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Carl Kolchak was a reporter for Chicago's Independent News Service, and a trouble magnet for situations involving the supernatural. Kolchak turned his investigative skills to vampires, werewolves, zombies and all manner of legendary creatures, but in the end he always failed to convince his skeptical editor, Tony Vincenzo, that the stories weren't products of Kolchak's own overworked imagination.

Darren McGavin profile picture

Darren McGavin

Carl Kolchak

Simon Oakland profile picture

Simon Oakland

Tony Vincenzo

Jack Grinnage profile picture

Jack Grinnage

Ron Updyke

Ruth McDevitt profile picture

Ruth McDevitt

Emily Cowles

Robert Easton profile picture

Robert Easton

Bernard Carmichael

Maureen Arthur profile picture

Maureen Arthur

Woman Speaker

Richard Kiel profile picture

Richard Kiel

The Monster

John Alvin profile picture

John Alvin

Dr. Carrie

Milt Kamen profile picture

Milt Kamen

Gingrich

John Fiedler profile picture

John Fiedler

Gordon Spangler

Henry Jones profile picture

Henry Jones

Captain Julian Wells

Lenore Kasdorf profile picture

Lenore Kasdorf

Girl

Jackie Vernon profile picture

Jackie Vernon

Lara Parker profile picture

Lara Parker

Madelaine Perkins

Sharon Farrell profile picture

Sharon Farrell

Erik Estrada profile picture

Erik Estrada

Barbara Rhoades profile picture

Barbara Rhoades

The Secretary

Cliff Norton profile picture

Cliff Norton

Arnie Wisemore

Lucille Benson profile picture

Lucille Benson

George Savalas profile picture

George Savalas

Kaz (as Demosthenes)

