SHOCK THEATER

JIM PARKER - "THE VEGAS VAMPIRE"
P.J. PARKER - "SATANA'"

"Shock Theater" was a hosted horror movie show with Jim Parker as "The Vegas Vampire", with P.J. Parker as "Satana" presenting horror movies on Saturday night for KHBV Channel 5 Henderson, Nevada; USA; from the mid 1960's to early 1970's. The theme song "The Vegas Vampire" was on a 45rpm record that he produced with Bruce Popka. Portrait of "The Vegas Vampire" by Dave Dunlap.

Portrait of "The Vegas Vampire" by Bradley Beard.
"The Vegas Vampire" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

"Welcome once again to the graveyard", he bid his audience as he opened his show. Tonight I present The Vegas Vampire, host of Shock Theater on KHBV-TV Channel 5 in Las Vegas, NV. The exact dates of the show are unknown, however, it's suggested that it began in the mid-1960's and ran into the 1970's. The Vegas Vampire was portrayed by Jim Parker. One of his signature routines was to stick pins in voodoo dolls fashioned after local politicians. He was a constant figure at Las Vegas events, he was called on to cut the ribbon at business openings around the city and he hosted local charitable events. He was even the local host for the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon. He could regularly be seen driving around Las Vegas in his hearse. His show theme song called "The Vegas Vampire" can be found on the album "Elvira Presents Vinyl Macabre - Oldies But Ghoulies". In 2020 and 2023, Jim Parker - "The Vegas Vampire" for "Shock Theater", was nominated for "The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame". The following are some clips from the show: "Shock Theater" - clips from The Professor's Scary Clips on Vimeo.

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