For An Old Friend: RIP Dr. Creep

I was checking up on emails and FaceBook when I noticed a message from my cousin posted about 10 hours ago on the passing of Barry Hobart, better known as Dr. Creep at the age of 68.

Dr. Creep, as I always had to call him in public, was just a local celebrity in the grand scheme of things but as both mentor and friend, he was far more to me. I had a fascination with this character at an early age and was honestly more excited about meeting him in person than I was with Adam West dressed as Batman in my childhood in the 70's. Proof of such is that I still have that original autograph that he gave me as a child (Adam West's autographed glossy is long since gone) and I even used a scan of it for my avatar last Halloween as seen below.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f2a9b58ed07b.jpg[/atsimg]

Barry, as I later came to know him, was there throughout my teenage years, were we would often run into each other at various public functions such as parades, festivals and obviously Halloween related events. It was amazing to me that he would come to different plays (and kept track of my other acting performances). We talked at length about public presentation, perception and working a crowd. We also talked at length the differences between a live crowd versus recorded medium.

Now I will make no pretenses that either of us were great undiscovered thespians that the whole of the world missed out upon. Nor that I am particularly entertaining, even on the various ATS Live Shows. But one of the lessons was that you have to find fulfillment in what you are doing. Something that I have taken to heart on numerous occasions which does include my participation on ATS.

The last time that Dr. Creep and I spoke to one another was around Halloween of 2002, which was a particularly low time in my life. Seeing him again, working a table outside of Foy's in Fairborn was great and sad at the same time as it took him a while to remember me after all the years that had passed. Physically, his health wasn't that great back then despite still working and still playing the crowd. The years had taken their toll on such a giving man that deferred years of pay and royalties to charity. In fact, Shock Theater was pretty much a self-funded venture even past the early days, despite the ratings and public admiration for the character.

And while I am sure his headstone won't have it, it would only be fitting if the epitaph was to include "He Was A Sickie" I know that it would give Barry a warm smile that his life's work was remembered in such a way.

reply to post by Ahabstar


Dear Sir,

I do not know this man; but, I do appreciate your loss. I am sorry for the pain that you and his family feel and wish I had known the man you described. There was a time when individuality created greatness. For me, there was a gentleman in Los Angeles known as Seymore, he hosted our horror shows on low rated channels. He even made it into a couple of movies. Then there is Chilly Willy of Pennsylvania, his daughter starred in "Day of the Dead" but in Pennsylvania he was more famous. I apologize if this is not reverent enough, I do not know the man of who you wrote, I knew others and how they effected me.

I grew up on horror films. I watched them on black and white television. 13 whopping channels. The people who were not mainstream were rare. Local television at 3 in the morning was the only truth we got. The truth was that the world could be fun. Because of the times, 3 in the morning meant freedom. Horror films were played on the weekends, if you were lucky you had a Seymore, Chilly Willy or the man you reference. Somebody who didn't have to play by the rules. I hope everyone who grew up on your hero knows how much he gave to charity.

I stopped watching television a few years ago, with all the cable channels I still don't find originality. Back in the day the cost was cheep and people could be themselves at 3 in the morning or on a Saturday afternoon. I am up late, it is 3 in the morning where I am and I have had some wine; but, I still remember Seymore and the joy he brought me, I think you may feel the same. Long before there were "geeks" we existed, those who wanted something amusing and not mainstream, I thank those local people who provided us with that. With all of the local horror hosts being draws is it not odd that there was never a national horror show? The closest we got was Elvira who was syndicated but not on a national channel.

I do hope this helped explain my post. We all had our local horror host, each one was unique and special. I can only appreciate your feelings in light of my own when Seymore passed away and others can appreciate your loss better because they had someone who gave them the same feelings. These people changed lives by being unique. I wish I had seen the gentleman and if you have not, I wish you had seen Seymore, he was amazingly unique and I believe all of the people that we enjoyed locally were unique. Be well.

sorry to hear about your loss ,just keep in mind ..this was a good thing .. it was ment to be , and Love is what he is now

I'm sorry for your loss Ahab.

to Dr. Doom,,, sickie.

reply to post by Ahabstar


I'm sorry for the loss of your friend Ahab. He seems to have been a unique individual and, well, it's the unique people who make this world a bearable place.

Here's to Dr Creep!

~Heff

Well that was the cool part of the situation. Back when TV station were local affiliates and had to fill the air time with local programing was the golden age of TV. The dominate formats were hosted horror show that backed the B-films as they made it palatable for otherwise miserable. The other being children's programing. Many stations had their own versions of the greats such as Howdy Doody, Bozo the Clown, Captain Kangaroo.

Dr.Creep with Buffy the Dog filled that role for the Dayton, Ohio market. For Cincinnati, their children's host was Uncle Al (also passed on in recent years).

Much like the toys of today that are replicated hyper-realistic design and TV is a 24/7 stream of identical programing and syndications; this robs children today of some of the more important tools of development: Imagination and Creativity.

And if you all will excuse the slight diversion to conspiracy theory... it is this lack of imagination and creativity more than the sanitized government standards for education where lasses are tooled for little more than passing a standardized test to measure their learning comprehension than knowledge and use of that information.

Much more it the pity that when we really started talking, Shock Theater was a memory for many with no hope of return. I would like to think that he wanted to use me on the show at one time for the experience and professional credit. Even in the late 80's, he felt he would one day return to the front of the camera. And did to a small degree via public access programming on cable which was the last bastion of independent programming outside of the internet... which is growing by leaps and bounds by recalling old conventions long abandoned by the corporate world of radio and television, yet still have the appeal of the masses wishing to be entertained.

I may have to pull out the highlights DVD, laugh at the absurdity and camp. If only to watch a guy happy doing what he loved.

reply to post by Ahabstar


Dear Sir,

I agree with everything you said, including the dumbing down of people. I learned more from freaks than from normals. I thank God that I am autistic, a blessing to me. The variation that my Seymour created helped me to see variation as a blessing. This man was your Seymour. They said, in a time when variation was allowed, that it was okay to be different and that there were people who would accept us. That there were others like us, the fringe; but, still others.

I was a geek when geeks did not have a name. People like these freaks (said with a positive inclination) showed us that geeks could be funny and smart and successful. I ran a couple videos of your Seymour, I like it. I do hope you will at least watch a video of my Seymour. They are the same person, someone having fun being different and not a negative, just having fun. Different does not mean conflict, it can mean fun.

I pray for you and his family to know that he was special to God and that he was special to those he helped just by being him. Be well.

Barry was an old friend also. I first met Dr. Creep when i was 15. It was a contest to be buried alive at the North Star Drive Inn in Dayton Ohio. I won the contest and was buried alive for 2 days in front of the screen while The Omen played on screen. lol. Over the years i went on the be buried alive 5 times total and Barry was there for all of them. Once i went down for 6 days in a coffin, 6 feet under. Just last week i was at Kettering Medical Center, and had heard that Barry was ill so i checked to see if maybe he was there. I wanted to see him and cheer him up. He was not and 2 days later he was dead. Barry was a good friend and i have never felt so old. I am 49 now and really feel old at the moment.

If some of you don't know who Dr. Creep was, google him. There is some youtube from the old days of him. It may look a bit silly now but back in the day, He WAS the king horror.

Take care old friend

earthman
Dave Shock