Antonio Fargas profile picture

Antonio Fargas

Sweetstick Weldon

Bert Freed profile picture

Bert Freed

Capt. Akins

Fritz Feld profile picture

Fritz Feld

Waiter

Severn Darden profile picture

Severn Darden

Dr. Aaron Pollack

Michael Strong profile picture

Michael Strong

Walter Green

Jimmy Hawkins profile picture

Jimmy Hawkins

Jay Remy

Philip Carey profile picture

Philip Carey

Sgt. Mayer

Ben Masters profile picture

Ben Masters

Diana Quick profile picture

Diana Quick

Ariel

Jim Backus profile picture

Jim Backus

Pippa Scott profile picture

Pippa Scott

Barbara Luddy profile picture

Barbara Luddy

Woman

Greg Finley profile picture

Greg Finley

Dr. Phillips

Hans Conried profile picture

Hans Conried

Dwayne Hickman profile picture

Dwayne Hickman

Val Bisoglio profile picture

Val Bisoglio

Victor Friese

Myron Healey profile picture

Myron Healey

Col. Wright

Dick Van Patten profile picture

Dick Van Patten

Alfred Brindle

Randy Boone profile picture

Randy Boone

Gene the Fiddler

Elaine Giftos profile picture

Elaine Giftos

Nurse Janis Eisen

Kathleen Nolan profile picture

Kathleen Nolan

Faye Kruger

James Griffith profile picture

James Griffith

Schwartz

Bob Hastings profile picture

Bob Hastings

Hallem

Joshua Shelley profile picture

Joshua Shelley

George

Carolyn Jones profile picture

Carolyn Jones

Marvin Miller profile picture

Marvin Miller

Lecturer

Frank Aletter profile picture

Frank Aletter

Sondra Currie profile picture

Sondra Currie

John Marley profile picture

John Marley

Captain Maurice Molnar

Albert Paulsen profile picture

Albert Paulsen

Dr. James Verhyden

John Dehner profile picture

John Dehner

Cathy Lee Crosby profile picture

Cathy Lee Crosby

Charles Aidman profile picture

Charles Aidman

Police Captain Leo Winwood

Henry Beckman profile picture

Henry Beckman

Senator Stephens

Len Lesser profile picture

Len Lesser

Crowley

Elisabeth Brooks profile picture

Elisabeth Brooks

Natalie - Lab Assistant

Joyce Jillson profile picture

Joyce Jillson

Diana Lanier

Ramon Bieri profile picture

Ramon Bieri

Captain Joe Baker

Suzanne Charny profile picture

Suzanne Charny

Catherine Rawlins

David Doyle profile picture

David Doyle

Cardinale

Carmen Zapata profile picture

Carmen Zapata

Nina Foch profile picture

Nina Foch

Madame Trevi

Jay Robinson profile picture

Jay Robinson

Byron Morrow profile picture

Byron Morrow

Dr. Cowan

Frank Marth profile picture

Frank Marth

Colonel Brody

Kevin Michael Richardson profile picture

Kevin Michael Richardson

Joseph Sirola profile picture

Joseph Sirola

Benjamin Sposato

Julie Adams profile picture

Julie Adams

Mrs. Walker

Phil Leeds profile picture

Phil Leeds

Howard Gough

Keenan Wynn profile picture

Keenan Wynn

Capt. Joe 'Mad Dog' Siska

John Mitchum profile picture

John Mitchum

Janitor

Victor Jory profile picture

Victor Jory

Charles Rolling Thunder

Sorrell Booke profile picture

Sorrell Booke

Madlyn Rhue profile picture

Madlyn Rhue

Maria

Henry Brandon profile picture

Henry Brandon

The Man

Jesse White profile picture

Jesse White

Regis Cordic profile picture

Regis Cordic

Dr. Peel

John Hoyt profile picture

John Hoyt

Dr. Beckwith

Kathleen Freeman profile picture

Kathleen Freeman

J. Pat O'Malley profile picture

J. Pat O'Malley

Caretaker

Maidie Norman profile picture

Maidie Norman

Librarian

Ned Glass profile picture

Ned Glass

Apartment Superintendent

Tom Drake profile picture

Tom Drake

Don Kibbey

Marvin Kaplan profile picture

Marvin Kaplan

Delgado

Army Archerd profile picture

Army Archerd

Man

Hunter von Leer profile picture

Hunter von Leer

Richard Bakalyan profile picture

Richard Bakalyan

The 1st Killer

Larry Linville profile picture

Larry Linville

Victor Campos profile picture

Victor Campos

Sandra Gould profile picture

Sandra Gould

Landlady

Kathie Browne profile picture

Kathie Browne

Lieutenant Irene Lamont

James Murtaugh profile picture

James Murtaugh

Scatman Crothers profile picture

Scatman Crothers

Uncle Filemon

Don 'Red' Barry profile picture

Don 'Red' Barry

Tyrell Security Guard

Mary Wickes profile picture

Mary Wickes

Dr. Bess Winestock

Virginia Gregg profile picture

Virginia Gregg

Dr. Hollenbeck

William Smith profile picture

William Smith

Jim Elkhorn

John Doucette profile picture

John Doucette

Deputy Sample

Alice Ghostley profile picture

Alice Ghostley

Dr. Agnes Temple

Milton Parsons profile picture

Milton Parsons

Bernie Kopell profile picture

Bernie Kopell

Doctor Gravanites

Art Metrano profile picture

Art Metrano

Katherine Woodville profile picture

Katherine Woodville

Dr. Helen Lynch

Eddie Firestone profile picture

Eddie Firestone

Paulene Myers profile picture

Paulene Myers

Marie Juliette 'Mamalois' Edmonds

James Gregory profile picture

James Gregory

Captain Quill

Michael Fox profile picture

Michael Fox

Frank Wesley

Jan Murray profile picture

Jan Murray

Ichabod Grace

Priscilla Morrill profile picture

Priscilla Morrill

Griselda

Jamie Farr profile picture

Jamie Farr

Jack Burton

Rudy Challenger profile picture

Rudy Challenger

Stanley Wedemyer

Robert Yuro profile picture

Robert Yuro

Detective Webster

Larry Storch profile picture

Larry Storch

Swede

George Chandler profile picture

George Chandler

Paul Picerni profile picture

Paul Picerni

Humane Society Man

Douglas Fowley profile picture

Douglas Fowley

The Super

Pat Harrington, Jr. profile picture

Pat Harrington, Jr.

