DR. DESTRUCTION'S CRIMSON THEATRE

DALE WAMBOLDT - "DR. DORIAN DESTRUCTION"
PAUL BEARER - "EYEGORE DESTRUCTION"
CHARLES BRADEN - "MR. GRAVE"
DANIELLE STRAMPP - "PERSEPHONE"

From Richard Golembiewski's (aka Dick Nitelinger) Milwaukee TV Horror Hosts: For many years Dale Wamboldt and David Spring dreamed of starting a horror host show in their hometown of Kenosha. By the fall of 2001, they had come up with the concept. Wamboldt had studied art at the University of Wisconsin - Parkside, while Spring was a student in MATC's television program. Wamboldt had created a character named "Dr. Destruction" while playing with his band "Die Monster Die". Since many folks around town knew the character, he decided to use it for the show. Drawing on his scenery-building experience as a student, Dale built the set. He and his (now former) wife had for many years displayed their "haunted bus" at local pumpkin farms and other events around Halloween, and had amassed a collection of horror-related props, which were added to the set. Dave brought a love of the technical side of television, and served as producer and director. Like many others around the country, they were restricted to showing public domain films. Time-Warner Cable/Kenosha Community Television gave them a slot on the local access channel, and "Dr. Destruction’s Crimson Theatre" made its debut on 16 December 2001. At first, Wamboldt did the show solo, and often sparred with his unseen sidekick "Prof. Spring". Dale's long-time friend Don Lipke made occasional appearances as "Lampini" the gypsy. Another friend, Perry Claeys, appeared occasionally as "Scary Perry", Dr. Destruction’s neighbor and hearse driver. Ralph Piro played a number of miscellaneous characters. In the spring of 2002, Charles Braden joined the cast as Dr. Destruction's butler "Mr. Graves". That summer, Danielle Strampp was added as "Persephone". Although the films shown were in the public domain, the show featured quite a mix, from classic silents to schlock. (During this time, Dick Nitelinger was a guest and occasional writer.) Dr. Destruction could be seen not only in his "castle", but also on the streets of Kenosha, Waukegan, IL, and at various events around the area. Dave Spring moved to Milwaukee in 2002, and brought the show to MATA on Time-Warner Cable. Dr. Destruction's Crimson Theatre made its debut in Milwaukee on 13 July 2002. It could be seen Friday nights/Saturday mornings at midnight, as well as at other times during the week. Spring and Wamboldt had a falling out in September of 2002, but reruns of the show continued to be shown on MATA in the city of Milwaukee, and the north shore suburbs. In Kenosha Braden, Lipke and Strampp left the show. Claeys became a regular character, and the Dr. was joined by his new female sidekick the mute vamp "Dearest" (Amber O’Connor). Ralph Piro, who had been showing public domain films on his own "Creature Features" show on Kenosha Community Television, became the show's producer. In June of 2003, some of those shows were brought up to Milwaukee for broadcast. O'Connor and Claeys later left the show. Jerry Ball joined as "Tepisch" Lord of the Underworld, as did Jessica and Nicole as the "Doc-ettes". Claeys returned in December of 2003, as the mortician and hearse driver, and his character now supposedly rents the basement/dungeon of Dr. Destruction's castle for his business. Jerry Ball left the show that same month. Steve Van Beckum served as director & film editor for a period of time. In December of 2003, Dale filed papers and announced that "Dr. Destruction" was running for mayor of Kenosha! He lost in the primary. On 23 December 2003, "Dr. Destruction's Crimson Theatre" made its debut as a LIVE show, running from 7:00 - 8:00 pm on community access cable channel 14 in Milwaukee (MATA). In January and February of 2004 the show was occasionally run live Tuesdays at 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Tapes of those shows were re-broadcast at various times throughout the following week. The last live show was broadcast on 2 March 2004. Thereafter, shows produced in Kenosha were again shown in Milwaukee. In early 2004, Paul Bearer, joined the show as "Eye-Gor". Sadly Richard Golembiewski passed away on 29 March 2009. Portrait of "Dr. Destruction" by Dave Dunlap. Portrait of "Dr. Dorian Destruction" by Bradley Beard. "Dr. Dorian Destruction" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)" Lightning cracks and thunder roars to announce the coming of the destroyer. Today I present Dr. Destruction, the master of unearthly disaster. The doctor hosts his Crimson Theatre weekly which can be seen in Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha, Wisconsin as well as Lake County, Illinois and NW Indiana. Dr. Destruction will fill your mind with horrors if you let him, in fact you might just want him to. You could watch him tear up the stage with his band The Roosevelt Dolls. Or when All Hallow's Eve approaches, you may visit Poe's Labyrinth so that the good doctor can lead you astray. And if you've been bad... very, very bad, Dr. Destruction may take you for the ride of your life in his haunted tour bus. But beware, if you ever see him driving about in his hearse, you'd better run like hell... just ask Dale T. Wamboldt. The good doctor is not all that bad... he's worse. Destroy you all tomorrow. In 2023, Dale Wamboldt as "Dr. Destruction", was a nominee in the "The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame". Portrait of "Eyegore Destruction" by Bradley Beard. "Eyegore Destruction" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page) His name is pronounced I-gor. Tonight I present Eyegore Destruction, mutant creation of Dr. Dorian Destruction, he can be seen on Dr. Destruction's Crimson Theatre. Eyegore is the product of one of Dr. Destruction's mad experiments gone awry. He exists only to assist the doctor; digging up movies from the vault for the doctor's ghoulies to watch. Eyegore is haunted by hallucinations of Manwiches skulking about the castle, the Doctor believes its caused by too much pressure on his rear cranial lobe, however, it's more likely a manifestation of his dream to be like other men. He longs to live in our world, to dream our dreams and to live our nightmares. Eyegore has hopes to one day become Martha Stewart's prison guard, he feels that he would be the perfect man to keep an eye or two on her... and to learn her secret sloppy joe recipe. The following is an opening for one of the shows: "Dr. Destruction's Crimson Theatre" - introduction.mp4 from The Professor's Scary Clips on Vimeo.

LINKS

Internet Movie Data Base "Dr. Destruction's Crimson Theatre"	Facebook: Bradley Beard - Horror Host Artist "Eyegore Destruction"	Internet Movie Data Base "Dale Wamboldt"
Facebook: Bradley Beard - Horror Host Artist "Dr. Dorian Destruction"	E-gors Chamber of TV Horror Hosts "Dr. Destruction"	Milwaukee TV Horror Hosts "Dr. Destruction's Crimson Theatre"
Facebook "Dr. Destruction's Crimson Theatre"	Dr. Destruction's Crimson Theatre "Dr. Destruction's Crimson Theatre"	Kenosha Community Media "Dr. Destruction's Crimson Theatre"
	Facebook: Dunlap Art "Horror Host Artwork"

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