As a gradeschooler in the 70's, Friday nights were reserved for spending the night at my Grandmother's house where we had a regular schedule of dinner, Dukes of Hazard, Love Boat, Fantasy Island, and finally... Sammy Terry! Of course, I never watched the movies - I only cared about terrifying myself by watching Sammy Terry rise from the coffin and then I would go to bed with Grandma and lay there for an hour praying that Sammy would not come through the window!
An additional hilarious memory of Sammy Terry and my two younger brothers was arriving home after dark one evening, the youngest child the first in the house and to run down the hallway. The other brother and I stopped immediately in the living room to turn on the television, which had been left on channel 4. The first thing we saw as we stood RIGHT NEXT TO THE TV was a full screen picture of Sammy Terry's face with his booming and evil laugh to remind everyone to watch on Friday night. The brother and I screamed bloody murder and ran for our mother. As we did so, the youngest child, having no idea what was wrong, decided if it was that bad for the two older ones, he ought to join in the screaming and crying too. No one would go near the TV to turn it off and my poor mother had to make her way to it with three terrified toddlers stuck to her leg!
Very first memory of Sammy Terry was when I was about 2 or 3 (don't know what the hell my parents were thinking), sitting on the floor and watching him come out of his coffin. As soon as he started his laugh (which I totally love) I took off running. Another fond memory was dressing up for Halloween (as an old man) and going to Paramount Pizza Palace and waiting forever for our pizza. I fell asleep and I personally believe he did this just for me but, he began his laugh at the exact time our pizza arrived. I woke and and ate the pizza. Favorite movie he showed: Can't remember the name but had demon dog (don't they all) and a children's birthday party where blood came out of the pipes and landed on the children at the party.
NAME: Johnny
DATE: 3-13-2004
I only remember seeing a few Sammy Terry shows, but ever since he has left an unforgettable impression in my mind. I was born in 1980, so by the time I was old enough to watch what I wanted to Sammy was off the air. Sammy would always scare the heebyjeebs out of me when ever I saw him on television. I remember one incident particularly. I was about 7 or 8 years old and my mom left me by myself in the house while she went next door to the neighbors. She left the tv on and as soon as she left Sammy Terry came on the air. Immediately I was frightened and I tried hiding underneath a table that was way to low for me to get under. When my mom walked back into the house I was struggling beneath the table. LoL
I love your site, I would love to see you expand your page to include, Cowboy Bob, and Janie, and any other local celebs...Remember the old car commercial, I forget the company, but the catch phrase was, "Nooooo body!"
Keep up the good work.
(That was Bob Catterson Buick. As for expanding the site, I would love to when the time presents itself. Anyone who'd like to help in such a project feel free to contact me--JDM.)
I remember Sammy Terry being on every Friday night and couldn't wait til he came on T.V. even thou I knew that he was going to scare the hell out of me and that i was going to hide under the blankets when he came on. I think it was his laugh that scared me the most. My last memory of Sammy Terry was Holloween when he appeared at the American Cable Company Holloween party. I want my kids to see him he is a part of my childhood and I wanted them to experience some of him as well. I wish that they would bring him on T.V. one more time just for use Sammy Terry fans to enjoy one more time. My uncle once told me that Sammy Terry was his brother because his last name was Terry as well and we believed him. Sammy you put alot of kids in the 60's and the 70's a good scareing and we all miss you.
For me, Sammy was always the scariest thing this side of Richard Nixon. When I was very young (probably 7 or 8, but the haze of time has played havoc with my bourbon-addled brain, so I could be a bit off) I saw Sammy in person at an Indiana Pacers game. He did a skit with Cowboy Bob and Janie at half-time that involved him threatening Janie with eternal damnation or something like it. Cowboy Bob came to the rescue, of course.
I remember standing in line to get Sammy's autograph after the game. The fear and anticipation as I waited in line was the biggest rush of my young life. Finally, I got to the front of the line, and there was this towering figure. After seeing him on my tiny black and white TV for all those years, I was completely dumbfounded by his size. He seemed huge. "Hello, little boy," he said in that voice like curdled molasses. I handed him the piece of paper I had brought, and that's when I noticed that his gloves were dishwashing gloves with crayon scrawled all over them. The first in a long line of disillusioning experiences. I think I was more crushed to realize that Sammy wasn't a real vampire than when I learned that Santa was a global lie. But I forgive Sammy. He scared the crap out of me for many years, and for that I am grateful.
When I was A kid growing up in rural indiana in the 1960,s and 1970,s Nightmare Theater was a big part of my life. When we as grown up people start to Look back on our childhood and think of the kind of Stuff we see on TV NOW. Mr Bob Carter Gave us fun and some self respect. What A Treasure To the State OF INDIANA he is. I will always have fond memories of sammy terry And Mr Bob Carter.
Back in 1980, I was a 5th grader and had entered an art contest, and won! I was invited to be a guest on the Cowboy Bob Show and while there, Cowboy Bob asked if I would like to pet Tumbleweed or meet Sourdough. Playing the 10 year old ungrateful child... I remember scowling at him and telling him "nah, I don't want to... this stinks... I want to meet Sammy Terry!" and threw a fit. Cowboy Bob looked like his ego had taken a blow and the other adults that were around were all snickering. I made a big deal over it until they relented. Unfortunately Sammy wasn't in the studio at that hour, but they DID let me see his set, the coffin and George! I proceeded to school where everyone was talking about me being on TV and all I was excited about was having gotten to see Sammy's set!
Sammy scared the hell out of me when I was young! I then got hooked on him right away! He is my first HERO! I have tried to tell my kids about him, but they just don't get it.They have never seen him.
I taped part of the show this past Halloween to show them. Now they will understand!
I miss Sammy!
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