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Sir Graves Ghastly: Horror Host Extraordinaire

Scary Monsters Magazine
By Paul M. Riordan
Issue #21, 1996

Beneath a full yellow moon. a graveyard set stands. Amid the sounds of eerie howls, rustling leaves and a screeching cat, a camera moves through a pair of vine-covered gates. As the camera glides closer, we spy a blue, red-lined coffin seated upon a bier. Abruptly, the figure lying in the open coffin sits up, mustache, sideburns and goatee, and clad in colorful cape and gloves, this flamboyant figure intones. "Welcome to that Ghastly Production, Sir Graves Presents".

This was the opening of a show that holds a very fond place in my memories. I spent many a Friday night and Saturday afternoon in 1970, glued to the TV set, as Sir Graves Ghastly parades his cast of weird (but fun) characters across the screen, while hosting a variety of chillers and thrillers.

"Sir Graves Ghastly", horror host extraordinaire, was the creation of a very talented gentleman named Lawson J. Deming. Sir Graves entertained legions of viewers in the Detroit area from 1967 to 1983 on WJBK-TV 2, and he also appeared on WTOP-TV 9 in Washington, DC for about a year, during the early 70's. This was where I first encountered the magic of Sir Graves, as a 14-year-old monster movie fan. Now, 26 years later, I had an opportunity to chat with Mr. Deming about his career as the Elizabethan actor/vampire/horror movie host.

When I asked him how it all began, Mr.Deming recalled. "Well, we were doing a children's show at channel 2 in Detroit. We started there the last week in 1966. We were there maybe 6 weeks, and they kept looking at me handling the puppets on this show, and thought, 'we ought to give this guy something else to do'. So, they talked to me about a horror movie show on Saturday afternoons at one o'clock, and asked me to come up with a character as the host."

The character that Deming dreamed up was "Sir Graves Ghastly", who was, as he put it, "sort of a half (quote) assed vampire who had trod the boards with Will Shakespeare and got into an argument with Her Majesty the Queen, and was hanged in the Tower of London. Like a bad vaccination, it didn't quite take, and so consequently, Sir Graves was able to return." When I asked him how he had come up with this character, Deming replied, "Oh, it just sort of grew. Y'know, it's a funny thing - when someone says to come up with a character, you really start stretching your imagination."

Mr. Deming's imagination-stretching must have been in full gear, because in addition to Sir Graves, he also developed a number of supporting characters, all portrayed by this talented thespian. "After I got Sir Graves," he recalled, "I figured, well, I just can't sit there and badmouth the movies. So, my first character besides myself which was pre-taped was Baruba, who was a 'familiar' for the vampire. Then, I came up with Tillie Trollhouse (the castle scullery maid), that gorgeous cookie, which was me in drag."

The other members of Sir Graves' cast of characters included his alter-ego, Walter. "He was not quite gay, but he was a little fey", Deming said. "Then we had my cousin Baron Boogala, who was from the Bavarian branch of the family - things like that I would drop in and play to," he continued.

I also asked him about the other two members of his "Rogues Ghoulery", the "Cool Ghoul" and the "Glob". "Cool Ghoul", he recalled, "was a thing where they just showed my head. Cool Ghoul was a hep musician, and he was coming home one night on his motorcycle, got into an accident, and all that's left was his head. Then I did the Glob, which was my face upside down (with a face drawn on the chin) and surrounded by a circle. That's about all the characters I did."

Deming indicated that he has always been interested in some horror movies ("I liked the good horror movies - not the junk, but the good stuff", he told me) and science fiction, so he had a familiarity with the subject before assuming the mantle of horror show host. "I did this character in Detroit for 16 years", Deming said, "I finally gave it up in 1983. I (also) did it for a year in Washington. DC."

"We got trapped into a funny thing in Washington," Deming remembered. "The man who hired me there was the program manager. He'd come from TV-2 in Detroit. Unfortunately, he got trapped in a political thing, so when he went, Sir Graves went - despite good ratings." As a result, we Washington, DC viewers did not have the opportunity to enjoy a long run of "Sir Graves Ghastly Presents". Detroit viewers were much more fortunate.

