Kolchak: The Night Stalker

Created by Jeff Rice

Actor Character

Darren McGavin Carl Kolchak

Simon Oakland Tony Vincenzo

Jack Grinnage Ron Updyke

Ruth McDevitt Emily Cowles

Kolchak: The Night Stalker aired Friday, September 13, 1974 through March 28, 1975, 20 episodes, on CBS

Independent News Service (INS) reporter Carl Kolchak invesitages murders involving the supernatural and the occult.

After proving that a vampire was at large in Las Vegas, reporter Kolchak, was forced to leave town by the authorties who did not want him publishing the truth (The Night Stalker). He moved to Seattle, Washington, where once again he discovered the truth behind a bizzard series of murders, and was forced out of town by the authorities who did not want the truth revealed. (The Night Strangler). Kolchak and his former boss, Tony Vincenzo, left for New York, New York. Something must have happened there to drive them on to Chicago, Illinious, where Kolchak works for Vincenzo. A third film, scripted but never filmed, would have had a series of murders in New York lead Kolchak to the conclusion that the vampire he thought was destroyed in Las Vegas has survived.

Carl Kolchak

His past experiences with the supernatural cause Kolchak to be more willing than the police and his employer to believe in the supernatural and occult, therefore he correctly identifies the killer before the police. He keeps collecting the facts and trying to get the truth published despite city, state and federal authorities desire to cover up the facts and his own editor's refusal to believe that he's not making these stories up. His case is hurt by the fact that although he is a very good writer he is also a very bad photographer.

Tony Vincenzo

Kolchak's long suffering boss is his old friend Tony Vincenzo. Vincenzo hired Kolchak in both Las Vegas and Seattle. When Kolchak lost his job in Seattle, Vincenzo was fired with him. Now Kolchak once again works for Vincenzo, in Chicago. Why Tony Vincenzo continues to hire Carl Kolchak even Tony Vincenzo does not know. "I'm tired of it, Kolchak. I'm fed up! I've got a brother-in-law who's got a fourteen-year-old kid he's always bailing out of juvenile hall, but I've got you, and you're worse!"

Ron Updyke is another INS reporter. Kolchak has no respect for him and refers to him as "Uptight".

Emily Cowles is a nice old lady who writes an advice column, "Miss Emily," as well as several other columns. There was some confusion as to what her first name actually was. For the character's first two episodes she was listed in the ending credits as Edith Cowles. Then the third episode to feature the same character changed her name to Emily.

Kolchak: The Night Stalker is a great mixture of horror and humor. Although the series only ran for twenty episodes and was canceled because of low ratings and Darren McGavin's request to be let out his contract. Despite its short run and a few weak scripts, Kolchak: The Night Stalker is now recognised as a classic that was ahead of its time.

(click on DVD covers to buy the DVDs)

The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler were released together on a single DVD by MGM (08/24/2004). Kolchak: The Night Stalker has been released in a box set by Universal (10/04/2005).

In 2002 ABC's attempt to remake the series, in a darker more serious tone, failed. It only ran for six episodes.

The Night Stalker © 1972 American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
The Night Strangler © 1973 ABC Circle Films
Kolchak: The Night Stalker © 1974, 2005 Universal Studios

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