Author Archives: willmckinley

About willmckinley

I'm a New York City-based writer, producer, and digital marketing consultant. I've been a guest on Turner Classic Movies (interviewed by Robert Osborne), NPR, Sirius Satellite Radio, and the official TCM podcast. I've written for Slate.com, Game Show Network, getTV, Sony Movies, and NYC weeklies like The Villager and Gay City News. I'm also a contributor to four film-and-TV-related books: "Monster Serial," "Bride of Monster Serial," "Taste the Blood of Monster Serial," and "Remembering Jonathan Frid."

New Podcast!

Posted on April 22, 2021 by willmckinley

I hope you’re doing well and staying safe during this enormously challenging time. All of us have dealt with the pandemic in different ways. But one Old Movie Weirdo has turned the lockdown into a unique opportunity to show her … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Film Historian Seeks to Make Chaplin Keaton Lloyd Alley an “International Destination”

Posted on September 26, 2020 by willmckinley

What’s been your coping mechanism during the pandemic? For me, it’s been silent movies.   The Silent Comedy Watch Party — a live YouTube stream of silent shorts accompanied by Ben Model on piano, with commentary from Steve Massa — has … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Regis Philbin (1931–2020)

Posted on July 25, 2020 by willmckinley

Regis Philbin died yesterday at age 89. By all accounts, the veteran talk and game show host was well loved. He was teamed with Kathie Lee Gifford for 15 years, Kelly Ripa for a decade, and wife Joy Philbin for … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Caroll Spinney (1933–2019)

Posted on December 9, 2019 by willmckinley

Caroll Spinney died yesterday. Although millions of us grew up with him, most of us didn’t know his name. That’s an occupational hazard for a puppeteer, and Spinney was one of the best. For nearly half a century, he performed … Continue reading →

Posted in Classic TV, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

I’m a Guest on the Cinema Shame Podcast!

Posted on March 5, 2017 by willmckinley

I’m proud and honored to be the very first guest on Cinema Shame, a new podcast where movie lovers talk about iconic films they haven’t seen — and why. You may recognize host Jay Patrick from his work as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Forgotten Stars Speak Again on TCM

Posted on December 4, 2016 by willmckinley

In the early years of the 20th Century, New York City was the Vaudeville capital of America, with a collection of popular and peculiar performers plying their trade live on stage. A few icons of that era found fame in other … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 9 Comments

The First Talking Pictures Regain their Voice

Posted on November 21, 2016 by willmckinley

“What was the first movie?” my 9-year-old niece asked after a recent trip to the multiplex. I hate questions like that. Because I’m a “movie guy,” I feel like I should have an easy reply, but I never do. The first … Continue reading →

Posted in Museum of Modern Art, Silent Film | 8 Comments

I Discuss Horror Movie Hosts on New Podcast

Posted on October 31, 2016 by willmckinley

Over the last five years I’ve co-hosted two classic film podcasts and been a guest on countless others. But my favorite chats have always been with Miguel Rodriguez, host of the Horrible Imaginings podcast. Miguel and I have only met … Continue reading →

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Horror Fan Celebrates Halloween w/ Classic Movie Cakes

Posted on October 31, 2016 by willmckinley

Halloween is like Comic Con for Old Movie Weirdos. For a few brief weeks, the mainstream sheds its confounding anti-classic bias and embraces our pop culture past. You see it in retro-themed decorations and costumes, old horror movies on TV and in local … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 2 Comments

John Zacherle (1918-2016) Horror Host, TV’s Cool Ghoul

Posted on October 28, 2016 by willmckinley

Updated 11/1/16 – New info in italics. In the 1950s, the new medium of television was hungry for inexpensive, plentiful content. So local stations turned to classic movies, particularly those of the spooky variety. Fright films from studios like Universal became an … Continue reading →

Posted in Classic TV, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 10 Comments