Man on the hearse part 2 of 3: Dr. Paul Bearer gains National Notoriety and Celebrates 20 yrs. in the bussiness.

Man on the hearse  part 2of 3: Dr. Paul Bearer gains  National Notoriety and Celebrates 20 yrs. in the bussiness.

By: John Kern

On September 15, 1973, Creature Feature on WTOG-TV channels 44 hosted by Dr. Paul Bearer. And later on some years later on channel 44 aired the show Fright Theater host by him. Dick owned a 1963 Cadillac hearse, which he bought the hearse form TV station for a dollar it’s basically for public appearances and parades. Also on the doors was painted with name of Dr. Paul Bearer as well the logo for the TV station. Dr. Paul could be seen driving around Town. Some fan may or may not know Dick owned two hearses the first one was his favorite and the second one was a 1961. Dick was heavily involved in the community and Dick made frequent appearances as Dr. Paul Bearer at horror fest, carnivals and other local events. Dr. Paul Bearer appeared on the Hee-Haw show. Also he was on the TV’s blooper and a practical jokes show, Dick the man who ran the show asked him to submit a tape of his show. Photos of Dr. Paul Bearer was featured in Famous Monster of Filmland Magazine issue # 144 June 1978.The article was called the lost interview of Dr. Paul Bearer by Ed Tucker, it was published in 1991. Dick gained a Measure of national notoriety as longest-running horror host on television in 1993. A story call Dr. Paul Bearer celebrates 20 years of hearseing around in Scary Monster Magazine in issue #8 September 1993. The mayor of Tampa, Florida, Sandy Freedman Declared October 30, 1993 is Dr. Paul Bearer Day. On that day Dick celebrates 20 years in the horror host business at Busch Gardens Park in Tampa, Florida and he also filmed his 20th anniversary at the park.

To be continued until the third and final part.
As Dr. Paul Bearer would say, “I’ll be lurking for you.”



The Death Of Count Shockula to the Birth of Dr. Paul Bearer: The Man in the Hearse.

Count Schocula

The Man on the hearse Part One of Three:
The Death of Count Shockula to the Birth of Dr. Paul Bearer

By: John Kern

Dick Bennick aka Dr. Paul Bearer, aka Count Shockula

November 3, 1928 - February 18, 1995

Dick started as radio disc jockey in 1949 in North Carolina. During that time he was the top-rated disc jockey for many years and he went onto do his first TV-show in 1960s. The show was called Shock Thearter. The first characters Dick created for the TV station was named Count Shockula. The first Show aired on WGHP TV channel 8 in 1966. Dick had been on the air for a few weeks, when Dick was featured in Famous Monsters of Filmland issue # 45 July 1967. No one was noticing Count Shockula and Dick felt the show was in trouble

Dick got the TV station to let him run a promotion called “how do you kill Count Shockula”. And Dick knew a magic trick where it looked like you were nailing a stake in someone’s heart. Six weeks later someone finally wrote in and said nail a stake through his heart. This is what Dick was hoping and he used his magic tick to kill off Count Shockula. Dick created new character named character Dr. Paul Bearer to help him with the trick. Dr, Paul Bearer showed up on Shock Theatre and killed Count Shockula. And Dr. Paul Bearer took over show.

The show came up with good rating with new host. Dr. Paul Bearer. And the show was on air about six and half year even after Dick left the TV station. Dick went freelance and Dick then moved to Florida in 1971. Dick brought character Dr. Paul Bearer and the show props with him to Florida. While Dick was in Florida, he work in sales for a radio station Dick looked for a TV station for a new show for his character to host. However it took some time to find a new show.

To be continued next month…..

As Dr Paul Bearer would say at the end of his show, “I’ll be lurking for you.”



An ad from when Count Schockula hosted Shock Thearter.



This ia another ad but this ad is for Dr. Paul Bearer.