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Larry Vincent

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by BAMannMD (talk | contribs) at 23:53, 8 November 2021 (Corrected name and death date, per Diane Vincent's daughter documented interview). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Larry Vincent
Vincent as Seymour in 1973
Born
Francis Fitzgerald Vincent

(1924-06-14)June 14, 1924
Massachusetts, United States
DiedMarch 8, 1975(1975-03-08) (aged 50)
Burbank, California, U.S.
Other namesSeymour, Captain Starr
Years active1960-1975

Larry Vincent (June 14, 1924—March 8, 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.

Early career

Born in Massachusetts as Francis Fitzgerald Vincent [1], 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

Six 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.[citation needed] The 1985 horror film Fright Night features a TV horror film host named "Peter Vincent", played by Roddy McDowall.

Larry Vincent as Seymour appears in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.[2]

In Fall of 2020, a tribute series, "The Sinister Seymour Show", appeared on Youtube, where monthly episodes are uploaded. Unlike the original character, the new adaptation of the Seymour character hosts a horror & comedy talk show, rather than hosting horror films.

Filmography

References

  1. ^ The Retro Time Machine interview with Vincent's daughter Diane [1] (Retrieved November 8, 2021)
  2. ^ Rife, Katie et al (August 2, 2019) "Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood... annotated." The A.V. Club. (Retrieved August 9, 2019.)


Sinister Seymour Show Instagram Page

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