At 15 years old and not able to drive, I virtually lived to see Kolchak: The Night Stalker on Friday nights in 1974-75. There were only 20 episodes plus two made-for-TV movies produced earlier, The Night Stalker (1972) and The Night Strangler (1973). Still, the series is etched in my memory vividly. The Ripper, The Spanish Moss Murders, and Horror in the Heights were particularly fun episodes. There were others as well. Darren McGavin's portrayl of veteran reporter Carl Kolchak is wonderful, as is the rest of the cast. I am pleased to see the show has not been forgotten as evidence by the web sites devoted to it. By the way, I am pleased to find this web site. I like it and will bookmark it. Best of luck!

--Joe in Birmingham

This show was one of the defining moments in my life. Carl Kolchak, along with Captain Kirk, was my childhood idol. My favourite all-time episode would have to be The Vampire, especially the opening scene!!! This show rocked.

--Mark

My younger sister and I loved Kolchak! He was one of the smart, brave but all too human break-the-mold anti-James Bond heroes of Super70s TV. Like Columbo, The Magician, and Ellery Queen, he used his brain and dogged persistence to solve the crime. Kolchak was not strong, or especially good-looking, or even particularly nice. He didn't know how to dress (he only had one all-purpose outfit, in true superhero style). But he knew right from wrong and he never gave up, even when he was scared. That is true courage. Of course Batman puts himself in danger to catch the crooks, but he's extra strong, knows how to fight, has the world's coolest car and all kinds of cool gadgets. Kolchak goes up against the most terrifying vampires, swamp monsters, and shape-changing creatures armed only with a camera, a penlight and the overwhelming desire to get that exclusive. I remember my sister and me watching the swamp monster episode. Kolchak was in the dark, wet, rat-infested underground abandoned sewer tunnel looking for the monster. The monster appeared and Kolchak shined his penlight, trying to see. We yelled, get a big beam flashlight, Kolchak! I found The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler videos and am watching the end of Strangler right now! As usual, the villain (Richard Anderson later to become Bionic Man and Woman's boss) talks too much and gives everything away.... It's great to see Carl chasing monsters in his ratty suit, straw hat and tennis shoes again!

--Sherlock Jones

Before there was The X Files there was Kolchak. It would've been brilliant to have Darrin guest star as Kolchak helping Mulder & Scully. I'm really surprised that this series hasn't been released on DVD. I hope it will be someday soon. Many of the episodes;The Ripper,The Vampire & The Werewolf were especially good. The highly rated original pilot Movie was the best story of all. Luckily that & the 2nd TV Movie, The Night Strangler are together on 1 DVD.

--Michael C.

I loved this show when I was a kid!! I have no idea why I did it but... There was an episode where Kolchak asked a robot what Pi to the 12th power was. I thought if I memorized it I would become as smart as the robot. I was young, I was foolish. 924269.1815233705 I found out years later in college that this is the correct answer when you calculate to 10 decimal places.

--CLBW

This show scared the beejeezus out of me. I loved it. My friend and I would relive the episodes the next day. Amazing the ways we entertained ourselves before video games.

--napoleon

I was a fan of the this series. I just purchased the entire 1974/1975 series and the two films on DVD. The Night Stalker(1972) and The Night Strangler(1973). He was an investigative reporter who like Superman was fighting for the truth. Only to be quashed by his cantankerous boss Antonio(Tony)Vincenzo.

In the series he drove a pastel Yellow 1966 Ford Mustang convertible, wore a straw hat, bowling shoes and seer sucker suit(the latter he wore in both films).

He always got involved with subjects like Vampires, Wolfmen, goblins and other assorted creatures as well as the super natural and stange phenominon.

--Frank91165