Still, Deming recalled his brief time in the nation's capital with fondness. Discussing the commute between Washington and Detroit, Deming said, "That wasn't so bad. They'd fly me in and I'd do the show. I had a couple of good directors, and it was amazing - I got mail from people in the Pentagon, the Navy, the Army, college students. It was supposed to be a kid's show," he commented, chuckling.

Deming did two show in Washington each weekend, one on Friday nights at 11:30 PM, and one on Saturday afternoons. "We used to do that in Detroit the same way," Deming told me. The Saturday show seemed to be designed for a younger audience (although most of us watched both). This version of the program featured an "Art Ghoulery", where Sir Graves would display drawings sent in by his younger viewers. He would also read humorous, monster-related riddles mailed in by these same fans.

Deming, who broke into show business with his wife in 1932, and is now 83 years old, also did some producing and directing over the years, and was involved in a number of children's television shows. His portrayal of "Sir Graves Ghastly" was the culmination of his long and varied career.

Deming finally hung up his cape and retired, though, in 1983. Still, his legacy lives on through his now adult viewers, who remember his performances fondly. "It's interesting, " Deming told me, "there was a boy, I think he was eleven when I started doing "Sir Graves" in Detroit, and he was so in love with me that he got into the business, and now he's doing voice-overs in Hollywood. He still calls me regularly."

"Sir Graves" will always hold a special place in the memory of this monster movie fan, as well. It was he who first introduced me to the pleasures of the original FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA films, as well as exposing me for the first time to one of my all-time favorites, ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN. Thanks, Mr. Deming, for all of the joy that you have provided over the years to your faithful viewers, and thanks for giving me one of my finest Monster Memories.

This article reprinted with the kind permission of the author, and Scary Monsters Magazine.

