night sitting in a reception area. The lights were all on and I was the only one there. Got a kick out of Kolchak's battle with his editor, Vinchinzo, as it reminded me of my editor. Later, I saw the movie and the TV series with Darren McGaverin.
So much better than the slasher movies to come later in the '80s. Atmospheric, scary, loud sounds, dark corners, late at night in the vamp's house. What was he thinking?
This movie was one of the all-time classics. Darren McGavin and cast put together one of the all time performances. For its time. And movies and series to this day are using its format. To inspire them from X-Files to Supernatural. And other horror films. And even today you can enjoy turning back the clock and watch this. And enjoy watching it and the suspense of this film. With out all the goer. Of today's films.
Night Stalker was the highest rated TV at that time. I was 11 when this film aired...and everyone in my class at school was talking about it the next day.😂
This made for tv movie on ABC scared the crap out of me and my brother when we were ten and eight years old. It was AWESOME and we were hooked as fans. For a television movie, it told a great story.
Omg the Movie of thw Week introduction and music! Wow! Loved the Nighstalker series show, too. My dad and I couldn't wait to watch it every week! The exchanges between Kolchak and Vincenzo are absolutely priceless.
2023. Still watching. Kolcheck.
Watching in 2024
@@kimberlyowens5496 ditto, they just showed it a week ago on svengoolie, have a feeling the second one willl be on this week
Awesome. When TV was quality. Never will be the same. Thanks for sharing.
Whoever chose Darrin McGavin to play Kolchak was a genius! 😊😊
I think its his story telling.
Any male actor cast first would have made the part his.
You would be saying that of anybody playing the part.
I think I smell a TROLL!! .....PS with pimples
Agree😊
Or just good at their job.
Imagine going back to 1972 when this was produced. You’d sit with your family waiting for it to be broadcast. There were only three television channels, you couldn’t record it for later because home VCRs weren’t available, everyone gave the TV their rapt attention, there were telephones but it was stuck on a wall 60 feet away in the kitchen (nobody bothered to call during prime time anyway) and it was GLORIOUS!
After the scary movie your mom gave you a cookie and a glass of milk and sent you to bed. Dad watched the news and the house was shut down by 11:30. It couldn’t have been any better!
I remember very well. I guess I was lucky because we had at least 10 channels but we lived near Toronto Ontario and got tv stations from Buffalo as well as other cities close by.
@@michellehill4148 Not stations, Networks. ABC, CBC, NBC, and PBS, and that was it.
The news then Jonny Carson o ya..😊
@@michellehill4148 Greetings neighbor! From Buffalo NY! The Night Stalker was the best!! 👍👍👍
I miss it.
The 70's were quite the era.
I am 59, thank you so much for turning me into an eight year old girl again. I loved the movies of the week, the night stalker series and Darren McGavin. Ahhh when TV was magical.
Same here. But a dude. lol.
Me too!
Same with the Christmas Story. Great actor.
Same here
Am 58 next wen, a this took me back to love it.😊
This story was good for it's time, but honestly Darren McGavin makes the movie. He absolutely carries it. Such charisma and charm! I can't imagine it without him!
I read somewhere that kojak, telly savales was up for the role@!!
A Christmas story ! Great acting and plot m
I think Brian Cranston could do it .
@@ApothecaryGrant the need me to play the role cause I could be just as contrary
I love the old black and white Sherlock Holmes series with Ronald Howard (son of Leslie Howard, GWTW Ashley Wilkes) and he reminded so much of someone, and I was trying to think who, then it hit me, Darrin MacGavin! The both have an inmate likability.
5:43 am, here in Massachusetts, and I am loving this start to my day ! Nothing better than Kolchak.
I remember the two movies when I was in high school, plus the series we never missed. No cell phones, computers, ipads or any other technology. No cable tv, no vcrs yet either. You watched at home or you missed it. A more perfect cast was never found.
When I was a kid, if we were allowed by my mom, we would stay up on Friday nights to watch The Night Stalker with Mom and Dad. There were only 4 channels on TV. Well, 5, if you count PBS. PBS was great for mysteries on Sundays. Mobile Mystery Theater it was called on Sunday afternoons. Sponsored by Mobile Oil Corporation. Anyway, The Night Stalker was my favorite to watch on Friday nights. I still remember laying on the carpet and watching The Night Stalker. Mom would make popcorn on the stove with Crisco and we could smell the popcorn cooking. What a wonderful time to be a kid. Then on Saturday mornings, Cartoons! How beautiful we were back then. Mom, Dad, us kids, and our country. God!, how I miss it.
