John Stanley

A fond remembrance of and tribute to the uniquely American institution of the horror movie host.

A behind-the-scenes look at the history and legacy of the legendary Bay Area TV show Creature Features, from the viewpoint of longtime host John Stanley.

For 14 years, from January 1971 through September 1984, CREATURE FEATURES ranked in the Nielsen ratings as one of the most popular TV shows in San Francisco Bay Area television history. Broadcasted from KTVU Channel 2 in Oakland, California, the Saturday night series was hosted by former TV advertising writer Bob Wilkins for eight years, followed by San Francisco Chronicle entertainment writer John Stanley who kept the series alive for another six.

Bob Wilkins career on television told from a fan prospective

CZAR OF NOIR details the history of noir in American cinema – but also reveals the obsessed, personal side to Eddie Muller: how he was first introduced by his father, a San Francisco journalist who specialized in boxing, to a world that was purely “noir.” Eddie went on to write five non-fiction books about the history of noir and is also author of the best-selling autobiography of actor Tab Hunter.

Attendees at a horror-film convention in San Francisco keep disappearing. It turns out that the guest of honor is a real vampire, and his henchmen are kidnapping the convention guests. A horror writer, a Sherlock Holmes fan and an Israeli Nazi-hunter set out to stop him.

Attendees at a horror-film convention in San Francisco keep disappearing. It turns out that the guest of honor is a real vampire, and his henchmen are kidnapping the convention guests. A horror writer, a Sherlock Holmes fan and an Israeli Nazi-hunter set out to stop him.

Attendees at a horror-film convention in San Francisco keep disappearing. It turns out that the guest of honor is a real vampire, and his henchmen are kidnapping the convention guests. A horror writer, a Sherlock Holmes fan and an Israeli Nazi-hunter set out to stop him.

A behind-the-scenes look at the history and legacy of the legendary Bay Area TV show Creature Features, from the viewpoint of longtime host John Stanley.

A behind-the-scenes look at the history and legacy of the legendary Bay Area TV show Creature Features, from the viewpoint of longtime host John Stanley.

CZAR OF NOIR details the history of noir in American cinema – but also reveals the obsessed, personal side to Eddie Muller: how he was first introduced by his father, a San Francisco journalist who specialized in boxing, to a world that was purely “noir.” Eddie went on to write five non-fiction books about the history of noir and is also author of the best-selling autobiography of actor Tab Hunter.

CZAR OF NOIR details the history of noir in American cinema – but also reveals the obsessed, personal side to Eddie Muller: how he was first introduced by his father, a San Francisco journalist who specialized in boxing, to a world that was purely “noir.” Eddie went on to write five non-fiction books about the history of noir and is also author of the best-selling autobiography of actor Tab Hunter.