The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (1976) (TV)

Director:

Sidney Smith

Writers:

Howard Albrecht (written by)
Billy Barnes (special material by)

Release Date:

29 October 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Witchipoo and the Wicked Witch of the West give Paul Lynde three wishes for Halloween. KISS performs three songs. Florence Henderson sings a disco version of "That Old Black Magic."

Plot Keywords:

Three Wishes | Halloween | Witch | Christmas | Housekeeper

Cast

Paul Lynde	...	Himself / Big Ruby Red / Sheik
Tim Conway	...	Dynamite Dan / Long Haul Howard / Seymore
Roz Kelly	...	Herself / Hinky Pinky (as Roz 'Pinky Tuscadero' Kelly)
Margaret Hamilton	...	Housekeeper / The Wicked Witch of the West
Billie Hayes	...	Witchiepoo
Billy Barty	...	Gallows
Florence Henderson	...	Herself / Cecily Westinghouse
Betty White	...	Miss Halloween
KISS	...	Themselves
Donny Osmond	...	Himself
Marie Osmond	...	Herself

Runtime:

USA:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Trivia:

After Betty White (as Miss Halloween) departs, Paul Lynde cracks: "She has a striking resemblance to Betty White. But then so many witches do." This special was made when White's best-known role was the bitchy Sue Ann Nivens on "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970)

Quotes:

[first lines]
Paul Lynde: [singing] # We wish you a Merry Christmas, / We we wish you a Merry Christmas. #

Movie Connections:

References Billy Jack (1971)

Soundtrack:

Dixie (I Wish I Was in Dixie)

Must be seen, cannot be believed

The planets align, the time capsule opens, and out pops Paul Lynde's 1976 Halloween special for ABC, finally released on DVD. Lay off the mind-altering substances if you watch this. This relic is enough of a mind-blower.

Avant-garde in its stupidity, the special features Paul in a variety of skits with a Halloween theme. See Paul trapped in a castle run by witches, played by Margaret Hamilton and Billie Hayes. See Paul as the Rhinestone Trucker, competing with Tim Conway for the affections of Roz Kelly (Pinkie Tuscadero from "Happy Days.") See Paul as the Chic Sheikh, wooing Florence Henderson. See Florence lip-sync her way through "That Old Black Magic," and see Paul bump and grind with Roz Kelly as she warbles "Disco Lady." Also lending a hand — as if that weren't enough — are Donny and Marie, Betty White and Billy Barty.

Of course, this special is best known as KISS' network debut, and they do "Detroit, Rock City," "Beth" and "King of the Nighttime World" on a bizarre stage with orange neon bats and dancers with fluorescent wigs. Of course, it would only be a matter of time before the band made "KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park," another surrealistically stupid masterpiece.

The bonus features on the S'More DVD are disappointing, with some unremarkable quotes from Paul's interviews, a collection of archive photos (with barely readable captions), and a "Name that Quip" trivia challenge. An audio interview with "Hollywood Squares" host Peter Marshall, however, is remarkably candid.

I can't guarantee you'll laugh, but you're certain to be astonished. For better or worse, they don't make 'em like this anymore!