LIFE WAS MUCH SIMPLER..WASN'T IT..SAME IN OUR HOUSE HOLD. ONE DAY A WEEK WAS TREAT NIGHT..WE LIVED IN APT..WITH A FIRE PLACE... ONLY HAVE IT ON WHEN DAD GOT IT GOING...AND VERY STRICT ABOUT THAT.. BUT THOSE WERE THE DAYS..AND WOULDN'T 🔥 HAVE CHANGED ONE THING ABOUT..
We had an extra channel in Detroit from Windsor, Canada. I watched original airing Kolchak when I was only nine. What were my parents thinking? 😀
great recall Albert. It was great to be a kid growing up for the most part in this country in the 50's, 60's and 70's. I personally grew up in Las Vegas (b 1955) when the valley had 75k people living there. It was a trip living literally on the Strip (mid), as I did at times from 12yrs old to 18, as my parents were divorced, and my father lived in a few different apartments on the famed road, or just off it. We had, like you noted here with your experience growing up, only five channels. (if you counted the newly available PBS channel c1968) Where did you grow up?
During the commercials, I had to pick up bread and milk at the closest convenience store. You should have seen me run going and returning.
Great show , great times , wonderful days of hanging out with friends , no internet, no mobile phones , only home made fun .
Spot on post!! I miss those days.
This ABC Movie of The Week received wide viewing back in 1972, partly because it was on a school night, which made for it to be viewed by teenagers, who if it was on a weekend night, it wouldn't have had nearly the viewership numbers that it did. Because of this dynamic, the later tv series really an advantage with these viewers from this original telecast in '72, such as myself.
Amen
Kolchak the Night Stalker was way ahead of it's time. Entertainment at it's finest.
Only decades later did I realize how prominently Blacks and women were utilized thruout the series. The writers and producers were waaaay ahead of their time...and Hollywood's all the better for it! Thanks 👍
The precursor to The X-Files...
@@berniemac3
What's your point? Despite your witty attempt at sarcasm, you make no sense at all. 🙄
@@donarthiazi2443 Sorry, no sarcasm intended. Just an unsolicited observation that the series was portraying 1973 with black people and women in positions of authority before it became ' de rigueur'. Hope you feel better 😀
ABSOLUTELY
Wrote about this movie in my Diary. All the kids at school were talking about "The Night Stalker." the next day after it aired. Amazing to see Las Vegas, in it's young days.❤
When I was a kid ( 9 years old in 72 ), see and hear the intro for 'movie of the week' I know it was gonna be good and exciting...Gosh how I so miss those times..
Same here I remember. 😊
Yeah. me too
Same here. So grateful to have grown up in the 60’ and 70’s! Best of times.
I remember the Mystery Movie Theme the same way, Alias Smith and Jones and so many more - many of which we watched as a Family (especially comedies and variety shows) - I don't know if that even happens any more. Two favourites I watched with my daughters were the original "Life on Mars" and "CSI New York"
I really believe we have too many choices for anything to seem special now
Darren McGavin was great in everything he did RIP
What was the name of the Lone Ranger's nephew's horse 😂
Victor!😂😂😂
ABSOLUTELY AGREE!
McGavin did another made for tv movie in 1970.
"The Challenge" it is also on UA-cam
@@natureboy1313 don't forget a Christmas story
Growing. Up. Watching. This. All. The. Time I. Enjoy. It 👍👍
i was a youngin' of 12yrs old when i saw this show and i absolutely loved it lol!!!!
"high on pot or the hard stuff"
Classic!
_________
(poor dog!)
It is worth watching just for the nostalgia of seeing those cars, filing cabinets, clunky telephones, and typewriters.
I didn't even know I missed them.
Except for the cars.
I knew I missed them.
What a classic line that was.
I love that line😊
When i heard the music of the network, i just felt so great. Had to smile and could smell popcorn somehow!!😂😮😊
Kolchak: The Night Stalker is an American television series that aired on ABC during the 1974-1975 season. The series followed wire service reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) who investigates mysterious crimes with unlikely causes, particularly those involving the supernatural or science fiction, including fantastic creatures. The series was preceded by the two television movies, The Night Stalker (1972) and The Night Strangler (1973). Although the series lasted only a single season, it rapidly achieved cult status and has remained very popular in syndication.
