Mark Dawidziak's first attempt at a history and critique of the Kolchak mythos was Night Stalking: A 20th Anniversary Kolchak Companion (Image Publishing, 1991), sparsely distributed and now a collectible. Aided by Kolchak creator Jeff Rice, he then wrote Grave Secrets (Image, 1994), the first Kolchak novel since Rice's novelization of Matheson's Night Strangler teleplay. Rice was pleased with Grave Secrets, but not with Image's dismal distribution. He withdrew literary rights to the character.
Details are in Dawidziak's Night Stalker Companion, a heavily revised and updated version of Night Stalking, and a well-structured chronicle of the rise and fall and afterlife of Carl Kolchak, a hard-boiled reporter who investigates supernatural and extraterrestrial crimes. Dawidziak interviewed all key players, and while he accentuates the positive, he does not eliminate unpleasantries. Kolchak would expect no less from his biographer.
Kolchak first appeared in The Kolchak Papers, an unpublished 1970 horror novel written by newspaper reporter (and actor) Jeff Rice. Rice submitted it to Richard Matheson's agent, who sold TV movie rights to ABC without first signing Rice. Rice had hoped to adapt it himself, but the agent had already secured the teleplay assignment for Matheson. Dawidziak adds, "It's important to note that Rice does not in any way blame Matheson for what he views as shady Hollywood dealings."
Dawidziak's Dan Curtis comes off as a bit of a bully, or at least possessed with a Hollywood ego. When ABC bought the rights to Rice's book, Curtis was executive producing the last season of that network's Dark Shadows. "'I wanted to say good-bye to it so bad I couldn't see straight,' Curtis reflects. 'We got around to the last year and I was completely tapped out idea-wise. And we ended up with some dreadful stories during that last year. It was like being in jail.' " Dark Shadows did afford Curtis the opportunity to direct a feature. Dawidziak cites House of Dark Shadows (1970) as Curtis's directorial debut, followed by Night of Dark Shadows (1971).
When Barry Diller asked Curtis to produce The Kolchak Tapes as the TV movie, The Night Stalker, Curtis requested the director's chair. It had already been given to John Llewellyn Moxey (Horror Hotel 1960, aka The City Of The Dead). Curtis didn't interfere with Moxey's authority on set (and it was a happy set), but he'd grumble to McGavin, "Will you look at the setup Moxey has here. What's he doing?" [Curtis contradicts this version of events in his interview on Night Stalker/Night Strangler DVD, claiming that he was offered the director's chair but turned it down, and that he himself sought out Moxey.]
Despite Moxey's setups, The Night Stalker was a ratings success when it premiered in January 1972. So too The Night Strangler, its 1973 sequel. Curtis got to direct. Rice was less fortunate. ABC press kits and trade ads hadn't credited Rice for the first film. Rice lobbied to script the sequel, but was given the runaround by network and studio execs. Instead, he wrote the novelization for Matheson's teleplay. Dawidziak says of Rice's original deal, "No sequels or series could be made without Rice's permission." Apparently, Rice didn't press his advantage.
The Night Strangler ended with bad blood between Curtis and lead actor Darren McGavin. Near the end of the shoot Curtis "was berating the crew something awful." McGavin defended them, then quit. Curtis insisted he stay for close-ups, but McGavin replied, "You've got enough film. Make your movie. Goodbye."
If Curtis comes off a bully, Rice sounds paranoid. Rice tried vainly for years to launch a series of Kolchak novels and comic books. He sees two factors blocking him. Publishers "keep trying to acquire the rights for pennies and balk at paying Rice nearly anything at all, doing their best to keep Rice from doing any writing if possible." And Rice fears "that deals are fashioned with the intention of keeping Kolchak locked up and off the market."
Article comments
1 - Johannes GrpGrp
Oh hello, I didn't see you there, (pauses to set down copy of Shower of Gold: The R. Kelly Autobiography), my name is Johannes GrpGrp inventor of the morbid sock and endorser of Urine Gone. But you know what the interesting thing is . . . Karate Kid four was not even close to as good as Karate Kid I-III. Hillary Swank did an okay job, but I just wasn't feeling her performance. Who would've thought that Ralph Machio would have made such a difference? He was a skinny loser who sucked at fighting until Noriyuki "Pat" Morita took him under his small Asian wing and began to train him. Plus, he was such a douchebag. That big truck wasn't the only thing he waxed off by himself, you know. He began to run out of socks quickly, which became a problem. That's where the Morbid Sock comes in. You can use it a plethora of times without it getty crusty or yellow.+