"Monster Movie Matinee" was a Saturday afternoon show that introduced and broadcast black and white horror movies (mostly from the Universal Collection). The show itself was set in a haunted mansion and was boasted by an evil, vampire like Dr. E. Nick Witty (Alan Milair) and his ghoul assistant Epal (Bill Lape Everett).
 
With the closure of the show, a new show emerged for the Doctor and Epal. Chamber 13 - Tales of Horror
A hosted horror movie show with Alan Milair as "Dr. E. Nick Witty" and Willard Lape Jr. (credited as Bill Everett) as "Epal" screening on Cable Channel 13 (Syracuse, New York) from 1980- 1985.
In 2018, Alan Milair - "Dr. E. Nick Witty" was inducted into "The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame".
Sadly both actors have passed away.
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Alan F. Milair
1931-2012 |
Willard Lape Jr.
1930-2004 |
Portrait of "Monster Movie Matinee" by Dave Dunlap.
Portrait of "Dr. E. Nick Witty's hand" by Bradley Beard.
"Dr. E. Nick Witty" - biography (taken from Bradley's Facebook page)"
His face was far too horrible to look upon. Tonight I present E. Nick Witty, host of Monster Movie Matinee on WSYR-TV Channel 3 in Syracuse, NY, which ran on Saturday afternoons from 1964 to 1980. After MMM ended in 1980, he hosted Chamber 13 - Tales of Horror on Cable Channel 13 in Syracuse, NY from 1980 to 1985. Dr. Witty was portrayed by Alan Milair. His face was never revealed as it was claimed to be far too horrible to be shown on TV. The only glimpse the viewer ever got of Witty was a hand with sharp, black fingernails with gothic, ornate rings adorning each finger. Witty was joined by his hunchbacked assistant/laboratory experiment/victim, Epal, who wore an eye patch over one eye and whose face was badly scarred. The Dr. Witty segments shown during the show produced an on-going storyline that would last several weeks in most cases.
In 2013 a documentary DVD was released - "Monster Mansion Memories" which features
clips from the show, along with recreations and interviews are included on this DVD.
The following are clips from the show, and other items:
Monster Movie Matinee hosted by Dr. E. Nick Witty & Epal. from The Professor on Vimeo. |
