The Kolchak Tapes
by The Projection Booth
“The Night Stalker” AKA “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” is a seminal show that has lead to an entire subgenre of entertainment, “The Paranormal Investigator.” From “Scooby Doo” to “Supernatural” (and beyond), the paranormal investigator came to prominence with “The X-Files” but this show and many others owe a debt to the man in the blue suit, Carl Kolchak. This series ran from 2016 to 2019 and is now complete. The Kolchak Tapes is part of the Weirding Way Media podcast network. Explore more of our shows at weirdingwaymedia.com.
Episodes
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Kolchak - Haunted and Hunted
On this special bonus episode of The Kolchak Tapes, Mike talked with Paul Terry, author of the new Kolchak short story collection "Kolchak - The Night Stalker: Haunted & Hunted." It's includes five riveting stories that expound on the career of intrepid reporter Carl Kolchak and his quest for...
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Kendall R. Phillips on Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Professor Kendall R. Phillips discusses his work, focusing on his latest book, Kolchak: The Night Stalker from Wayne State University's TV Milestones series. The book discusses the origins and impact of the short-lived TV series and its landmark TV movies. Get your copy today at...
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The Final Episode
Chris and Mike wrap up The Kolchak Tapes with their special guest Richard Hatem. The three discuss the unmade Night Stalker episodes, "Eve of Terror," "Get of Belial," and "The Executioners" as well as a Marvel Comic parody of Kolchak from "ARRGH!" Thanks again to everyone for listening and…
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The Sentry (1975)
We discuss the last filmed episode of Kolchak The Night Stalker, The Sentry. It's a tale of a lizard man who lives deep in the recesses of the earth that causes havoc (and death) at a massive data warehouse.
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Ascendant + The M Word
We wrap up talking about The Night Stalker (2005) with a discussion of two scripts for the show that were scrapped -- Ascendant and The M Word. However, The M Word would gain new life when it was re-adapted for the X-Files reboot as Mulder & Scully Meet the Weremonster. Mike and Chris talk about...
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The Youth Killer (1975)
On the penultimate episode of The Night Stalker, Carl takes on Helen of Troy (Cathy Lee Crosby) who has stayed alive all this time by stealing the vivacity of young hot single people. Carl is helped by his old friend Gordy the Ghoul (John Fiedler) and cabbie Kaz (George Savalas).
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The Knightly Murders (1975)
Richard Hatem joins us again to discuss The Knightly Murders (1975) in which an animated suit of armor menaces those who want to form a "historical discotheque". Could it be that Hans Conried is behind it? And how did Kolchak end up in the loony bin? (Or did he?)
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What's the Frequency, Kolchak? (2006)
Richard Hatem returns to The Kolchak Tapes to talk about the last episode of the Kolchak reboot that "aired". Written by Vince Gilligan, this is Mike's favorite episode of the Kolchak reboot as it includes some effective scares and even has Stuart Townsend showing some emotions in one scene.
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Legacy of Terror (1975)
Nanautzin, an Aztec god, needs to be sated every 52 years with five human sacrifices. In 1975 it was up to Carl Kolchak to end the cycle of violence by stopping the final sacrifice of Pepe (Erik Estrada). Chris Stachiw and Mike White also discuss the bizarre mash-up of "Legacy of Terror" and…
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Demon in Lace (1975)
When a series of mysterious deaths take place at a college campus, Carl uncovers the true nature of the crimes -- a Mesopotamian succubus is seeking revenge for the translation of an ancient stone tablet.
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Timeless (2006)
The penultimate episode of "Night Stalker" was one of a handful dumped onto iTunes in 2006. In this episode we get the return of Titus Berry (played by Stephen Tobolowsky here and Wally Cox in The Night Strangler) as Carl and the Scooby gang chase down a "vampire" who eats three pituitary glands...
