UNCLE TED'S GHOUL SCHOOL
UNCLE TED'S MONSTERMANIA

EDWIN LYNN RAUB - "UNCLE TED"
RICHARD BRIGGS - "NEFU NED"
BILL O'REILLY
GERRY COLEMAN
- "NEFU NED"
- "MORDICI THE DEMENTED HUNCHBACK"

Ed Raub hosted two different horror movies shows as "Uncle Ted". These were: "Uncle Ted's Ghoul School" ran from 1974 until 1982 live on Friday nights on WNEP-TV, Channel 16 Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, USA; with side-kicks Richard Briggs as Nefu Ned and Gerry Coleman as "Mordici, The demented Hunchback". "Uncle Ted's Monstermania" ran from 1984 until 1997 on Friday nights at 11:30pm on WVIA-TV, PBS Channel 44 Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, USA; with side-kicks Richard Briggs as "Nefu Ned". In 1992, Gerry Coleman took over the role of "Nefu Ned" from Briggs.

Raub was born on the 14th of May 1921 in Kingston, Pennsylvania to Samuel J. and Margaret Lynn Raub, the oldest of two sons. He was married to the Angela Wiffen who had grown up in Wallington, Surrey, England. They had two daughters, Rita and Beth, and a son, Edwin L., Jr. During the Second World War, Raub served as a radio operator with the 82nd Airborne Division's 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment participating in D-Day and Operation Market Garden. On his return from the war, Raub became interested in magic. His first notable success came with Uncle Ted's Children's Hour. Besides his magic act it featured such puppet shows, pantomimes and birthday parties. It became a success, and "Uncle Ted" a local celebrity. Raub also opened a magic shop in his hometown of Kingston with fellow magician Harry Crawford. In 1974 Raub began starring as the host Uncle Ted's Ghoul School Friday nights on WNEP-TV. The show, which was originally broadcast live, featured skits and magic interspersed throughout the film shown. Uncle Ted's Ghoul School was canceled in 1982, but two years later Raub returned to the airwaves with Uncle Ted's Monstermania on local Public TV station WVIA-TV until 1997. Raub died on the 10th of March 1998. He was interred at Memorial Shrine Cemetery in Franklin Township, Pennsylvania.

Portrait of "Uncle Ted" by Bradley Beard.
"Uncle Ted" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

He was a decorated World War II veteran. Tonight I present Uncle Ted, host of Uncle Ted's Ghoul School on WNEP-TV Channel 16 in Wilkes-Barre, PA, which ran from 1974 to 1982. In 1984, he began hosting Uncle Ted's Monstermania on WVIA-TV PBS Channel 44 in Wilkes-Barre, PA, which ran into the 1990's. Uncle Ted was performed by Edwin Raub, a member of the 82nd Airborne In World War II who parachuted into France on D-Day. He received 2 purple hearts after his hands were severely burned during his tour of duty. In his book "The O'Reilly Factor: The Good, The Bad, and the Completely Ridiculous", Bill O'Reilly recounts an appalling story about his time as gag writer on the show. It seems that Bill and Ted had a volatile relationship. During the screening of Dracula's Daughter, O'Reilly had a casket delivered from a local mortuary in exchange for an on-air plug, suggesting that Ted emerge from it during filming. Ted was claustrophobic and against the idea but O'Reilly insisted, called the general manager who forced Ted to be involved in the skit. When Ted climbed into the coffin, O'Reilly locked the coffin from the outside, rolled the cameras, and enjoyed a malicious prank at Ted's expense. By his own definition; Bill O'Reilly: Pinhead & Uncle Ted: Patriot. In 2014, Ted Raub - "Uncle Ted" for "Ghoul School/Monstermania", was inducted into "The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame". The following are some clips from the show: "Uncle Ted's Monstermania" clip from The Professor's Scary Clips on Vimeo.

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