Creature Feature (WTOG)

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Creature Feature was a TV horror movie series on WTOG in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1971 to 1995. The films were hosted by Dick Bennick Sr. (1928-1995) as Dr. Paul Bearer, who hosted a different cheap horror film every Saturday afternoon.

The humorous Bearer character was a pun-spewing, bad-joke-telling host who spoke in a halting speech pattern. His skewed gaze, caused by having one artificial eye, only contributed to the atmosphere. He also twisted around some words and names to reflect the horror atmosphere -- he frequently called the horror films "horrible movies", and the city that WTOG's studios were based "St. Creaturesburg".

One typical joke started with a close up of a hammer in Paul's hand. He strikes a package of Wrigley's Spearmint gum several times with the hammer, then looks up at the camera and says "I'm just sitting here, beating my gums."

His trademark signoff was "I'll be lurking for you."

The series ended in 1995, following the death of Bennick, after his open heart surgery.

He gained a measure of national notoriety as the longest-running horror host on television[1] [2], and in 1993, the mayor of Tampa declared October 30 "Dr. Paul Bearer Day" [3].