I remember watching one episode where he was seeing the lips of a Zombie shut, what episode or movie title was that one in?? My mom and me both agreed it was the scariest thing we'd ever seen!
This was the early. X FILES
Thanks!
This episode was filmed in 1971.
Best show in history. 🫡
This is seriously one of the best vampire films of all time. Based on the realism, script, and actors. Two Mike Hammer's together against a single unbelievable foe.
RIP to all involved
I was 12 years old and watched it with my Father. Love you Dad
ME TOO
I'm 67 ,I remember watching this episode in 72 when I was 16 came on Friday nights loved Kolchack.
Always fun to watch this again and again...
This is the greatest vampire movie I've ever seen.
I was 12 in 1972 when I saw The Night Stalker.
Love the intro of ABC movie of the week.
It brings back warm feelings of family togetherness.
It sure does👍💯
Was thinking the same when the music kicked in. I’m the same age. Oldest of 5. Watched with my bros. Check out the Norliss Tapes & Salems Lot. Good Vamps 👻
Me too
For me, The Horror of Dracula with Christopher Lee was my favorite. But this movie of the week was very creepy and frightening.
Absolutely
I will take the peace & quite of the 1970s any day over this BS we have today. Three to five TV Channels, no VCRs, Records, 8 Track-Tapes, and Cassettes, Albums, and then Large Laser Disk ( what we call DVDs & Blue-Ray today) began in 1978. Those were good times...
My late brother loved the Night Stalker series. He would have been in his glory. This brings back so many memories and saddness. I love these movies, as well.
Ms. B. Churchill
Not to be confused with the “Night Stalker”, Richard Ramirez, whose killing spree came about a decade later in L.A.
God bless you....
My brother was born the day before the series started I lost my brother last year bitter sweet.
I was 20 years old when I first watched this with my mom. Then we watched the tv series. Ahh the good old 1970's.
still good 5 decades later
Grrrreat! 👍
5 😮 nooooooo 😂
Oh my goodness! I had forgotten all about the ABC Movie of the Week! This is when the whole family would sit in the den and watch the same movie because there were very few channels on TV. I can remember my big sister popping popcorn on the stove, and my dad sitting in his favorite chair ... a La-Z-Boy recliner.
I used to watch the movie of the week with my mother. There was McMillian and Wife and others as well. I loved these times RIP mom. You were the best mother ever.
mccloud and columbo....and macmillian and wife are all still broadcast
here in philadelphia on channel 10.2 over the airwaves..free....the rest of our programs come from free sites on the net that have every show possible
Back in the good old days, When you watched TV with the family.
My parents let me watch both movies but they covered my eyes at points....even though it scared the hell out of me i loved it!!!! When the show started they let my big brother and myself watch them alone.....I was almost 8 when the show started
and i loved it more than ever!!!! Monday morning in school all of us brave boys
who watched would excitedly discuss things like headless motorcycle riders
and 8ft tall native american spellcasters.........werewolves and zombies...
aliens vampires jack the ripper.......Louisiana swamp monsters....monsters that
looked like those you trusted most......i watch metv every saturday night at midnight....50 years later I still love watching it being broadcast and I hope there
are youngsters today who find it as cool and engaging as i did at that tender age.....may the legend of the man called kolchack live on!
Kolchak the night stalker is a true classic.I remember my mom and dad watching this in the early and mid 70's when i was little..
I remember watching this in that 70’s house I grew up in, with the shag carpet, the orange sofa, and the avocado recliners. Mom was on the couch, Dad in the recliner, my sister sleeping in the rocker, and I was on a quilt in the floor, watching that huge floor model TV. Nobody wanted to go to bed afterwards, and Dad made an extra check of all of the doors. Oh, for the days when my Dad was alive, and we were all still young…
Our shag carpet was orange, and the sofa avocado. Completely different lol!
