 | Ray Sparenberg known as Selwin was a horror host on Indianapolis's WISH-TV between 1958 to 1963. The new channel (only 4 years old) bought the Shock Theatre package, and inspired by the horror host character Zacherley decided to create their own. Dave Smith who was the Program Manager at the time enlisted Ray Sparenberg, who himself was one of the station's directors to play the role. He was picked because he had a particularly maniacal laugh. Unlike many other horror hosts who ad-libbed much of their on-screen banter, every word of Selwin's was scripted by Smith. Which he wrote just before the show aired, and was typed into the teleprompter by Sparenberg himself. The show ran every Friday night at 11:15pm, and was called Friday Night Fright Night. Possibly one of the influences of the horror film Fight Night (1985). |
The name "Selwin" was supposed to give the character a sense of Britishness, which Sparenberg attempted badly to add to with a terrible fake British accent. He openly mimicked the make-up style of Zacherley, with added Zacherley style black cape, and a broad-brimmed hat. And initially wore claw-like rubber gloves, which he had to drop because they became to cumbersome to wear. The character and the show was massively popular, when the fan club Selwin's Society of the Shroud was formed, the station was swamped with requests for membership cards.
