Chicago's WGN television 9 introduced CREATURE FEATURES in the fall of 1970. Classic clips from universal horror movies along with the haunting mancini theme "Experiment in Terror" started every show. Announcer's Carl Greyson, and later Marty McNeely read a creepy poem in a scary falsetto voice over the intro and set the stage for each weeks movie. Every Saturday night at 10:30pm, Creature Features captivated Chicagoland audiences. It soon became a Tradition and part of Chicago history. This website is a fitting tribute to this show. Creature Features went off the air in 1976.
Above photo Courtesy of The Museum of Classic Chicago Television
The Poem read during the opening sequence of Creature Features was done by then WGN-TV announcer Carl Greyson, and later Marty McNeely until the shows end in 1976. The poem was written by WGN staff employee Karen Verwolf for the show's opening segment. In their scary voices, Carl and Marty beconed the ghouls and monsters by reciting this creepy sonnet...
Karen Verwolf revealed!
Karen Verwolf, the author of the "Creature's Poem" speaks out for the first time in almost 40 years about her time at WGN and how she came to write some of the most recognizable words in Chicagoland TV history.
Click on the above "Top Secret" file for the full story, complete with
never-before-seen documents!
Creature Features introduced a whole new generation to the classic Universal movie monsters. From Dracula and Frankenstein to the Wolfman and the Mummy, every week we were watching (and loving) one of the great classic horror movies from Universal's vault. Here is a list of just some of the movies shown on Creature Features over the shows history...
Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Invisible Man, Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein, Dracula's Daughter, Frankenstein meets the Wolfman, the Mummy's Curse, Ghost of Frankenstein, House of Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, Werewolf of London, Mark of the Vampire, Son of Dracula (see filmography for complete list)
WGN TELEVISION 9 in Chicago was one of the premier TV stations in the city. With such original programming like BOZO CIRCUS, RAY RAYNER and FRIENDS, FAMILY CLASSICS with FRAZIER THOMAS and GARFIELD GOOSE, WGN-TV channel 9 became "Chicago's very own". Anyone who grew up in Chicago in the 1960's and 70's can't help but have had their lives impacted in some way by WGN. This website not only salutes the Programs, but also respects WGN's contributions over the years!
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