When stores promoted Halloween costumes (1977)

 Today, parents will be walking their children through their neighborhoods after school, or venturing out to friendlier, outlying areas. Most kids today either have their costumes made for them, cobbling together some used clothes and makeup, or, they go old school with traditional costumes.

Yes, they still make Halloween costumes, but they don't promote them like they used to.

Most of us grew up with Woolworth's, and their annual Halloween sales. Ben Cooper & Collegeville were the two biggest brands of costumes back then. The last costume I had was a Spider-Man model from Ben Cooper, circa 1974, for a school party. Unfortunately, it didn't survive the day, due to tearing when I had to make use of the little boys' room in a pinch.

Anyway, here's a Woolworth's/Woolco ad from 1977.

Ah, the cheesy "special effects" of the period. What fun.

Be safe, kids.

Spooktober: The Worst Witch (1986)

 Based on Jill Murphy's novel, The Worst Witch became a TV-movie airing in the UK in 1986. Fairuza Balk has the title role, as part of an ensemble also including Diana Rigg (ex-The Avengers), Charlotte Rae (The Facts of Life) in a dual role, and Tim Curry ("The Rocky Horror Picture Show").

Presented for your entertainment. No rating. Just a public service.

Spooktober: Milton The Monster in Monstrous Monster (1965)

 Professor Weirdo runs afoul of the Mayor, and needs to prove that Milton The Monster is not a threat. But, an accident turns Milton into a "Monstrous Monster":

Hal Seeger apparently had co-opted what was left of the Paramount cartoon crew for his short run as an independent producer, which ended with Batfink.

Rating: B. Predictable.

Spooktober: Rollerghoster (The Real Ghostbusters, 1987)

 From season 2 (syndicated) of The Real Ghostbusters:

A carnival owner develops a roller coaster ride in the image of Ecto-1, and uses the team's likenesses, all without permission. When the ride is haunted by animal ghosts, the carny has little choice but to call in the Ghostbusters.

To think this all started with Egon (Maurice LaMarche) out on a date with Janine......

Rating: B.

Spooktober: The Headless Horseman (1934)

 Ub Iwerks took his turn to adapt Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but with a few twists, in 1934's "Headless Horseman".

A little too over the top. Disney would do it better 15 years later.

Rating: C-.

Spooktober: Lone Ranger in Night of The Vampire (1966)

 From season 1 of the 1st Lone Ranger animated series:

The Ranger (Michael Rye) and Tonto (Shep Menken) run into what appears to be an insurmountable foe, but is really anything but, in "Night of The Vampire":

The easy way to tell it wasn't a vampire? What vampire do you know needs to wear a mask?

Rating: B-.

Spooktober: Lovable Truly in Truly Scary (Linus The Lionhearted, 1964)

 From season 1 of Linus The Lionhearted (now on MeTV Toons):

Lovable Truly (Bob McFadden) has to deliver a parcel to a strange, possibly haunted house. Here's "Truly Scary":

McFadden was looking to do a Jim Nabors mimic with Truly, a coincidence since Nabors' Gomer Pyle, USMC bowed the same year.

No rating. Just a public service.

Spooktober: The Real Ghostbusters in Dairy Farm (1987)

 The Real Ghostbusters (Lorenzo Music, Maurice LaMarche, Frank Welker, & Arsenio Hall) decide to take a vacation, and end up on a haunted "Dairy Farm". Peter falls for the young farmer in charge, and, of course, there's chaos.

Comes with the bumpers from the syndicated run with a talking "No Ghost" logo. Wikipedia claimed it was only Arsenio Hall, but when one bumper gives the ghost Slimer's voice, figure Frank Welker contributed as well.

Rating: B.

Spooktober: Sabrina in Wishbone (1969)

 We all know dogs like bones. Well, as Sabrina is about to discover, a "Wishbone" that Aunt Zelda discards in the garbage ends up in the paws of Chili Dog & Hot Dog, Jr. (Don Messick & Howard Morris), which of course leads to chaos.

While this uses the open to Sabrina's 1971 solo series, this is actually from 1969's Archie Comedy Hour.

Unfortunately, Hot Dog, Jr. & Chili Dog were written out after the series ended, with Hot Dog, Sr. remaining going forward.

Rating: B.

Spooktober: Drak Pack in Perilous Plunder of Pirate's Park (1980)

 The Drak Pack have to stop Dr. Dred from the "Perilous Plunder of Pirate's Park", which, in this case, is an amusement park.

I don't think you can actually go fishing at an amusement park, but, then.....!

