Ménage Á Pop is a three times a week intimate discussion between two people and a piece of pop culture.
As a kid, there was no better viewing than a show about super heroes. Their high flying capes. Their breathtaking exploits. Their frightening encounters with demonic forces of madness. Well.. not so sure about that last one and yet somehow it managed to find its way into an unexpected airing of THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO. And today, paranormal researcher Chris Balzano recounts his experience of actual terror in watching the infamous episode “The Beast In Black.”
You can listen to CHRIS BALZANO on his podcast TRIPPING ON LEGENDS as well as read his paranormal works including GHOST OF THE BRIDGEWATER TRIANGLE and HAUNTED OBJECTS: STORIES OF GHOSTS ON YOUR SHELF available at your local bookstore via INDIEBOUND.org. Follow him on TWITTER @SpookyBalzano.
Read Chris’s thoughts on bizarre paranormal moments from some of your favorite TV shows with THE FIVE MOST MISPLACED BUT BRILLIANT GHOSTS ON TELEVISION.
POP NOTES
“The Beast In Black” originally aired on December 9th 1981. It was the 6th episode of season 2 and the 14th overall.
The episode was written by Juanita Bartlett, a renowned screenwriter and television producer who also worked on THE ROCKFORD FILES, SCARECROW AND MRS. KING, SPENCER FOR HIRE and IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT.
Prior to his work on this episode, Arnold Laven directed the 1957 film THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD as well as episodes of 70s scifi shows PLANET OF THE APES, SHAZAM! and THE SECRETS OF ISIS.
The episode was originally intended to start a longer story arc that explored elements of the supernatural. Following the frightened reactions of younger viewers, the producers abandoned this concept to refocus on the more sci-fi elements.
Guest star Christine Belford (SHELIA REDMAN) actually grew up at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville New York. This is the same house made famous by THE AMITYVILLE HORROR and, in fact, Ms. Belford’s parents were the one’s who sold the house to the DeFeo family. The mass murder of this family by their son while living in the house would go on to fuel the supernatural stories recounted in both the book and film of the same name.
Series lead William Katt (RALPH HINKLEY) had perviously auditioned for the role of Luke Skywalker in STAR WARS EPISODE 4: A NEW HOPE, the screen test of which can be seen in the 2004 documentary EMPIRE OF DREAMS: THE STORY OF THE STAR WARS TRILOGY. He would later star in the 1985 comedy/horror film HOUSE, about a particularly haunted home.
The series theme song, BELIEVE IT OR NOT became a radio hit for its singer Joey Scarbury, reaching #2 on the BILLBOARD HOT 100.
Cancelled after a three season run, the network attempted a relaunch of the series in 1986 entitled THE GREATEST AMERICAN HEROINE. The show would have found Ralph stripped of his super human suit and bestowing it, instead, on a school teacher named Holly Hathaway. The pilot guest-starred the three original series regulars in an attempt to wrap up their story while passing the torch to a new cast. When the series failed to be picked up, the pilot was worked into the syndication package as a proper finale to the series.
Tune back next Monday when guest Chris Nicini (THE INEXPLICABLE BOOK CLUB) embarks on what MIGHT turn out to be a theme week… maybe?
This episode of MÉNAGE Á POP was recorded by CAST, an online audio platform that lets you create and record a multi-guest podcast straight from your web-browser. It was then mastered by AUPHONIC, a web-based post-production service. Check out both sights for trial and subscription information.
MUSIC FEATURED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
“Three Ways To Do That” (opening theme) composed and performed by The Madeline Prior. All rights reserved with Not A Holograms podcasts.
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