Thomas Kitzmiller

Peter Leeds profile picture

Peter Leeds

Photographer

Phil Silvers profile picture

Phil Silvers

Harry Starman

Henry Slate profile picture

Henry Slate

2nd Killer

Murray Matheson profile picture

Murray Matheson

Mr. Lane-Mariot

Creed Bratton profile picture

Creed Bratton

Man Entering Lab

Beatrice Colen profile picture

Beatrice Colen

Jane Plumm

Richard Gautier profile picture

Richard Gautier

Mel Tarter

Ken Lynch profile picture

Ken Lynch

Capt. Warren

Mews Small profile picture

Mews Small

Masseuse

Don Mantooth profile picture

Don Mantooth

Policeman

Rob Berger  profile picture

Rob Berger

Mail Boy

Roberta Collins profile picture

Roberta Collins

Det. Cortazzo

Clint Young profile picture

Clint Young

Driver

Mickey Gilbert profile picture

Mickey Gilbert

The Ripper

William Daniels profile picture

William Daniels

Police Lt. Jack Matteo

Anne Whitfield profile picture

Anne Whitfield

Call Girl

Noel De Souza profile picture

Noel De Souza

Chandra

Nita Talbot profile picture

Nita Talbot

Paula Griffin

Eric Braeden profile picture

Eric Braeden

Bernhardt Stieglitz

Barry Cahill profile picture

Barry Cahill

Dr. Alan Ross

Lewis Charles profile picture

Lewis Charles

George Levitt

Fred Beir profile picture

Fred Beir

Ryder Bond

Virginia Vincent profile picture

Virginia Vincent

Mrs. Markoff

Alice Backes profile picture

Alice Backes

Dr. Shropell

Carol Ann Susi profile picture

Carol Ann Susi

Monique Marmelstein

Carol Veazie profile picture

Carol Veazie

Mrs. Sherman

Patricia Estrin profile picture

Patricia Estrin

Felicia Porter

Tom Skerritt profile picture

Tom Skerritt

Robert W. Palmer

Julie Gregg profile picture

Julie Gregg

Susan Driscoll

Ellen Weston profile picture

Ellen Weston

Lorraine Palmer

John Myhers profile picture

John Myhers

Senator James Talbot

Jeanne Cooper profile picture

Jeanne Cooper

Dr. Kline

William Mims profile picture

William Mims

Officer Hale

Robert DoQui profile picture

Robert DoQui

Park Policeman

Dick Patterson profile picture

Dick Patterson

Stephan Wald

Stanley Adams profile picture

Stanley Adams

Bartender

Bill Welsh profile picture

Bill Welsh

T.V. Announcer

David Lewis profile picture

David Lewis

Auctioneer

Dennis McCarthy profile picture

Dennis McCarthy

Ballistics Man

Johnny Silver profile picture

Johnny Silver

Pepe LaRue - Morris Shapiro

Brian Avery profile picture

Brian Avery

Record Producer

Maurice Marsac profile picture

Maurice Marsac

Henri Villon

Robert Cornthwaite profile picture

Robert Cornthwaite

Dr. Hartfield

Tom Bosley profile picture

Tom Bosley

Jack Flaherty

Margaret Avery profile picture

Margaret Avery

Ruth Van Galen

Frank Campanella profile picture

Frank Campanella

Ted Chapman

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The Ripper

Aired on Sep 13, 1974 60 min

A serial killer who preys on women haunts Chicago, and Kolchak comes to believe that the killer is in fact the original Jack the Ripper, a seemingly immortal killer who has killed women in many cities over the last century. The reporter must track the killer to the old house where he has taken up residence and put an end to his existence once and for all.

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The Zombie

Aired on Sep 20, 1974 60 min

A voodoo priestess animates her dead son to take revenge on the gangsters that killed him.

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They Have Been, They Are, They Will Be...

Aired on Sep 27, 1974 60 min

A bizarre alien presence invisibly sweeps through Chicago, killing a petty thief and a UFO nut. The alien or aliens have the strength of a hurricane, generate a massive electromagnetic field, steal lead and electronic equipment, and suck the bone marrow out of humans and animals alike. Kolchak must track the alien(s) from an electronics warehouse to an observatory to Lincoln Park and drive them off before they kill again. His camera seems to hold the key to the creatures' weakness, although initially Carl is wrong in guessing what the weakness is. Carl follows the aliens and manages to keep them from feeding on him before they depart once and for all.

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The Vampire

Aired on Oct 04, 1974 60 min

Catherine Rawlins, a female victim of Janos Skorzeny (the vampire from the original Night Stalker TV movie) is accidentally resurrected outside Las Vegas, and makes her way to Los Angeles. She takes up her old profession of call girl and Carl wrangles an assignment there to investigate.