Rating: C-

Spooktober: How did Slimer join the Real Ghostbusters? (1986)

 From season 1 of The Real Ghostbusters:

"Citizen Ghost", written by J. Michael Straczynski, explains why Slimer (Frank Welker) joined the team, not just as their mascot, but as a valuable part. Peter (Lorenzo Music) spins the yarn to a visiting reporter (an uncredited Julie Bennett).

No rating. Just a public service.

Spooktober: Night of The Living Pumpkin (Bobby's World, 1990)

 From season 1 of Bobby's World:

Bobby (Howie Mandel, ex-St. Elsewhere) learns about Halloween, but doesn't like being dressed up like a princess. His uncle, though, has a plan.

As noted by a correspondent the last time we checked in on this show, John Tesh, now a radio talk show host, composed the theme song used in the first three seasons. Mandel was reunited with his pals from Laugh Trax, Frank Welker and Jim Staahl, the latter of whom helped develop the series and served as a writer and voice actor.

No rating.

Spooktober: The Witching Hour (Spider-Man, 1967)

 When the Green Goblin steals a valuable tome belonging to a stage psychic, Spider-Man goes after his arch-nemesis in "The Witching Hour".

Cheesy.

Rating: B-.

Spooktober: The Tale of The Midnight Ride (Are You Afraid of The Dark?, 1993)

 Are You Afraid of The Dark? creator-co-executive producer DJ MacHale directed "The Tale of The Midnight Ride", a loose adaptation of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Not sure if there were any other adaptations.....

Taking Irving's tale into the then-present of the 90's was a bold move, making the story fresh for a new generation.

Rating: B.

Spooktober: Halloween Hall O'Fame (Wonderful World of Disney, 1977)

 On the eve of Halloween, Jonathan Winters stars in "Halloween Hall O'Fame", in a dual role as a night watchman, and a sentient Jack O'Lantern. This syndicated rerun had most of the cartoons edited for copyright reasons. We've already featured "Trick or Treat" (w/Donald Duck) and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", narrated by Bing Crosby. We'll locate "Pluto's Judgment Day", hopefully before the end of the month.

No rating. I wasn't home when this first aired in 1977. Went to church that night.

Getting Schooled: If you think you know about mummification....... (Reading Rainbow, 1988)

 We've seen how Hollywood shows the mummification of Egyptians. However, it's a protracted process, contrary to the actual process, as explained in this installment of Reading Rainbow, which starts with host LeVar Burton (Star Trek: The Next Generation) riding a camel through the streets of Boston. Veteran voice actress Corinne Orr (ex-Speed Racer) reads Mummies Made in Egypt.

Suffice to say, if you didn't know, now you know.

Rating: A.

Spooktober: The Haunted Space Station (Space Stars, 1981)

 Space Ghost (Gary Owens) and his crew enter "The Haunted Space Station", and run across zombies and a different kind of space vampire, which seemed to be a bit a trope in early 80's television (i.e. Buck Rogers, Thundarr).

I think part of the reason Space Stars ended up cancelled was because the writers were instructed to inject more humor into each episode, similar to what was happening over on ABC with Super Friends around that time.

Rating: B.

Toon Rock: Monster's Holiday (1974-2021)

 Buck Owens peaked at #6 on the country chart in 1974 with the campy, bouncy "Monster's Holiday", the title track from his album.

Nearly 50 years later, a flash animated music video was produced, synching Owens' vocals with a guitar playing, pompadour wearing Monster of Frankenstein. Like, dig it!

I remember Buck playing this song on Hee Haw around this time, and it's stuck with me ever since. The follow up single was "On The Cover of The Music City News" (bold italics mine), which fared a little better.

Spooktober: Spook Louder (1942)

 The Three Stooges are salesmen who are mistaken for caretakers for an eccentric scientist, and must overcome spies and a phantom pie tosser. Charles Middleton ("Flash Gordon", "Duck Soup") co-stars in "Spook Louder".

Decades later, in WWE, Vince McMahon came up with a running gag where a phantom pie thrower was going after wrestler Kevin Owens. That issue, apparently, was never resolved, but now we know where McMahon got the idea, apparently.

Rating: B.

Spooktober: Daffy Duck in The Impatient Patient (1942)

 Why is Norm McCabe's "The Impatient Patient" under the Spooktober umbrella? It's a parody of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, as Daffy Duck seeks a cure for hiccups from Dr. Jerkyl.......

WB would revisit the Stevenson classic at least twice more, with Sylvester & Tweety, and with Bugs Bunny.

Rating: A-.