Screaming Yellow Theater (Svengoolie) - "Show #5" (Opening, 1972)

Here's a segment from Screaming Yellow Theater - the original Svengoolie, which aired on WFLD Channel 32 from 1970-1973. Svengoolie was played by Jerry G. Bishop.

This opening segment from "Show #5" features comedian Mort Sahl as guest coffin opener. (when he signs the coffin you can see other names that were on the show such as Ray Rayner)

"The following prescribe is transcrammed..." - anyone know where this funny bit of technical mumbo-jumbo originated? Another Stan Freberg bit?

"The time has come for scary things...like monsters, ghosts and vampire wings...and horrible movies all drippy and drooly...and horrible hosts like me - Svengoolie!" (last word changed each week - this time he says - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Cabot - Bruce Cabot)

The song you hear after the introduction is Svengoolie's theme song, the 1958 instrumental "Rumble" by Link Wray and his Ray Men. (with a loop of some screams added for good measure)

*In terms of trying to date this* - it's difficult. I know it says "Show #5" - but what does that mean exactly? It couldn't have been the *actual* Show #5 - from back in the Fall of 1970, right? This is because the show started out as simply voiceovers done by Jerry G. - with no real "show" format with guests, a coffin, etc.

There are no clapboards segments - only the informal show # written in grease pencil or something at the beginning. So, can we assume that this predates the other segments that used a clapboard? If so, then it is before December 22nd 1971 - the earliest clapboard date seen (on - http://www.fuzzymemories.tv/screen.php?c=2279&m=screaming%20generic&p=1 - the "generic" commercial and film intros)

Also - is the fact that they played "Stars and Stripes Forever" at the beginning of the show a clue? Could this have aired on or around the 4th of July 1971? Or could it have been on or around Flag Day 1971 - June 14th? Or is there no significance to the song in this case?

Is the fact that Sven mentions Bruce Cabot a clue? Was he appearing in that night's movie? Take a look through this - http://epguides.com/ScreamingYellowTheater/ approximate episode guide of movies and tell me if he appears in any of them during the probable date range. (I looked but couldn't see any that he was in)

What do you guys think? Any theories?

Update: I think I figured it out after carefully viewing all the segments - you'll see the progression of it. Once we have a final consensus I'll update all the video descriptions. :-)

This aired on local Chicago TV on a Friday likely sometime in mid-1971.

Visit The Museum of Classic Chicago Television at http://www.FuzzyMemories.TV for more fun!

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