I grew up watching old movies on television.
We didn’t have streaming, physical media, or even cable when I was an Old Movie Weirdo in training, but we did have broadcast TV: seven free channels of old-fashioned, over-the-air goodness (eight, if you count the snowy UHF signal from a distant land known as New Jersey). I loved them all, but my favorites were the channels that fueled my growing obsession for classic cinema.
Back in the 1970s and early ’80s, old movies were a staple of the daily lineup: cheap, abundant programming of which there was a seemingly endless supply. Channel 9 had THE MILLION DOLLAR MOVIE. Channel 11 would run the Abbott & Costello and BLONDIE films on weekend mornings. And the classics would unspool all night long on Channel 2 (THE LATE SHOW), Channel 9 (NINE ALL NIGHT) and Channel 5 (no title, but plenty of great movies). Sure, you often had to stay up late (or wake up early) to see them, but that was part of the fun.
But the best time of the year was Halloween, when classic horror would haunt even a fancy channel like PBS, with Universal Monsters marathons after Alistair Cooke closed his MASTERPIECE THEATRE book and went to bed. It was a glorious time to come of age as a classic film fan, and I think of those days fondly every year at this time.
So it was a treat when my friends Matt and Ashley asked me to join them on the MASHLEY AT THE MOVIES podcast to discuss THE BLOB (1958), a film I saw for the first time (I think) on WPIX-Channel 11’s CHILLER THEATRE. We talk about childhood memories, the film’s production history, the importance of watching old movies with context, and the young star who would soon become a household name: Steve McQueen!
So, please have a listen here.
And don’t let this spooky season pass without watching a scary film or two. It’s the duty of all Old Movie Weirdos of any age. Happy Halloween!
cinematically insane 
Will, I’m pleased to see a post from you after a long gap.
I believe Channel 5’s movies did have a title – “Hollywood’s Finest.” I recall the placard, with the title in a fairly small font. There was a certain commercial during “Hollywood’s Finest.” It was a rambunctious guy advertising a mortgage company. He called himself “Phil Rizzutto, the Money Guy.” I thought this was his real job. It was years later that I found out he had been a famous baseball player. How would I have known? I was a movie kid, not a sporty kid.
Happy Halloween to you!
Thanks Hannah! I think you’re right about “Hollywood’s Finest.” They also had the “Drive-In Movie” franchise on weekend afternoons. And “The Money Store” ads were my introduction to Phil Rizzuto, as well. Good times!
I remember the Friday night horror scarey movies on channel 9 it was called chiller and you would see a hand coming out of the ground I remember this when I was just a kid growing up in the 70s I couldnt wait the hand would come from the ground and in a scarey voice you would hear the sound saying chiller in a very scarey tune love it was so excited till Friday’s came and of course there came everyday to dark shadows came on about 4pm my mom me n my baby sister were all ready to watch that scarey soap opera it was the best couldn’t wait to watch it we had less channels than we do today but they were the best channels ever thoses were the best days I will never forget them never. Sheila