Television horror hosts have been around since the 1950's, attracting a variety of people
to play the ghoulish presenters. But the strangest of all was to immerge from New Zealand in 1989.

A former Prime Minister of New Zealand and a current member of Parliament at the time,
Sir Robert Muldoon decided that he would follow his passion to entertain; by becoming the
horror host - vampire Count Robula for "The Friday Frights", a weekly show screening old horror
movies on TVNZ Channel 2 in Auckland; New Zealand.

Muldoon was born in Auckland, New Zealand on 25 September 1921 and died in Auckland,
New Zealand on 5 August 1992.

Muldoon was elected to parliament in 1960, being Prime Minister from 1975 to 1984.
He left parliament in 1991.

He appeared in the television mini series "Terry and the Gunrunners"
in 1985 as Arnos Grove.

He also played the part of The Narrator in the stage version of
"The Rocky Horror Show"; and was a radio announcer on a community radio
show titled "Lilies and Other Things".

In 1989 he was to host "The Friday Frights" as Count Robula.
Muldoon was later to admit that he was not a fan of the horror genre.

Portrait of "Count Robula" by Bradley Beard.
"Count Robula" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

He was knighted by the Queen. Tonight I present Count Robula, host of Friday Frights on TVNZ Channel 2 in Auckland, New Zealand. Count Robula was portrayed by Sir Robert Muldoon, 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984. After leaving politics, Muldoon pursued an acting career for a short stint. He acted in a New Zealand onstage production of "The Rocky Horror Show". Little is known about Muldoon's time as a horror host, other than what appears in his biography "His Way" written by Barry Gustafson. Count Robula was a pasty-faced red-eyed vampire who hosted various horror films, although Muldoon later admitted that he wasn't a fan of the genre. He joked that the producers must have thought "I was the most horrible creature in Parliament." He also quipped that "Nothing in the movies is as awful as the people I see across the floor of the House." From prime minister to horror host... very interesting.

On seeing himself in makeup, Muldoon is quoted as saying "I look awful
- you won't be able to look at me. I am really very nice looking,
but this is awful".

He also joked that the producers must have thought "I was the most
horrible creature in Parliament." and "Nothing in the movies is as
aweful as the people I see across the floor of the House."

For his work as the Prime Minister of New Zealand, he was knighted by
the Queen of the United Kingdom.

Please enjoy some clips from his show and from "The Rocky Horror Show".

Count Robula from The Professor on Vimeo.