Halloween Special 1976

The Paul Lynde Halloween Special
October 29, 1976

I don't remember watching this show in October of 1976........at the time I was 16 years old and I probably thought it the height of cheese.

But watching the grainy clip on YouTube nowadays brings forth nostalgia for the Fall of '76, disco music, and CB radios.

Lynde (1926 - 1982) was an 'eccentric' (wink-wink) actor who, during the 60s and 70s, played supporting roles on many TV shows, including Bewitched, as well as hosting the short-lived The Paul Lynde Show.

For his 1976 Halloween Special, Lynde shared air time with Donny and Marie Osmond, Carol Burnet Show regular Tim Conway, Betty White, Billy Barty, and Florence Henderson (who lip synchs 'That Old Black Magic' while wearing a slinky sequined black gown).

But the most idiosyncratic moment of the show comes at the 26:11 mark, when Kiss comes onstage to lip synch to 'Detroit Rock City'. 

Later in the program the band returns to do Peter Criss's ballad 'Beth', after which the host exchanges some repartee with the band (who tower over him due to their platform shoes). 

Kiss segues to another lip synch, this time for 'King of the Night Time World'. 

The show closes with a disco dance number led by Roz Kelly (best known for playing 'Pinky Tuscadero' from Happy Days). 

It's all corny, clean, wholesome fun from 45 years ago.........