Local horror show host looks back on 30 years of love and sacrifices for the craft
Submitted photo
Harry Metz (left) of Grindstone appears dressed as Dracula as does Bill 无毛视频淐hilly Billy无毛视频� Cardille (right) during one of his appearances on Cardille无毛视频檚 无毛视频淐hiller Theater无毛视频� in the 1970s. Metz无毛视频檚 wife, Diane Metz, is pictured between Metz and Cardille.
Submitted photo
The nomination card for Harry Metz of Grindstone as his alter ego, Spooky Spectre, for the Horror Host Hall of Fame.
Harry Metz loves what he does.
The 68-year-old Grindstone man, a horror host, has been donning his Grim Reaper-esque getup to become the Spooky Spectre for a couple of decades now.
He无毛视频檚 hoping that enough of his fans love what he does, too, and this is the year he gets inducted into the Horror Host Hall of Fame, joining the likes of Elvira, Joe Bob Briggs, Vampira, cast members from the show 无毛视频淢ystery Science Theater 3000,无毛视频� The Cryptkeeper from 无毛视频淭ales From the Crypt无毛视频� and Pittsburgh无毛视频檚 own Bill 无毛视频淐hilly Billy无毛视频� Cardille.
The official Horror Host Hall of Fame started in 2010 and is sponsored by Ripley无毛视频檚 Believe It or Not museums and is a part of the annual horror host convention, The GOTHIC Gathering. The hall of fame permanently memorializes those living, dead (and undead) who have made major contributions to the world of horror hosting. That includes a person or character with a national or local television or web-based program who introduces and shows horror movies along with various skits.
After nominees are picked (Metz无毛视频檚 Spooky Spectre is among them), the year无毛视频檚 inductees are chosen through online voting.
无毛视频淚 hope everyone gets out and votes on their favorite, and hope I无毛视频檓 one of them,无毛视频� Metz said.
His first experiences with horror hosting came courtesy of Cardille, whom Metz calls his 无毛视频渉ero.无毛视频�
无毛视频淲hen I was real young, I watched Chilly Billy,无毛视频� Metz said, recalling that he snuck away to watch Cardille无毛视频檚 无毛视频淐hiller Theater无毛视频� after his parents forbade him from do so.
In the late 1970s Metz met Cardille through a cousin who had Cardille sign autographs at his business every Halloween. Cardille made Metz an offer that would change his life: 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檇 let me go on his show about a dozen times and play different characters.无毛视频�
Metz and his wife Diane did just that, appearing on 无毛视频淐hiller Theater无毛视频� a number of times. Metz was hooked, but when Cardille无毛视频檚 show ended in the early 1980s, he knew his life had to keep moving on. Metz worked in the steel mills until they shut down, and eventually decided to back to school for a degree in business administration.
It was at California University of Pennsylvania in the early 1990s that the Spooky Spectre was created for CUTV.
无毛视频淭hey were talking about doing something for Halloween, and we were talking about monster movies and something about a horror host for a monster movie marathon,无毛视频� Metz said.
The spectre无毛视频檚 early days were basic: Metz generically introduced each movie and left it at that. However, just like a horror movie villain, Spooky was destined to return.
In 1995, Metz was approached by folks at CUTV to make a series based off of the movie marathon.
无毛视频淔right Night Friday,无毛视频� ran from 1995 to 2000 on the university station. 无毛视频淔right Night Theatre无毛视频� followed on Fayette County TV, with Metz filming his 100th show late last year.
He无毛视频檚 put a lot of time and effort into the shows, and said he is repaid by being able to do something he loves and hopes his audience does too.
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 make money off of it,无毛视频� Metz said, adding that, like him, many horror hosts film out of their homes and on a shoestring budget. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e all working with stones knives and bear skin.无毛视频�
He said his 100th show was memorable but bitter-sweet. His wife Diane helped him work on it, but then passed away in February from COVID-19. He said Diane never much cared for his horror hosting 无毛视频� it took time away from her and their children 无毛视频� but she supported him doing something that he loves.
无毛视频淭he biggest thing was that my family sacrificed a lot of time,无毛视频� Metz said.
Last year, he took on a new project and a new persona with the character Scary Harry for his show 无毛视频淪cary Harry无毛视频檚 Reel Action Attractions.无毛视频� Filmed at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown, the show features super hero serials of the 1930s and 1940s.
Metz said the plan was to film a whole season at once so he would have more time to spend with his wife.
无毛视频淔ifty-three years (married); it无毛视频檚 a long time,无毛视频� Metz said trying to hold back his emotions. 无毛视频淣ow it无毛视频檚 tough. I have a lot of great friends, and my family keeps me busy and that无毛视频檚 special to me now.无毛视频�
He无毛视频檚 hopeful that his fans are appreciative of his passion for hosting, and of the sacrifices he无毛视频檚 made to entertain them over the years 无毛视频� and feel moved to vote for his induction to the Horror Host Hall of Fame.
无毛视频淚f I无毛视频檓 not (inducted), it无毛视频檚 all fair and bless everyone who does make it,无毛视频� he said.
To vote for the Spooky Spectre, visit the Horror Host Hall of Fame Facebook page to see the list of nominated inductees. Voters are asked to send an email to TheHorrorHostHallofFame@gmail.com with up to five selections from the list of 20 horror hosts. The deadline to vote is Aug. 5.