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	Media Crypt: Interviews & Articles
		Sir Graves Ghastly: Horror Host Extraordinaire Scary Monsters Magazine By Paul M. Riordan Issue #21, 1996 Beneath a full yellow moon. a graveyard set stands. Amid the sounds of eerie howls, rustling leaves and a screeching cat, a camera moves through a pair of vine-covered gates. As the camera glides closer, we spy a blue, red-lined coffin seated upon a bier. Abruptly, the figure lying in the open coffin sits up, mustache, sideburns and goatee, and clad in colorful cape and gloves, this flamboyant figure intones. "Welcome to that Ghastly Production, Sir Graves Presents". This was the opening of a show that holds a very fond place in my memories. I spent many a Friday night and Saturday afternoon in 1970, glued to the TV set, as Sir Graves Ghastly parades his cast of weird (but fun) characters across the screen, while hosting a variety of chillers and thrillers. "Sir Graves Ghastly", horror host extraordinaire, was the creation of a very talented gentleman named Lawson J. Deming. Sir Graves entertained legions of viewers in the Detroit area from 1967 to 1983 on WJBK-TV 2, and he also appeared on WTOP-TV 9 in Washington, DC for about a year, during the early 70's. This was where I first encountered the magic of Sir Graves, as a 14-year-old monster movie fan. Now, 26 years later, I had an opportunity to chat with Mr. Deming about his career as the Elizabethan actor/vampire/horror movie host. When I asked him how it all began, Mr.Deming recalled. "Well, we were doing a children's show at channel 2 in Detroit. We started there the last week in 1966. We were there maybe 6 weeks, and they kept looking at me handling the puppets on this show, and thought, 'we ought to give this guy something else to do'. So, they talked to me about a horror movie show on Saturday afternoons at one o'clock, and asked me to come up with a character as the host." The character that Deming dreamed up was "Sir Graves Ghastly", who was, as he put it, "sort of a half (quote) assed vampire who had trod the boards with Will Shakespeare and got into an argument with Her Majesty the Queen, and was hanged in the Tower of London. Like a bad vaccination, it didn't quite take, and so consequently, Sir Graves was able to return." When I asked him how he had come up with this character, Deming replied, "Oh, it just sort of grew. Y'know, it's a funny thing - when someone says to come up with a character, you really start stretching your imagination." Mr. Deming's imagination-stretching must have been in full gear, because in addition to Sir Graves, he also developed a number of supporting characters, all portrayed by this talented thespian. "After I got Sir Graves," he recalled, "I figured, well, I just can't sit there and badmouth the movies. So, my first character besides myself which was pre-taped was Baruba, who was a 'familiar' for the vampire. Then, I came up with Tillie Trollhouse (the castle scullery maid), that gorgeous cookie, which was me in drag." The other members of Sir Graves' cast of characters included his alter-ego, Walter. "He was not quite gay, but he was a little fey", Deming said. "Then we had my cousin Baron Boogala, who was from the Bavarian branch of the family - things like that I would drop in and play to," he continued. I also asked him about the other two members of his "Rogues Ghoulery", the "Cool Ghoul" and the "Glob". "Cool Ghoul", he recalled, "was a thing where they just showed my head. Cool Ghoul was a hep musician, and he was coming home one night on his motorcycle, got into an accident, and all that's left was his head. Then I did the Glob, which was my face upside down (with a face drawn on the chin) and surrounded by a circle. That's about all the characters I did." Deming indicated that he has always been interested in some horror movies ("I liked the good horror movies - not the junk, but the good stuff", he told me) and science fiction, so he had a familiarity with the subject before assuming the mantle of horror show host. "I did this character in Detroit for 16 years", Deming said, "I finally gave it up in 1983. I (also) did it for a year in Washington. DC." "We got trapped into a funny thing in Washington," Deming remembered. "The man who hired me there was the program manager. He'd come from TV-2 in Detroit. Unfortunately, he got trapped in a political thing, so when he went, Sir Graves went - despite good ratings." As a result, we Washington, DC viewers did not have the opportunity to enjoy a long run of "Sir Graves Ghastly Presents". Detroit viewers were much more fortunate. Still, Deming recalled his brief time in the nation's capital with fondness. Discussing the commute between Washington and Detroit, Deming said, "That wasn't so bad. They'd fly me in and I'd do the show. I had a couple of good directors, and it was amazing - I got mail from people in the Pentagon, the Navy, the Army, college students. It was supposed to be a kid's show," he commented, chuckling. Deming did two show in Washington each weekend, one on Friday nights at 11:30 PM, and one on Saturday afternoons. "We used to do that in Detroit the same way," Deming told me. The Saturday show seemed to be designed for a younger audience (although most of us watched both). This version of the program featured an "Art Ghoulery", where Sir Graves would display drawings sent in by his younger viewers. He would also read humorous, monster-related riddles mailed in by these same fans. Deming, who broke into show business with his wife in 1932, and is now 83 years old, also did some producing and directing over the years, and was involved in a number of children's television shows. His portrayal of "Sir Graves Ghastly" was the culmination of his long and varied career. Deming finally hung up his cape and retired, though, in 1983. Still, his legacy lives on through his now adult viewers, who remember his performances fondly. "It's interesting, " Deming told me, "there was a boy, I think he was eleven when I started doing "Sir Graves" in Detroit, and he was so in love with me that he got into the business, and now he's doing voice-overs in Hollywood. He still calls me regularly." "Sir Graves" will always hold a special place in the memory of this monster movie fan, as well. It was he who first introduced me to the pleasures of the original FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA films, as well as exposing me for the first time to one of my all-time favorites, ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN. Thanks, Mr. Deming, for all of the joy that you have provided over the years to your faithful viewers, and thanks for giving me one of my finest Monster Memories. Copyright ©1996 Scary Monsters Magazine. All rights reserved. This article reprinted with the kind permission of the author, and Scary Monsters Magazine. <Back Website ©2002-2005 Keith Milford. All Rights Reserved.