@@leapinglaura7343 As a native Las Vegan (b 1955), who has lived all my life here, (sans 6-7 yrs abroad in the late 70's/early-mid 80's), I nurd-ishly stop this movie here on UA-cam occasionally, to verify small details, that as a longtime local, who was 16/17 yrs old at the time of the filming and playing of this, satiate my memories then. Still trying to sleuth out the location of the interior casino shots. Downtown or Strip casino? There's a case, albeit minimal, that the casino MIGHT be the Stardust, as in a shot where the casino gaming table supervisor watching the action on the table of the individual playing blackjack and talking to McGavin, is wearing a matching garish colored blazer, shirt trio. I was working as a 16 yr old busboy in Aug/Sept '71, at the coffee shop (Palm Room) there. (Stardust)
Was in the 8th grade when it aired in 72
Couldn't wait too watch it
ABC advertised it alot
Kept me on the edge of our flowered sofa
At that time it was the most viewed movie on network TV in history
"bwkticn," "Nobody wanted to go to bed afterwards, and Dad made an extra check of all of the doors." Not unlike Tuesday nights, only a few years prior -- after another fright fest watching "The Invaders," also on ABC. 'Alien beings from another planet' [how the narration went in the main titles] -- that only architect David Vincent (like Darren McGavin as Kolchak; Vincent was skillfully played by, and ideally suited for, Roy Thinnes) knew about -- scared the bejesus out of most of us.
We used mattresses on door frames on concrete blocks with lots of pillows for couch and our rug was light yellow and the fridge avocado green. The kitchen counter tile was avocado green with dark wood paneling.
One of my favorite shows ever I used to watch this when I was a kid
Same here. I was turned on to it when it was part of CBS Friday latenite in the late 70's. Stayed up late as a 9 year old with all the living room lights off to add atmosphere.
@@gregsmith7949we had it on tv here in Australia in the 70's as well
As a person who works on movies and TV shows...I still think this was one of the best shows on TV when I was a kid...still love it...and McGavin was awesome.
darren was the ultimate professional.............not just this but everything he was in...........a rare breed...up there with peter falk............a great friend
JOHN STANZ you saying peter falk or darren mgavin was your friend?? either way its pretty cool
i met (columbo) through sinatra met darren through telly savalas.......and i rate tel better than all of them put together..........and they were all brilliant
theres is a funny story about why i called telly, tel...even though his name wasnt terry, english slang for terry
he said if i change my name 2 terry what will you call me then...........i said..........ted........hahahaha
So agree!
I remember watching this movie with my dad (R.I.P., Dad) when I was a sophomore in high school, all those years ago. Still gives me chills. The actor, Barry Atwater, who portrayed the vampire was badass! The growling, snarling, hissing!
BARRY ATWATER...? GOTCHA, YOU KNOW YOUR GOODNESS....! TRUE PERSON OF THE 70s.....THANKS
Yep
@@stephenernsberger9678 Barry Atwater, An EXTREMELY CREEPY dude😬😳😲
Great, greater...greatest, to me. I almost expect to see Barry still snarling and hissing tomorrow and far into the future. Thanks!🧛♂️
Me too. I was 10 years old watched it with the parents and didn't want to go to sleep after this movie was over.
Mcgavin looks, talks and walks the same in every show he was in. One of the true greats.
One of the only movies that showed the true strength of the vampire.Tossing officers like rag dolls and impervious to bullets. Barry Atwater gave an outstanding performance without uttering a single word.
He had some Vulcan strength that carried over from a Star Trek episode.
It's 2023
The soundtrack introduction was so energetic
This show was awesome 😎
My dad and I watched Night Stalker every week! We loved it!! Great memories 💗
My dad turned all
7 of us kids onto tons of great television.
Mission Impossible
Columbo
Kolchak The Night Stalker and too many others to mention.
This 1972 movie of the week and 1973 follow up (The Night Strangler)movie led to the television series.
The two movies broke viewership rating records for those two years.
It was tough to try to make+tell as jam packed a story+production in 45-50 minutes when it transitioned into a weekly series, but the series was very rewarding too.
Darrin McGavin was a gem of an actor, perfect here.
Part of my childhood childhood died when Don Adam's,
Bob Denver, and Darren McGavin all died the same weekend several years ago.
Just came back 14 days later and watched the original movie which started it all AGAIN.
The combination of Darren McGavin great acting and great writing make this 1972 movie one I can come back and watch again and again by now dozens of times if not hundreds.
This great movie, and series was the inspiration for the X-Files, as quoted by Chris Carter. Darren McGavin never received the Emmy he deserved for this role as acknowledged by the entertainment industry. Rest in peace Mr. McGavin, your perfectly fallible, dogged-reporter "Carl Kolchak" lives on with a whole generation of Boomers and their kids.
