From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Fri Sep 27, 2002  1:17 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : John Zacherle
 
JOHN ZACHERLE

Born 27 September 1918, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Zacherle earned a bachelor's degree in English literature from the
University of Pennsylvania, served in the Army during WW II and
then began a struggling career as an actor. By 1957, he hosted a
horror TV show on WCAU TV in Philadelphia, called "Shock Theatre",
where he played a charachter called Roland, a blood-drinking midnight
emcee. The response was immediate. Ratings soared, Zacherle fan
clubs were formed and personal appearances were demanded.
Bernie Lowe, co-owner of Cameo Records, saw how his daughter loved
Roland and got the idea for a record. It was called "Dinner with Drac",
a novelty rocker with limerick lyrics and backing by Dave Appel and his
Applejacks. However, Dick Clark (who owned part of the record) thought
it was too gory for his American Bandstand show which went on the
network just about the same time as Roland first appeared on Philly
television. It was originally flipped with "Igor." Cameo quickly took John
Zacherle back into the studios and re-cut another version that was tamer.
That's the version that was aired on Bandstand. (Clark also made Lloyd
Price re-cut "Stagger Lee" in order to get air play.) There was just one
problem, everyone outside of Philadelphia wanted the Bandstand version.
However, radio station powerhouses like WIBG, the Big 99 in Philadelphia
were playing the original version. Lowe came up with a solution. Re-issue
"Dinner with Drac" with both versions (one of each side) and eliminate "Igor."
The song was a smash, peaking at # 6 in March 1958, and was released on
London-American in the UK. Needless to say, it was banned by the BBC.
Follow-ups like "Eighty-two Tombstones", "I Was A Teenage Caveman"
and "Hury Bury Baby" failed to register, but the "Drac" hit was sufficient
to maintain a showbiz career for decades, particularly in radio.

Website: http://www.zacherley.com/
In 2001 Collector's Coice reissued the 1960 album "Spook Along With Zacherley"
on CD.

(With thanks to Wayne Jancik.)