CHILLER THEATER
CHILLER THEATER, ONE MORE TIME
A CHILLER THEATER REUNION


BILL CARDILE - "CHILLY BILLY"
BONNIE BARNEY - "GEORGETTE THE FUGEMAKER"
NORMAN ELDER - "NORMAN THE CASTLE KEEPER"
SKEETS SKETTINO- "PIZZA MAN"
JOYCE STERLING - "SISTER SUSIE"
STEVE LUNCINSKI - "STEFAN THE CASTLE PRANKSTER"
DONNA RAE - "TERMINAL STARE"
TED JAMES - "BEAUREGARD C. BEAUREGARD
GEORGE A. ROMERO
MARILYN EASTMAN - "COMMONELTHA, THE VAMPIRE LADY"



"Chiller Theater" was a hosted horror movie show with Bill Cardille as "Chilly Billy" who presented movies on WIIC-TV (later WPXI-TV), Channel 11, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Saturday nights, Sunday nights and Saturday late-nights during its run from 14 September 1963 till 1 January 1984.

The show was replaced by "The Saturday Late Show", a non-hosted horror movie show, and ran during 1984.

For more information on "The Saturday Late Show" use the below link:

After the new Castle set was introduced on "Chiller Theater" in 1976, Bill Cardille brought in new characters who would come to be known as the Chiller Theater Family: Norman Elder as "Norman The Castle Keeper" (passed away 2000), Donna Rae as "Terminal Stare", Steve Luncinski as "Stefan The Castle Prankster" (passed away 8 January 2009), Joyce Sterling as "Sister Susie", Bonnie Barney as "Georgette The Fudgemaker". Guests on the show included horror icon Vincent Price, comedienne Phyllis Diller, actress Barbara Feldon, Lorne Greene and pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino.


"A Chiller Theater Reunion" was a reunion special featuring the cast of "Chiller Theater". The show was aired on WPXI-TV, Channel 11, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 14 December 1991. The special was repeated several times since the original screening. Many clips from the series were shown. Special guests included Phyllis Diller and Barbara Feldon; along with many of the Chiller Theater family.


Bill Cardille (Chilly Billy) and George Romero host "Chiller Theater, One More Time" in October 1998. The pair present the classic horror movie - George Romero's 1968 "Night of the Living Dead", the start of the Zombie movie craze. This one off show was part of "The WPXI Halloween Special".


Romero also hosted the movies Deadtime Stories: Volume 1 and Volume 2.
For more information on George A. Romero and these movies use the below link:


From E-gor's Chamber of TV Horror Hosts: Marilyn Eastman, well-known to horror fans as "Helen Cooper" in George Romero's original Night of the Living Dead, had a regular recurring role in the 60s as "Commoneltha," the vampire lady, in commercials for Commonwealth Plumbing and Heating written by her husband, Karl Hardman.


Portrait of "Chilly Billy - Chiller Theater" by Dave Dunlap.




Portrait of "Chilly Billy" by Bradley Beard.
"Chilly Billy" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)"
The first voice heard when WIIC went on the air in 1957 was his. Today I present "Chilly Billy" Cardille, host of Chiller Theatre on WIIC-TV Channel 11 (later WPXI-TV) in Pittsburgh, PA, which ran from September 14, 1963 to December 31, 1983. Chilly Billy always seemed the consummate professional TV personality; his comedic timing was always on the money. The show had an amazing cast of characters which eventually became known as the Chiller Theatre Family. One of my personal favorite vintage clips of the show was with Barbara Feldon, appearing in character as Agent 99 from Get Smart, had an extremely entertaining and clever repartee with Chilly. Billy also made big screen appearances in the original zombie classic Night of the Living Dead and its 1990 remake. He was inducted into the Horror Host Hall of Fame in 2012. Chilly Billy Cardille can easily be placed in the category of living legend. Chilly Billy will be making an appearance tonight on the new Chiller Night Theatre with host Jack Shadow (2 May 2015).



In 2012, William Robert Cardille - "Chilly Billy" for "Chiller Theatre",
was inducted into "The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame".


The following are some clips from the show:

"Chiller Theater" - clips from The Professor on Vimeo.

LINKS


Internet Movie Data Base
"Chiller Theatre"

Wikipedia
"Chiller Theatre"

Internet Movie Data Base
"Bill Cardille"

Facebook: Bradley Beard - Horror Host Artist
"Chilly Billy"

E-gors Chamber of TV Horror Hosts
"Chilly Billy"

Chiller Theater Memories
"Chilly Billy's Laboratory"



Facebook: Dunlap Art
"Horror Host Artwork"



Back to the USA

Send mail to:
professor@hotkey.net.au
 
with questions or comments about this web site.
Page Content Copyright 2016 Paul Gerard Kennedy

Photographic and Video Copyright rests with original owners.

Page Design Copyright 2016 Paul Gerard Kennedy

Last modified: December 2023