EXILE IN FRANKENSTONE

Another lovely day begins

For ghosts and ghouls with greenish skin . . . 

The Hilarious House of Frightenstein (1971) is a beloved, one of a kind TV classic.  The zany inhabitants of Frankenstone (12,000 km from Transylvania) are some of the most unique and colourful monsters I've ever laid eyes on . . .

Count Frightenstein, One of TEN  Characters
Portrayed by the Incredible Billy Van!

Gardening Was Not the Count's Forte
(Neither Was Mechanical Engineering or Creature Revival.)

The Lovable Igor (Fishka Rais), Count Frightenstein's
Loyal Assistant.

"Raise the Flag, Igor!  It's Time to Sing the
Transylvanian National Anthem!"

"This is the Electric Company.
You Need to Unplug Your Monster!"

The Count Cannot Return to Transylvania
Until He Succeeds in Reviving Brucie!

Professor Julius Sumner Miller Shared His Passion For Science
By Performing Wacky Experiments.

Grizelda, the Ghastly Gourmet (Billy Van)

"Today We Got a Special Little Treat For You:
We're Gonna Make Monkey Fur Frappe!"

"Cauldron, Cauldron, Toil and Trouble,
Cauldron Boil and Cauldron Bubble!"

Gronk the Sea Serpent (Puppeteer Joe Torbay)

Dr. Pet Vet, Friend to All Animals (Billy Van)

Poor Igor Was Never Allowed to Have a Pet
(That Mean Mr. Sloth Always Forbade It!)

Super-Hippy! (Mitch Markowitz)

Extraordinary Mystic, the Oracle (Billy Van)

The Great Seer Ponders a Query From the Mortal Plane.

Harvey Wallbanger, Postmaster of Castle Fightenstein
(Puppeteer Joe Torbay)

Grizelda Picks Up Her Mail at the Dead Letter Office.

When the Maharishi (Billy Van) Shares His Ridiculous Proverbs . . .

. . . He Gets Buried in an Avalanche of Flowers!

Igor Receives Another Lively Lesson in Good Grammar From
The Grammar Slammer and Bammer (Puppeteer Joe Torbay)

The Mosquito (Mitch Markowitz) Descends
For a Joke and a Nibble.

The Librarian (Billy Van)

"I've Got a Terrifying Story for You Today, Boys and Girls:
it's Called . . . Little Bo Peep!"

The Gorilla (Billy Van), Soon to be Unconscious
After The Inevitable Baseball to the Noggin.

Oooga Booga!  It's Zany Zoo Time
with Bwana Clyde Batty (Billy Van)

Mini-Count (Guy Big)

"I AM the Wolfman!" (Billy Van)

"Here's a Groovy Tune For You . . . DIG IT!"

Psychedelic Rocking Out, Wolfman Style!

Igor Gets Down!

The Hilarious House of Frightenstein  was my introduction to the sinister magic of Vincent Price!  

The incomparable actor introduced each segment by reciting a comically ghoulish poem . . .

When I was just a tyke, I found Frightenstein  kind of creepy: the mysterious, early morning time slot; the rickety production values; all the strange voices and accents; the madcap tone; that bizarre, early '70s look and feel--it all added up to a kid's show that I assumed was made by oddballs in some weird Slavic country.

I eventually came to love it, of course--the show's charms are impossible to resist.  In fact, I think I love Frightenstein  more as an adult!

The castle lights are growing dim . . .