Watch the X-Files episode dedicated to Darren obviously with the Night Stalker referring to story.
I was 7 years old when this came out. I couldn't wait to watch it eventhough I couldn't sleep afterwards
Barry Atwater as the Vampire never says a word of dialogue but is still terrifying. That is truly great acting.
True.
😊😊
Àé4fb c❤
Vampires driving a hard deal with car salesman lol
Body language speaks volumes!!!
I'm 58 - I use to watch this show when I was 11yo. It terrified me. I never watched horror in my adult life, this maybe why. Funny and wonderful to revisit this classic. Thankyou. Xx
Love kolchak, as a kid.Still do, always will be. Excellent script,actors,everything. Perfect storm of a macabre series. Pretty sure x-files came from this.
Used to watch this late with my mom. Lots of great memories. RIP, Mum.
Kolchak was an old fashioned reporter, the type you no longer see.
Fond memories of a time long past. These were the kind of shows that went past your bedtime during the weekdays. You rarely saw the end until you were older and happened to catch the full episodes in reruns. This was before the internets ease of information access. Thank you !
Passed
Claude Akins one of my favorite Western Character Stars May he RIP
Every Friday night right after Sanford and Son my eyes were glued to the set because Kolchak the Night Stalker was on.
Funny, most folks are here because their loved ones let em watch and boom, hooked.
Thanks Dad, I love you. We'll watch this again one day.
PistolPete Lamar so sweet.
03:48 Did you all notice, when he pulled down his mask??? That's FRANK BURNS OF MASH!!! ~ Larry Linville!!!! 🤩 Also I just Love seeing Las Vegas in its smaller days! Most of all the old casinos are gone but I can see everything that used to be there!!! Beautiful.
Yes, I did recognize old ferret face.
Awesome. Scared me so much when I was little.
Kolchak was wayyyy before the times providing excellent serialized horror television, intelligently made-direction, writing and acting.
And also in the defence of the First Amendment too.
I love this! I was born in 75. This show was awesome 👍🏻!
This is what I grew up with as a teen in the 70s. So glad this was digitized blu-ray.
Me too ☮️
This was probably the best of all of the Movie of the Week editions. I remember watching this when it was first shown on TV; it scared the crap out of my entire family. Those were the good old days of network television!
What a trip back in time. I was 8 or 9 years old when the Night Stalker episodes began playing once every week. They always came on after the 10 O'Clock news Saturday night. We had church to go to Sunday morning so I always had to beg Mom to let me stay up and watch "The Late Movie". Mom only allowed me to stay up and watch under threat of, "Dont give any backlash about being to tired to get up get ready for church; if you make us late to church - that'll be the last time you ever get to watch The Late Show. Yea, as a kid, I could barely function without my 2/3 hours of sleep I was used to.., but one thing I never was, and that was ever being the last to be ready Sunday morning. Loved my Night Stalker movies back then! Darren McGavin definately made it worth watching
I watched this series when I was a university student. And when I was in my forties I bought the dvd. I love this show! From Japan ❤
O hi yo gonzai mas! 👋 🇯🇵
THANK YOU John Stanz. The great times from the last decade before cable tv and wireless destroyed society.
The first real XFiles right here. Was an amazing show ❤❤
There was actually a show on the original files, where Darin McGavin starred and he was credited in universe with starting the x files
I was 1 when this came out..Extremely underrated vampire movie,,,,
To me , one of the top vampire movies made!
Oh God I loved this series I was very young used to sneak into the living room and sit behind my Dad's chair and watch it.
Quite entertaining. Lovely to see old videos of my beloved LV
I saw this movie in it's entirety in the 70's as a young teen, and it was absolutely amazing!
☆☆☆☆☆
💯
I loved this show when i was a kid.
I liked McGavin's confidence and personality. I also liked the way his character so bravely fought the monsters he encountered all alone. He was always outmatched, but it never stopped him from tracking them down and finding a way to finish them off. Modern vampires drive cars or fly private planes, like in another vampire film I saw, "The Nightflier."
The Nightflier was also awesome
Ah memories. I used to love watching these night stalker series.
Me too!✌️
Loved watching the Night Stalker tv series when I was a kid. Later found out it was the inspiration for the X-Files!
