The Night Stalker

Air Date: Tuesday, January 11th 1972
Writer: Richard Matheson, from a story by Jeff Rice
Director: John Llewellyn Moxey
Producer: Dan Curtis
Actors:
Darren McGavin as Carl Kolchak / Simon Oakland as Tony Vincenzo / Carol Lynley as Gail Foster / Ralph Meeker as Bernie Jenks / Claude Akins as Sheriff Warren A. Butcher / Charles McGraw as Police Chief Ed Masterson / Kent Smith as District Attorney Tom Payne / Stanley Adams as Fred Hurley / Elisha Cook Jr. as Mickey Crawford / Larry Linville as Dr. Robert Makurji / Jordan Rhodes as Dr. John O'Brien / Barry Atwater as Janos Skorzeny / Virginia Gregg as Mrs. Brandon / Peggy Rea as Helen the Switchboard Operator / Edward Faulkner as Las Vegas Policeman / Buddy Joe Hooker as Intern / Irene Cagen as Shelly Forbes / Don Ames, Randy Doucette, Sid Frohlich, Eddie Garrett, Monty O'Grady, Mark Russell as reporters / George Simmons as hospital guest / Al Roberts as policeman / Several uncredited roles Cheryl Ann Hughes, Bonnie Reynolds, Carol Hanachek, Mary Brandon, Mary Brandon's father, Marilyn the waitress as well as several cops, garbage men and hospital workers.

Memorable Line:
"Judge for yourself its believability; and then try to tell yourself, wherever you may be... it couldn't happen here." - Carl Kolchak

Story:
Investigative reporter Carl Kolchak, discovers that an ancient vampire is haunting the streets of Las Vegas.

Review:
The first and still the best: Night Stalker was a ratings giant, capturing (for then) a record viewing audience (54 share). Bolstered by a teleplay by the great Richard Matheson (Twilight Zone), Produced by the man who brought us the classic “Dark Shadows” and stocked to the gills with great acting – It’s a television chiller which still holds up well 30+ years later.

    Darren McGavin sets the bar high with his memorable portrayal of the journeyman reporter. Carl Kolchak is a great writer but he doesn’t play well with others and his bulldog tenacity for the truth has resulted in a variety of firings (In one classic moment, his gal, Gail, lists his lost jobs. Numbering in the double digits, Carl grumbles… “I’m becoming extinct in my own lifetime").

    While the Kolchak in Night Stalker still has the ability to get under the skin of city officials, he’s not yet the true believer of the series. He even laughs when his girlfriend suggests the idea that the killer could actually be a bona fide vampire. It isn’t until he sees the man in action with his own eyes, that Carl begins to believe that this killer is more than a wacko with a Dracula complex, and is indeed the real deal.

    Night Stalker is darker, with less emphasis on humor (though laughs are had). The acting is human and rings true. Claude Akins is menacing as an easily annoyed Sheriff and Simon Oakland is outstanding as the editor caught in the middle (and not liking it one bit). The script is tight and allows for growth and development of the core players. One nice touch was to have Carl involved in an adult, serious relationship. This is a layer of character that was lost in the series and makes the ending even more heartbreaking. And boy what an ending it is.

    Fright-wise it delivers: Barry Atwater's Vampire is more animalistic than cunning, which makes him scary and unpredictable in a non-traditional way. When we follow Kolchak as he skulks about in Skorzeny's creepy lair, the tension is palpable throughout (there’s a great shot of Carl hiding in the closet, straining to hear if Janos is still in the room).

    Character-wise it’s even better: Carl is victorious, vindicated - he has his exclusive and a future bride. What happens to him at the end is as sad as anything I’ve seen in a creature feature. Again, it’s superb acting and a superb script that sells it and I really felt for poor Carl.

Grade: A+