LENNY'S INFERNO

DICK FLANIGAN - "MR. MEPHISTO"
JOHN SVEUM - "THE VOICE IN THE BOX"
BOB FRIEDL - "VALDIMIR"

Ferd Mattioli had sponsored "Ferdy's Inferno" from 1964 to 1968, when due to ill health, ended the sponsorship. Mattioli's brother, Len took over his brother's business, he decided to re-launch the show as "Lenny's Inferno" with a new host (The show may have retained the name of Ferdie's Inferno for a period of time). The show ran from 5 September 1969 till 21 May 1982. Dick Flanigan took over the role of host that Carl Ames' "Ferdy" (Ferdie's Inferno) had recently left. Flanigan had been WMTV’s art director since 1967. Flanigan decided to call himself "Mr. Mephisto", (Mr. Mephisto was based on the character from the 1945 Republic Pictures serial "Manhunt of Mystery Island"). Mr. Mephisto had a white face and a jet black goatee. Flanigan decided after the first two shows, that he needed a sidekick. Liking the television series "The Addams Family", that he would have a similar character to "Thing" (hand in a box). Instead of a hand, he had "The Voice In A Box", with an old dilapidated black box on his desk. John Sveum providing the voice. This allowed Sveum to also play other characters as required. In the 1970's, Flanigan added a further sidekick - "Valdimir" played by studio manager, Bob Friedl, who wearing a black hood who said nothing, and destroyed televisions with his axe. Besides screening movies, the show also screened episodes of "The Twilight Zone", "The Prisoner", "Night Gallery", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "Thriller", and "The Outer Limits". The show also screened movie serials such as "Flash Gordon" and "The Crimson Ghost". The show finally came to an end on 21 May 1982, when Len Mattioli ceased his sponsorship. Down, but not out, "Lenny's Inferno" would return in 1988. Len Mattioli was expanding his business into Waukesha and Milwaukee. To assist promoting his new stores, Mattioli would sponsor a new "Lenny's Inferno" on WCGV-TV Channel 24 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, bringing back Flanigan and Sveum as "Mr. Mephisto" and "The Voice In The Box". The show was screened from 1 July 1988 to 26 August 1988. It was planned to run until 23 September 1998 (13 weeks), but was cancelled after 9 episodes. The movies which were planned to be screened were "The Jackals" (planned for 2 September 1988), "Die, Die My Darling" (planned for 9 September 1988), "Straight-Jacket" (planned for 16 September 1988), "Diary of a Madman" (planned for 23 September 1988). Richard E. "Dick" Flanigan sadly passed away on 5 Thursday January 2017, following a short illness. He was born in Rockford, Illinois, USA, on 10 December 1935, the son of Paul and Zeta (Grady) Flanigan. Following high school, Dick served in the U.S. Army from 1958-1960. Following his discharge, Dick enrolled in Bradley University where he was a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. His first job after college was working for WTVO in Rockford, Illinois, USA. This is where he met his future wife, Valerie Vinet. They were married a year later, in 1968. The couple made Madison their home and Dick began working at WMTV where he served as the art director. Dick was an avid sports fan, especially of the St. Louis Cardinals. He loved playing baseball, and eventually coached and managed the Monona Home Talent Baseball Team. Dick enjoyed playing sports, including bowling and softball. In 2012, Dick Flanigan - "Mr. Mephisto" - "Lenny's Inferno", was inducted into "The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame". Portrait of "Mr. Mephisto" by Dave Dunlap. Portrait of "Mr. Mephisto" by Bradley Beard. "Mr. Mephisto" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)" His sidekick was a little black box which sat on his desk. Tonight I present Mr. Mephisto, host of Lenny's Inferno on WMTV-TV Channel 15 in Madison, WI, which ran from September 1969 to May 1982. The show original began as Ferdie's Inferno named after the owner of a local Madison business called American TV and Furniture. When Ferdie's health began to decline, his brother "Crazy TV Lenny" assumed the business and changed the show's name as well. Mr. Mephisto was played by Dick Flanigan, who was originally hired as WMTV's art director, which he says was "like dying and going to heaven". Flanigan took over the role from WMTV programs manager Carl Ames who had inherited the role from WMTV program manager Jack Crowley after he left the station. Although others had assumed the role, it was Flanigan who made Mr. Mephisto the memorable horror host that we know today. The following are some clips from the show: Lenny's Inferno hosted by Mr. Mephisto from The Professor on Vimeo.

LINKS

Internet Movie Data Base "Lenny's Inferno"	Internet Movie Data Base "Lenny's Inferno"	Facebook: Bradley Beard - Horror Host Artist "Mr. Mephisto"
Internet Movie Data Base "Dick Flanigan"	Internet Movie Data Base "John Sveum"	E-gors Chamber of TV Horror Hosts "Mr. Mephisto"
Milwaukee TV Horror Hosts "Lenny's Inferno"	Facebook: Dunlap Art "Horror Host Artwork"	Milwaukee TV Horror Hosts "Lenny's Inferno"

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