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Chopper (1975)
In an updating of The Headless Horseman tale, Carl uncovers the past of a motorcycle gang who had a member decapitated and the consequences of his head being separated from his body. The episode includes a bevy of supporting actors including Larry Linville, Jim Backus, Jesse White, and more.
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The Trevi Collection (1975)
On this episode of The Kolchak Tapes, Chris and Mike discuss The Trevi Collection. Carl Kolchak gets entangled in the worlds of haute couture and hocus pocus when he discovers witchcraft behind the scenes of Madame Trevi's latest fashion line.
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Into Night (2006)
We return to Frank Spotnitz's Night Stalker with a "monster of the week" episode in which office workers are killed by a man (Michael Shamus Wiles) with the power to desiccate their bodies.
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Primal Scream (1975)
Reporter Carl Kolchak gets the runaround from an oil company when samples from an ice core defrost, besetting Chicago with primal beasties. Directed by Robert Scheerer and co-written by David Chase and Bill S. Ballinger, the episode is stolen by Jamie Farr as a disgruntled high school teacher.
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Mr. R.I.N.G. (1975)
Hailed as one of the best "Night Stalker" episodes, Mr. R.I.N.G. has Carl Kolchak writing an obituary for a scientist who happened to be working on a cutting-edge robotics experiment for the Tyrell Corporation. Under the guise of defending America's taxpayers, Carl tracks down Mr. R.I.N.G. (Craig...
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The Source (2005) + The Sea (2006)
Mike & Chris discuss the two-part story The Source and The Sea that brought the Kolchak mythology roaring back on the back of the Four Cyclists of the Apocalypse. It's the story of a DEA agent whose wife is on the run from the same forces of evil that plagued Carl and his dead wife.
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Horror in the Heights (1974)
A Jewish neighborhood in Chicago is the new hunting ground for an Indian Rakshasa, a creature that masquerades as the person its victim trusts most. But that's the Rakshasa's problem when Carl is on the case... he doesn't trust anyone. Screenwriter Richard Hatem (Under Siege 2: Dark Territory…
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Malum (2004) + The Energy Eater (1974)
On this episode we discuss Malum (2004) which exemplifies everything Mike & Chris felt was wrong with the re-boot series as well as The Energy Eater (1974) in which Carl battles another invisible monster, this time with the help of William Smith as Jim Elkhorn.
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The Spanish Moss Murders (1974)
Richard Kiel returns as the monster-of-the-week in "The Spanish Moss Murders". This time he's a Peremalfait, a creature springing from the dreams of a man deprived of sleep in a study by Dr. Aaron Pollack (Severn Darden). Carl has to get around police-captain-of-the-week Joe 'Mad Dog' Siska…
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Bad Medicine (1974)
Carl pursues the malevolent Native American spirit of The Diablero (Richard Kiel), a shape-shifter who's stealing the riches of Chicago's dowagers. We're joined by guest co-host Mike Wallace. This episode features an interview with Night Stalker writer John Huff.
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The Burning Man (2005)
Carl tracks down the improbably-named "Terror Man" who seems to be back from the dead and setting fire to those who wronged him. Hear more from The Kolchak Tapes at www.kolchaktapes.com and please give us a review on iTunes.
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The Devil's Platform (1974)
Tom Skerritt (and his mustache) star as Robert W. Palmer, a politician who has made a devil's bargain to gain power... He has the ability to turn into a Satanic rottweiler in order to defeat those who stand in his way but he can't stop Carl Kolchak from getting to the bottom of The Devil's...
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Firefall (1974)
Fred Beir stars as Ryder Bond, a man who is seemingly two places at once... It's up to intrepid reporter Carl Kolchak to find out how and why people are dying. "Firefall" is the sixth episode of "The Night Stalker." Written by Bill S. Ballinger, the episode was directed by Don Weis. This episode...
