Local man inducted in the Horror Host Hall of Fame
Submitted
Harry Metz of Grindstone as his horror show host alter ego Spooky Spectre poses with his certificate of induction into the Horror Host Hall of Fame in Ohio.
Submitted photos
Spooky Spectre (far left), Harry Metz of Grindstone, poses with his fellow horror hosts. He and eight others were recently inducted into the Horror Host Hall of Fame.
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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.
A 30-year journey of televised spookiness has led a Grindstone man and his alter ego into the Horror Host Hall of Fame.
无毛视频淚 was surprised because I do this just for fun,无毛视频� said Harry Metz, the man behind the Spooky Spectre.
Metz无毛视频檚 Spooky is the host of 无毛视频淔right Night Theatre,无毛视频� which completed its 100th show on Fayette County TV last year. In July, the character was nominated for the hall of fame, sponsored by Ripley无毛视频檚 Believe It or Not museums.
Fans voted Metz, 68, as one of the inductees.
无毛视频淏asically, I was campaigning,无毛视频� Metz said. He contacted as many people as he could, and even solicited votes from classmates during his recent high school reunion. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 not a politician, but I learned how to be one real quick.无毛视频�
The politicking paid off, and on Aug. 7, he and eight other hosts and shows from across the county were named to the Class of 2022 for the Horror Hosts Hall of Fame.
With that, the Spooky Spectre joined a number of well-known hosts that have been inducted since the hall无毛视频檚 start in 2010. Among them are Elvira, Joe Bob Briggs, 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.
无毛视频淚 never thought I was in any way shape or form in league with those big dogs,无毛视频� Metz said. 无毛视频淪o this was a real honor.无毛视频�
It was Cardille who got Metz started in horror hosting.
As a youngster, Metz snuck to tune into Cardille无毛视频檚 无毛视频淐hiller Theater,无毛视频� a show his parents forbade him to watch. The two met in the 1970s, and Cardille made Metz an offer that changed his life when he invited him to appear on the show. That led to about a dozen appearances as different characters.
But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. When 无毛视频淐hiller Theater无毛视频� ended in the early 1980s, Metz moved on into the 无毛视频渞eal无毛视频� world 无毛视频� working in the steel mills until they shut down. He went back to college to study business administration at the former California University of Pennsylvania, and got involved with the school无毛视频檚 station, CUTV.
One Halloween, they wanted to run a horror movie marathon on the station. It needed a host, and so, Spooky was created with Metz as the man behind the mask.
The spectre无毛视频檚 early days were basic: Metz generically introduced each movie and left it at that. But just like a horror movie villain, Spooky was destined to return and evolve.
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 (and will continue) on Fayette County TV.
Spooky无毛视频檚 induction took place during the Horror Hound Weekend convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Sept. 10.
无毛视频淚t was a really big venue and everything there was bigger than life,无毛视频� Metz said, adding that the horror hosts were all dressed in their costumes. Metz followed suit giving his acceptance speech as the Spooky Spectre. 无毛视频淭hey did a great job with making us feel special.无毛视频�
In his speech, Metz thanked the fans, shared his love for everyone and what they do, and dedicated all of it to his wife, Diane Metz, who passed away in February from covid.
无毛视频淓verything was done smoothly and professionally,无毛视频� Metz said, adding that he was happy to meet a great number of his peers in the horror hosting world. 无毛视频淓veryone walked away feeling like they did something great.无毛视频�
Metz无毛视频檚 guest for the event was an old friend from high school who had never been to a horror convention before.
无毛视频淪eeing it through her eyes kind of renews your energy to keep doing these things,无毛视频� Metz said, adding that he无毛视频檚 planning on filming the new season of 无毛视频淔right Night Theatre无毛视频� in October.
Until then, he无毛视频檚 appreciative of his nomination and induction.
无毛视频淚 had the most fun weekend I无毛视频檝e had in a long time,无毛视频� he said.