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The Werewolf

Aired on Nov 01, 1974 60 min

Bernhardt Stieglitz, a NATO soldier bitten by a wolf, leaves a string of murder victims behind him. When Vincenzo is forced to abort his long-awaited vacation and report on the last cruise of an ocean liner, the USS Hanover, Carl takes his place, only to find that Stieglitz is one of the passengers on board...and the full moon is rising. Trapped aboard the liner, Kolchak must use a shotgun and silver buckshot to kill the creature once and for all.

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Firefall

Aired on Nov 08, 1974 60 min

A series of mysterious deaths plague the life of conductor Ryder Bond. In each case, the victim is incinerated by supernaturally hot flames. As Kolchak investigates, he finds out that an arsonist, Frankie Markoff, was a fan of Bond's, and was killed in a penny arcade. His funeral procession crossed Bond's car, allowing the spirit to become a ""doppelganger"" and try to take over Bond's life. Each victim was burned to death when they fell asleep, and if Bond goes to sleep the doppelganger will take him over for good. Fighting sleep himself, Kolchak must exhume Markoff's body and reunite it with his restless spirit before he too bursts into flame.

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The Devil's Platform

Aired on Nov 15, 1974 60 min

Kolchak discovers a young rising politician, has made a deal with the Devil to murder off his competition through incidents made to look like accidents.

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Bad Medicine

Aired on Nov 29, 1974 60 min

A series of suicides among high-society matrons coincides with a bizarre jewel theft by a towering Indian who mysteriously disappears when cornered. Kolchak investigates and finds that the Indian is a ""diablero,"" a cursed cliff-dwelling Indian medicine man condemned to walk the earth gathering an eternal horde of jewels. The diablero can change shape into the form of a coyote or crow, and hypnotize anyone with its eyes. Carl must seek the diablero in the highest place he can find, and turn the power of its eyes against it.

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The Spanish Moss Murders

Aired on Dec 06, 1974 60 min

A series of apparently unrelated deaths involve each victim being crushed to death, and covered in wet, slimy Spanish Moss. Upon investigation, Kolchak discovers that each victim was related to Paul Langois, a hot-tempered Cajun. However, Langois has an iron-clad alibi: he's been the subject of a sleep experiment and been kept asleep for several weeks. Eventual, Carl realizes that somehow Langois' sleep state has caused him to manifest a subconscious ""boogey-man"" from the Cajun bayou: Peremalfait, a huge creature covered in Spanish Moss that crushes the life right out of you. Peremalfait ""kills"" Langois to prevent him from being woken up, and Kolchak must travel into the sewers of Chicago to kill Peremalfait with the only thing that can destroy it: a spear made out of bayou gum wood.

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The Energy Eater

Aired on Dec 13, 1974 60 min

Several Indian construction workers are killed during high-rise work on a new hospital. They leave the job, and the hospital is completed. However, a series of strange electrocutions continue to plague the hospital after its grand opening. Kolchak investigates and finds that a ""bear-god"" spirit, Matchemonedo, was resurrected from its burial spot beneath Lake Michigan by the hospital construction. Now the creature, which feeds on energy, is beginning to awaken. Kolchak must convince the hospital officials to re-refrigerate the ""bear-god"" and drive it back into hibernation before it awakens once and for all.

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Horror in the Heights

Aired on Dec 20, 1974 60 min

Kolchak’s investigation of a series of grisly deaths in a once-plush neighborhood, leads him to a creature who lures its victims by making itself appear to them as someone they know and trust.

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Mr. R.I.N.G.

Aired on Jan 10, 1975 60 min

Kolchak writes an obituary for a deceased scientist, but soon becomes involved in further investigation when no one can give him a straight answer on how the scientist died. Meanwhile, a mysterious figure goes on a rampage throughout Chicago, stealing morticians' wax and Halloween masks. Kolchak eventually finds out that the scientist was working on Project R.I.N.G.: the development of an artificially intelligent robot. R.I.N.G. killed his creator rather than be shut down, and now the government is hunting it. Kolchak must find where the robot is hiding and reveal the story before the government catch up to R.I.N.G.

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Primal Scream

Aired on Jan 17, 1975 60 min

In a oil company's laboratory, the air conditioning fails, and a primate creature attacks a scientist. The creature, and others like it, begin going on a rampage throughout Chicago. The oil company was experimenting with cell samples brought back from the Antarctic, which began growing when exposed to heat. Now these bizarre missing links are wrecking havoc. Despite the government cover-up, Kolchak investigates, and must track the creatures down to their lair beneath the old nuclear-research labs of the 50's.

