THE PROFESSOR'S SF & HORROR HOST TOME

FRIGHT NIGHT/FRIDAY NIGHT

RAY SPARENBERG, JR. - "SELWIN"

"Fright Night" was a hosted horror movie show with Ray Sparenberg Jr as "Selwin" presenting movies on Friday nights at 11:15 pm on Indianapolis, Indiana; between 1958 to 1963.

In 1961 the show screened jungle movies and in 1962 the show changed to showing space films.

As the show shifted from horror to jungle and finally to science fiction, so did Selwin's costume change from gothic to jungle to science fiction.

Selwin even had his own fan club:

"Selwin's Society of the Shroud".

Sadly, Ray Sparenberg Jr. died on 1 November 2001.

In 1997, a new show "Classic Shock Theatre" was aired with Alex McBean as "Son of Selwin".
For more information on "Classic Shock Theatre", click on the below link.

Portrait of "Selwin" by Dave Dunlap.

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

Born of pedigree, this horror host boasted being the son of Catwoman and Wolfman. Today I present Selwin, host of Friday Night on WISH-TV Channel 8 in Indianapolis, IN, which ran from 1958 to 1963. Selwin was created by program director Dave Smith and was played by Ray Sparenberg. Smith completely scripted Selwin's dialog, unlike other hosts of that period who mainly ad-libbed their shows. With makeup inspired by Zacherly; Selwin wore white pancake makeup and sported a bolero hat and cape. As the show changed format and time slots, Selwin found his home on Saturday afternoons as Jungle Jim hosting jungle movies such as Tarzan and Bomba the Jungle Boy. He eventually returned to late night as an astronaut to host science fiction movies. WISH-TV dropped their Shock Theatre package in 1963 where it was immediately picked up by WTTV Channel 4 and Sammy Terry was born. In the parting words of Selwin I bid you, "Good night... whatever you are".

In 2023, Ray Sparenberg Jr as "Selwin", was a nominee in the "The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame".

The following is a clip from the show:

"Fright Night" - Selwin - clip from The Professor's Scary Clips on Vimeo.