I was 4 years old when this aired but I later remember watching the Night Stalker series, the good old days 😁👍
The Movie of The Week opening really hit me with nostalgia! The world always has its problems, but the world was better for its simplicity. It's important to move forward, but much good was lost not just the bad.
I loved the Night Stalker, TV show.
Classic.
Kolchak brings back memories.
I was a kid watching him on Channel 7 .
Loved it.
Respect to Darren Mc Gavin.
Near DC/Maryland?
WABC7 NYC
Much respect
Carol Lynley. I haven't heard that name since I was a kid. She was lovely.
Darrin mcgavinwhat agreat talent and underrated actor really scary show thank you again UA-cam for bringing back classic shows like these ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
I loved the Night Stalker.. Carl Kolchack is amazing character.
ABSOLUTELY LOVE THESE MOVIES The night stalker 👍✌
Darren McGavin could do no wrong. Good guy or bad guy, he could act with the best of them. This flick is one of THE finest TV movies ever made. Action, realism, solid acting, one of my favorite movies as a kid, and still stands up to anything produced these days.
he was very good as the dope dealer in The Man With the Golden Arm with Frank Sinatra, he was just a great actor in everything he did, salute!
Agreed 👍🏾
@@fredcollari4400 Red Ryder BB Gun .
I used to watch this when I was a kid.
This is my first time seeing this SINCE 1972. Loved it. I was 8 and I am sure it kept me up but it was worth it. And Carol Lynley was such a DISH!
Classic! So glad I grew up at this time.
I loved the Kolchak movies. They are in late night reruns now. In the 1 hour episodes he drove a yellow convertible Mustang.
In 1972, I was working for a New Hampshire newspaper as a bureau correspondent. I had flown out to Ohio to spend the holidays with my family. On the way back home, my plane was grounded at LaGuardia because of snowy weather and I had to spend the night at the airport. I bought myself copies of the Night Stalker and the Night Strangler at the airport bookstore and read them while I was spending the night sitting in a reception area. The lights were all on and I was the only one there. Got a kick out of Kolchak's battle with his editor, Vinchinzo, as it reminded me of my editor. Later, I saw the movie and the TV series with Darren McGaverin.
Great story. Better then a Ted Baxter story. lol.
A good visual. Thank you.
Always made sure to see this program. Loved it.
This was frightening back in the day. The 1970s fright movies on TV and the theaters kicked ass!
So much better than the slasher movies to come later in the '80s. Atmospheric, scary, loud sounds, dark corners, late at night in the vamp's house. What was he thinking?
1972: 16 years old and working afterschool and Saturday at a Gulf station, Houston, Tx.
This movie was one of the all-time classics. Darren McGavin and cast put together one of the all time performances. For its time. And movies and series to this day are using its format. To inspire them from X-Files to Supernatural. And other horror films.
And even today you can enjoy turning back the clock and watch this. And enjoy watching it and the suspense of this film. With out all the goer. Of today's films.
Oh wow The Movie of the Week!!! Brings back kid memories. Hey kids, this was before cable. Live and learn ya spoiled brats🤣😂👍🏾
This was television at its finest!
Night Stalker was the highest rated TV at that time. I was 11 when this film aired...and everyone in my class at school was talking about it the next day.😂
Night stalker was a media event. All of America was watching.
I remember seeing Darren Mc Gavin downtown Los Angeles filming one of his movies.. it was a honor to watch him...act ...
I believe the Night Strangler (1973) the sequel to the Night Stalker (1972) was filmed parts around downtown Los Angeles and downtown Seattle too.
i see this show in the 70;s when i was 10 or 11 it scared the shit out of me and it still does even to this day
and i am 61
This series was a fantastic series and I miss it!
I was 11 years old when I saw this back in the day. I was SO SCARED!! 😮
Night Stalker tv series had some pretty scary ones for its time.What a great series.
I would never miss that show when I was a kid.
This made for tv movie on ABC scared the crap out of me and my brother when we were ten and eight years old. It was AWESOME and we were hooked as fans. For a television movie, it told a great story.
I was 26--and admit this show unnerved me O.K it scared me like I was 10.
...Been shorten to...DVD...and Re-run/s...BullshiT''''
Omg the Movie of thw Week introduction and music! Wow! Loved the Nighstalker series show, too. My dad and I couldn't wait to watch it every week! The exchanges between Kolchak and Vincenzo are absolutely priceless.