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Three (2005)
Written by Adam Sussman and directed by Daniel Sackheim , "Three" is the third episode of the 2005 Night Stalker reboot. The episode introduces series semi-regular Alex Nyby who's played by Eugene Byrd. This episode of The Kolchak Tapes features an interview with Mr. Byrd about his role in Night...
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The Werewolf (1974)
In the fifth episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Carl squared off with a ragged werewolf (Eric Braeden). Written by Paul Playdon and David Chase, the teleplay was cut down from 70 pages, leaving something that didn't quite hold together, despite Allen Baron's deft direction.
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The Vampire (1974)
In the fourth episode of The Night Stalker, Carl faces off a second time against a vampire. This ties in nicely as a sequel to The Night Stalker TV movie as it's implied that the vampire -- a call girl from Las Vegas -- was a victim of Janos Skorzeny. Chris and Mike talk to the producer of The...
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The Five People You Meet in Hell (2005)
Chris and Mike go back to the 2005 "Night Stalker" and discuss the second episode that aired in which Carl Kolchak (Stuart Townsend) goes toe-to-toe with a supernatural serial killer (Tony Curran). Surprisingly, Chris really dug this one. .
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They Have Been, They Are, They Will Be... (1974)
Reporter Carl Kolchak's fifth reported encounter with the supernatural, They Have Been, They Are, They Will Be..., was broadcast the night of September 27, 1974. Chris Stachiw and Mike White discuss the third episode of The Night Stalker (AKA Kolchak: The Night Stalker). Written by Rudolph…
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The Zombie (1974)
On the second episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Carl Kolchak squared off against the Italian and African-American mob of Chicago as well as the titular zombie. Written by Zekial Marko and David Chase, the episode was directed by Alexander Grasshoff (The Jailbreakers). The episode introduces…
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Night Stalker 2005 Pilot
Chris Stachiw and Mike White jump ahead in the timeline to discuss the pilot episode of Night Stalker which stars Stuart Townsend as Carl Kolchak, a reporter in Los Angeles who lost his wife in an attack by werewolves. He joins Perri Reed (Gabrielle Union) and Jain McManus (Eric Jungmann) on the...
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The Ripper (1974)
Reporter Carl Kolchak's third reported encounter with the supernatural, the Ripper, was broadcast the night of September 13, 1974. Chris Stachiw and Mike White discuss the first episode of The Night Stalker (AKA Kolchak: The Night Stalker). Written by Rudolph Borchert and directed by Allen Baron...
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The Norliss Tapes / The Night Killers
On the third episode of The Kolchak Tapes, Chris and Mike are joined by guest co-host Amanda Reyes to talk about The Norliss Tapes (1973). Aired on NBC on February 21, 1973, the film stars Roy Thinnes as David Norliss, a writer trying to solve a supernatural mystery. Written by William F. Nolan,...
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The Night Strangler (1973)
Reporter Carl Kolchak's second reported encounter with the supernatural, The Night Strangler, was broadcast on the night of January 16, 1972. Chris Stachiw and Mike White discuss The Night Stalker and the character of Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin). Written by Richard Matheson (and later adapted…
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The Night Stalker (1972)
Reporter Carl Kolchak's first reported encounter with the supernatural, The Night Stalker, was broadcast on January 11, 1972 to jaw-dropping ratings. Chris Stachiw and Mike White discuss The Night Stalker and the character of Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin). Based on a book by Jeff Rice and adapted...
About this show
“The Night Stalker” AKA “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” is a seminal show that has lead to an entire subgenre of entertainment, “The Paranormal Investigator.” From “Scooby Doo” to “Supernatural” (and beyond), the paranormal investigator came to prominence with “The X-Files” but this show and many others owe a debt to the man in the blue suit, Carl Kolchak.
This series ran from 2016 to 2019 and is now complete.
The Kolchak Tapes is part of the Weirding Way Media podcast network. Explore more of our shows at weirdingwaymedia.com.
Hosted by
The Projection Booth
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