Years active 1960-1975 | Name Larry Vincent Role Television actor | |
 | ||
Born June 14, 1924 ( 1924-06-14 ) Massachusetts, USA Died March 9, 1975, Burbank, California, United States Children Valerie Vincent, Beth Vincent, Daniel Vincent, Kathryn Vincent, Diane Vincent Similar People The Four Vagabonds, John Zacherle, Hank Penny, Cassandra Peterson, Buddy Baker | ||
Other names Seymour, Captain Starr | ||
Larry Vincent (June 14, 1924—March 9, 1975) was an American television horror host, famed for his character "Seymour," who presented—and heckled—low-budget horror and science fiction movies on Fright Night on KHJ-TV and Seymour's Monster Rally on KTLA, both local stations in Los Angeles between 1969 and 1974. He was noted for his style of criticizing the movies he presented in an offbeat and funny manner, usually appearing in a small window which would pop up in the corner, tossing a quip, then vanishing again. Sometimes he would, using blue-screen, appear in the middle of the movie, apparently interacting with the characters in the movie.
Contents
Early career
Born in Massachusetts, Vincent was to star in several episodes of The New Three Stooges in 1965. He also had small roles on Get Smart, Mission: Impossible, The Flying Nun, and I Dream of Jeannie.
But before moving to Los Angeles, California, he was "Captain Starr" on WFBM in Indianapolis in the 1960s, as one of a trio of hosts, along with Harlow Hickenlooper and Curley Myers for children's programing, which showed the old Three Stooges shorts, as well as skits for an in-studio audience of children which usually ended up with pie-in-the face comedy and songs from the hosts. In 1968, he became staff director for KHJ-TV.
Horror host
From 1969 to 1974 Vincent was the host for the horror shows Fright Night on KHJ-TV and Seymour's Monster Rally on KTLA.
Later years
In addition to his television duties, Larry Vincent served as Knott's Berry Farm's inaugural "Ghost Host," in 1973 at Knott's Scary Farm Halloween Haunt. Shortly after his shows ended, Mr. Vincent quickly succumbed to stomach cancer and died on March 9, 1975. He left behind four daughters, Diane, Valerie, Beth, Kathryn, and one son, Daniel.
Legacy
Several years after Vincent died, Elvira took up the mantle of horror-film hostess on Fright Night, later to be followed by her own series, "Elvira's Movie Macabre." The role of heckling host was left vacant until the premiere of Mystery Science Theater 3000. The 1985 horror film Fright Night features a TV horror film host named Peter Vincent, played by Roddy McDowall.