If you grew up in the Bay Area during the 70's, you knew Bob. Maybe not personally, but it's likely he was in your house every Saturday night around the later evening hours, scaring the crap out of you-- Or making you laugh. Sometimes both.
If you never knew about Bob Wilkins,
look him up. Everyone should. He was what some call a 'Horror Host', but he was something of an icon in the Bay Area during the late 60's, 70's and a bit into the 80's. A cigar-puffing, oddly clean-cut sort of harbinger all things fantasy, sci-fi and horror, Bob didn't subscribe to the costumes and makeup of such hosts as Elvira, Vampira or Ghoulardi. His costume was 60's chic - thick rimmed specs, yellow blazer, a soft-spoken yet decidedly sarcastic wit and a trademark set which stood in stark contrast to his pedestrian attire.
From his well known weekend Creature Features shows to Captain Cosmic after school on weekdays, Bob brought creative, colorful, sometimes scary, sometimes hokey fantasy to the watchful eyes of kids and teens.
I'll never forget seeing my first Godzilla movie on Creature Features, or seeing Ultraman, Johnny Sokko, Star Blazers and Spectreman on Captain Cosmic. Camped out on the carpet, watching giant rubber suits clash on that old curved glass color TV, a bowl of cereal and maybe some toys to keep me company, that was about as close to kid Nirvana as I think I ever got.
Despite many bay area appearances and benefits through the decades, the first time I got to meet Bob was at the
Parkway Speakeasy in Oakland around 2004. The opportunity to tell him first hand what his shows meant to a geek like me is something I won't ever forget.
As it happens, Bob was very sick with Alzheimer's for some years so it was time for him to move on to work his magic on the next stage in the game, but I'm still gonna miss him. In my mind's eye, I'm still wrapped in a blanket, staying up late, watching the last few minutes of Son of Godzilla on KTVU Channel 2. Credits roll, cue end title music. Fade out.
G'night, Bob.
