|
Morgus the Magnificent - Bumbling, egotistical
mad scientist (played by former WWL radio deejay Sidney Noel Rideau who hosted House
of Shock on WWL-TV in New Orleans from 1959-1962.
Sporting disheveled hair, protruding teeth, and a filthy lab coat with a red
handprint on the back, the slightly stooped Morgus the Magnificent (full name:
Dr. Momus Alexander Morgus, Esq.) hosted horror movies from his laboratory
located in an abandoned ice house in the French Quarter.
His assistants were Chopsley (played by Tommy George), a hooded executioner who took all the blame
for Morgus' failed experiments; and ERIC (The Eon Research Infinity Computer), an ass-kissing
computerized skull who opened and
closed the program amidst the strains of eerie music (ERIC's voice provided by
Ed Hoerner). Other players included Morgus' landlady, Mrs. Alma Fetish (Janet
Shea 1986-89) and Morgus' manager, Wiley Faye (Matt Borel 1986-89).
The popularity of the Morgus character inspired a record entitled "Morgus the
Magnificent" (1959) by Morgus and the Ghouls (a.k.a. "Frankie Ford and Mac
Rebennack"), as well as his own movie The Wacky World of Dr. Morgus (1961). Sid
Noel left the show for New York in 1962.
In 1964, he reprised his character on "Morgus Presents" at WJBK-TV in Detroit.
From 1965-67 he returned Morgus to New Orleans on WWL-TV and on WDSU-TV from
1970-71 until he quit the show. In the 1980s devotees of Morgus organized a fan
club known as MORGUS (Morgusian Order to Revive a Glorious Understanding of
Science).
A renewed interest in Morgus spawned the return of Morgus in the fall of 1986 on
Channel 26, WGNO-TV in New Orleans under the familiar title Morgus Presents. The
program was briefly syndicated through July 1989 in the cities of Albany,
Atlanta, Baltimore, Little Rock, New York and Wichita. As of 2005, Morgus was
back on the air in New Orleans on Cox 10 cable.
External Links
Back to Top |