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The Trevi Collection

Aired on Jan 24, 1975 60 min

A fashion industry spy is thrown to his death from a room filled with nothing but mannequins as Carl looks on from the street below. This is but the first in a series of strange murders that point to a supernatural origin: apparently Madame Trevi, a leading designer in the fashion industry, is using witchcraft to stop those who oppose her. With the aid of a witches' coven, Carl is pointed to the source of Trevi's power and destroys it, only to find who the witch truly is. Armed with a mojo bag, Carl must confront the witch and publicly accuse her to strip her of her powers.

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Chopper

Aired on Jan 31, 1975 60 min

The strange disappearance of an antique motorcycle is the first indication of trouble. What follows are a rash of murders where each victim is decapitated with superhuman force by what witnesses report is a headless motorcyclist. As Kolchak investigates, he discovers that the victims were all members of a cycle gang back in the 50's. A prank they played on a rival gang member, Harold ""Swordsman"" Baker, resulted in his unintentional decapitation. Baker's ghost killed several of their gang back in the 50's until his head was reunited with the rest of his corpse. However, the cemetary where Baker was interred was dug up and his head and body separated once more. Now, Kolchak must reunite the head and body once more before the headless cyclist finishes off the gang.

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Demon in Lace

Aired on Feb 07, 1975 60 min

On a college campus, young men are dying of heart attacks. According to witnesses, they are last seen with young women who apparently died shortly before meeting the men. When Kolchak investigates, he finds that the men were associated with Professor Spate, who is researching an ancient Middle East tablet, and that a series of similar deaths plagued his expedition to recover the tablet. The tablet is tied to a supernatural creature known as a succubus, who possesses young women at the moment of their death and then reveals her true visage to men, frightening them to death and feeding upon their energies. Kolchak must destroy the tablet to destroy the succubus once and for all.

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Legacy of Terror

Aired on Feb 14, 1975 60 min

Physically fit specimens (an Air Force pilot, a football player, a cop) are all being targeted for a grisly death: their hearts are being cut from their chests while they're still alive, with a dull blade, on higher and higher flights of steps. Kolchak investigates and spots a strange feathered creature near the scene of one of the murders. He finds out that an ancient Aztec cult is trying to resurrect their ancient god, Nanautzin, the Lord of the Smoking Mirror. Since his destruction at the hands of the Conquistadores 520 years ago (the Aztec millennia), his worshippers must sacrifice the hearts of five worthy victims every 52 years. Upon the completion of the final cycle, Nanautzin will be restored to life. However, the final death must be a ""perfect sacrifice"": a willing victim who is given his every wish for a year before his final death. Pepe, a box boy, is the ""perfect sacrifice"" and Carl must track him to the highest staircase in Chicago and convince him to back out of the sacrifice.

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The Knightly Murders

Aired on Mar 07, 1975 60 min

Various Chicago citizenry are being killed with medieval weaponry. Upon investigating, Kolchak finds that they were all tied to the conversion of a small museum into a disco. It turns out that the museum houses the armor of Guy de Metancourt, a misanthrope who swore upon his death that his final resting place would never know gaiety and laughter. Now, his ghostly armor animates and kills those who would disrupt his resting place. The only way for Kolchak to stop the unchivalrous knight is to destroy it with a holy axe blessed by the pope.

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The Youth Killer

Aired on Mar 14, 1975 60 min

Young swinging patrons of an exclusive dating service are turning up, dead of old age. The police don't believe they are the same persons, but Kolchak investigates and discovers that the head of the dating service is actually Helen of Troy, who sacrifices perfect young victims to Hecate, her patron goddess, in return for eternal youth and beauty. The fact that Helen is unaware one of the victims had a glass eye and lied about it on their form proves vital to Kolchak when he accidentally dons one of the rings that lets Helen sacrifice her victims in the appropriate manner.

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The Sentry

Aired on Mar 28, 1975 60 min

The government is keen to hush up a series of mysterious deaths at the Merrymount Institute, an underground archival facility. When Carl investigates, he determines that the victims were ripped apart as if attacked by a crocodile or other large lizard. He eventually discovers that the workers excavated a series of strange egg-like objects, and that the eggs' mother, a large prehistoric lizard, is attempting to retrieve them. Fleeing for his life, Carl must return the eggs to the mother and fend her off.

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