Reporter Carl Kolchak's third reported encounter with the supernatural, the Ripper, was broadcast the night of September 13, 1974.


Chris Stachiw and Mike White discuss the first episode of The Night Stalker (AKA Kolchak: The Night Stalker). Written by Rudolph Borchert and directed by Allen Baron (Blast of Silence).


The episode pits Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) against Jack the Ripper who has come to Chicago to slaughter sex workers (and Carl's fellow reporter Jane Plumm (Beatrice Colen). The episode introduces us to Carl's co-worker Ron Updyke (Jack Grinnage) and the actress Ruth McDevitt who will return in later episodes.

Special Guest:Mark Dawidziak, author of The Night Stalker: A 25th Anniversary Tribute.

Links:

Buy Kolchak: The Night Stalker series on DVD

Buy Everything I Need to Know I Learned in the Twilight Zone: A Fifth-Dimension Guide to Life by Mark Dawidziak

Read the It Couldn't Happen Here discussion of "The Ripper"

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