Though it only aired a short time, it was a very influential series amongst many horror fans, including the creators of the X-Files.
Kolchak, the Night Stalker stemmed from two television movies - The Night Stalker, about a vampire in Las Vegas, and The Night Strangler.
For the purpose of this site, let's talk about The Night Strangler (1973). In it, Kolchak is trying to solve the mystery of a 100-year-old alchemist who is killing women for their blood. The blood, taken at a certain time, is key to his potion which gives him immortality.
In movies like this where women are being murdered, it's usually a focus on young women at the prime of their life, such as stripper Charisma Beauty (played by Nina Wayne.)
What makes Charisma apropo to this site is the fact she is in a relationship with a woman named Wilma Krankheimer (portrayed by Virginia Peters).
Charisma and Wilma seem to have a stereotypical butch/femme relationship going. A good look at their relationship is seen here from 3:00 - 5:00:
Now this could be seen as insulting, but I disagree. Unfortunately, Charisma is murdered in front of Wilma in an awful scene. While I hated this, I did like the fact that the writers showed a degree of sensitivity by playing Wilma's shock and sadness at Charisma's death.
Also, one small thing I liked - the heroine of the movie, Kolchak's girlfriend (potrayed by Jo Ann Pflug) joins Kolchak in his pursuit of the killer because she is angry and distraught at Charisma's death.
So while a lot can be said about the so-called stereotypical relationship between Charisma and Wilma, the writers of The Night Strangler gets major kudos for the way they treated the relationship.
Past Know Your LGBT History postings
Know Your LGBT History - All in the Family
Know Your LGBT History - Tongues Untied
Know Your LGBT History - The Celluloid Closet
Know Your LGBT History - Querelle
Know Your LGBT History - Theatre of Blood
Know Your LGBT History - Strange Fruit
Know Your LGBT History - Designing Women
Know Your LGBT History - The Children's Hour
Know Your LGBT History - Sylvester
Know Your LGBT History - Once Bitten
Know Your LGBT History - The Boys in the Band
Know Your LGBT History - Christopher Morley, the crossdressing assassin
Know Your LGBT History - Midnight Cowboy
Know Your LGBT History - Dracula's Daughter
Know Your LGBT History - Blacula
Know Your LGBT History - 3 Strikes
Know Your LGBT History - Paris Is Burning
Know Your LGBT History - The Women
Know your LGBT History - Soul Plane
Know Your LGBT History - The Player's Club
Special Know Your LGBT History - Fame
Know Your LGBT History - Welcome Home, Bobby
Know Your LGBT History - Barney Miller
Know your lgbt history - The Jerry Springer Show
Know your lgbt history - Martin Lawrence and that 'gay guy' on his show
Know your lgbt history - The Ricki Lake Show
Know your lgbt history - Which Way Is Up
Know your lgbt history - Gays in Primetime Soaps
Know your lgbt history - Boys Beware
Know your lgbt history - The Boondocks
Know your lgbt history - Mannequin
Know your lgbt history - The Warriors
Know Your LGBT History - New York Undercover
Know Your LGBT History - Low Down Dirty Shame
Know Your LGBT History - Fortune and Men's Eyes
Know your lgbt history - California Suite
Know your lgbt history - Taxi (Elaine's Strange Triangle)
Know your lgbt history - Come Back Charleston Blue
Know your lgbt history - James Bond goes gay
Know your lgbt history - Windows
Know your lgbt history - To Wong Foo and Priscilla
Know your lgbt history - Blazing Saddles
Know your lgbt history - Sanford and Son
Know your lgbt history - In Living Color
Know your lgbt history - Cleopatra Jones and her lesbian drug lords
Know your lgbt history - Norman, Is That You?
Know your lgbt history - The 'Exotic' Adrian Street
Know your lgbt history - The Choirboys
Know your lgbt history - Eddie Murphy
Know your lgbt history - The Killing of Sister George
Know your lgbt history - Hanna-Barbera cartoons pushes the 'gay agenda
'Know your lgbt history - Cruising
Know your lgbt history - Foxy Brown and Cleopatra Jones
Know your lgbt history - I Got Da Hook Up
Know your lgbt history - Fright Night
Know your lgbt history - Flowers of Evil
The Jeffersons and the transgender community
1 comment:
I am so surprised to find out that Kolchak was only on one season! It seems like it was on TV for the longest time when I was a kid. I actually went to IMDB because I thought you must be mistaken, but no, you're not!
I do remember liking the show. I was also a big fan of Dark Shadows, Rod Serling's Night Gallery, and Tales From The Darkside. This was a fun show in a similar spirit, and I thought Darrin McGavin's character was really entertaining.
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