Amos 'N Andy on WGHP 8 in High Point, NC

WGHP channel 8 went on the air on October 14, 1963. The station aired Amos 'N Andy each weeknight until 1966 when the show was pulled from syndication. The last time the show was on WGHP's schedule was April 18 -22, 1966.

October 15, 1966 - Bob Gordon's Popcorn Theatre on WSJS 12

         On Friday September 9, 1966, Bob Gordon's long weekday run on WSJS 12 came to an end. On Saturday afternoon September 17, 1966 Bob Gordon moved to weekends where he stayed until August 15, 1976. Bob had done several  Saturday "Popcorn Theatre" shows in 1965 which were very popular. Popcorn Theatre aired on Saturday afternoons during Pro Football season. Then he would switch to Sunday afternoons during Major League Baseball season. When the two ball seasons overlapped or there were special sporting events, Bob might be pre-empted or if time permitted he might air a shorter version of his show. The longest Bob Gordon weekend show I remember seeing was about five hours in length with the shortest being one hour. It just depended on how much time was available.

The Dick Bennick Show in 1966

         Dick Bennick began working at WGHP 8 in High Point, NC during January 1966. In addition to his Saturday afternoon show, Mr. Bennick hosted many other shows for the station that year. Among those shows were Dick's Digest, Quiz Club, Around Town, Summertime, Shock Theatre (as Count Shockula) as well as reporting the weather when the station called on him to do so.

The Bill Hefner Show on WGHP 8 in High Point, NC

Another great show produced in the studios of WGHP channel 8.

R.I.P. Lee Kinard

        The Good Morning Show ad is from 1965 and The TV Matinee ad is from 1966. Lee Kinard was a pioneer in our local TV history. Rest in peace.

Championship Wrestling with host Charlie Harville

George Becker and Johnny Weaver with Charlie Harville.

Klassroom Kwiz on WGHP 8 in 1966

This episode of Klassroom Kwiz was taped at the WGHP 8 studio in High Point, NC on Wednesday November 2, 1966. The show aired on Sunday November 6, 1966. The host was Charlie Harville.

WGHP 8 in Color

The color studio camera's arrived in 1967 in order for WGHP to produce their local programming in color.

Happy Birthday To Bob Gordon!

I would like to wish Bob Gordon (Robert Van Horn) a happy 88th birthday today.Thank you for all the wonderful memories I have from watching your shows in the sixties and seventies.I miss those days.

  

WGHP News - November 1966

The WGHP channel 8 news team in Nov.1966 was Tom Hayden-news, Georgia Castle-weather and Charlie Harville-sports.

Dark Shadows - WGHP 1966

Wikipedia and other sites on the web have information stating that WGHP channel 8 in High Point never broadcast Dark Shadows as part of their schedule. That information is false.There were many of the ABC network shows that WGHP moved to different timeslots to accomadate their local programming.Dark Shadows was just one of those. The clipping you see here is from Dec.27,1966. Look at the 10:00 a.m. slot for the Nurses on channel 8. The Nurses was also moved from the afternoon schedule. On other ABC affiliates the Nurses aired in the afternoon prior to Dark Shadows.

Romper Room - WGHP

Feb.8,1966 on WGHP channel 8 with Miss Libba Hinkle.

Thriller with Boris Karloff - WGHP

The ad is from May 1966.

Dick Bennick as Count Shockula 1966

On Thanksgiving night,November 24,1966, Sandra Crissman was crowned "Mess Lexington" by Count Shockula (Dick Bennick). The contest was sponsored in part by WGHP channel 8's Shock Theatre. This was part of the "Mess America" contest sponsored by WGHP's Shock Theatre and Famous Monsters of Filmland Magazine.

Dick Bennick

I have been working on narrowing down the date when Dick Bennick started working for WGHP channel 8 in High Point ,NC. So far I have a newspaper article published on Nov.9, 1965 that has him still working at radio station WTOB as a disc jockey in Winston-Salem, NC. The article also states he will doing his magic act at a dinner banquet. The above photo of Dick Bennick as Count Shockula appeared in a Nov. 19, 1966 newspaper article about the upcoming "Mess" America contest to be held on Nov. 26, 1966 at the Carolina Theatre in Winston-Salem , NC. The contest was sponsored by WGHP channel 8 and Famous Monsters of Filmland Magazine. Dick Bennick was hosting Shock Theatre as Count Shockula. The Count was going to be there to crown "Mess America". Dick Bennick also hosted "The Dick Bennick Show" (Saturday afternoon's) and Quiz Club in 1966. By mid-1966 his Saturday afternoon show had become a dance party type show featuring teenagers from area high schools and area garage bands as well as some recording artists. Percy Sledge is one of the stars I remember seeing perform on the show. On January 1,1968 Dick Bennick began co-hosting morning show on WGHP with Bob Poole called "TV Party Line." Later Bennick would host the "Dialing for Dollars" movie on WGHP.