BY Rich Hanf

They say that one door doesn't close without another door opening, and so it is that we say good bye to one of the industry's favorite scarezines (Fright Times) as we welcome a brand new one.

Larry Kirchner has decided to extend the legend of Hauntworld by adding a magazine in a never ending attempt to better serve the Haunted Community. Hauntworld.com is, well, just that. There is no need to explain. Hauntworld.com is to Haunters what Microsoft is to computers. If that wasn't enough, the Hauntworld Tapes are already up to volume 12…pretty impressive. Knowing Larry the way I do, I know that Hauntworld the magazine will become the premiere magazine of the Haunted Community. Larry has always been good to me. He has rarely censored me on Hauntworld.com, and has featured me time and time again on the videos. We have stood shoulder to shoulder and fought some tough battles over the years. He has told me that there is always a place for me in whatever he does and so I was not at all surprised when he asked me to write for his new magazine. Love it or hate it, I will do my best to keep doing whatever it is that I do. For sure, Larry and Hauntworld the Magazine have some big shoes to fill. Fright Times will always have a special place in the dark corners of my heart. John Denley gave me my first chance to write. He saw the first article I wrote and promptly put it away, publishing the first issue without me because he was afraid of the backlash against what I was saying. It never happened. Somewhere between the first and second issue he showed that article to someone who said he was crazy not to publish it. And so he did…in the second issue, and based on the industry's reaction he published me in every issue thereafter. It wasn't always easy for him. There were times he had to change a thing or two in order to protect us both. There were other times the phone rang with Haunters screaming at him over what I'd written and to his credit, he stood by it…and me.

I had some good times writing for Fright Times. I wrote about anything I wanted to…anything I thought was either funny, controversial, or relevant. I interviewed many a horror celebrity through the years and one of my all time favorites was Phil Morris from Morris costumes. He just might be the last living Ghostmaster. As it turns out, those old horror showmen were, and still are, my heros. Guys like Ray-Mond and his Voodoo show, Dr. Silkinis Asylum of Horrors, and Phil Morris' Dr. Evil stopped me dead in my tracks. These were showmen…professionals, who rented out old movie theaters and performed ghost shows night after night. They filled the shows with crowds that any haunter would be happy to get. As I devoured anything having to do with the old ghost shows, I one day realized that I was also fascinated with the world of circus sideshows. Now, in addition to Ghostmasters like Jack Baker and Bill Neff I added the names of Grind Show legends like John Strong Jr., Fred Olen Ray, Ward Hall, and Capt. Harvey Lee Boswell. These were the side show (also called grind shows because they would grind the people through hour after hour) owner / operators. They used words like Ballyhoo, blow-off, dings, rube, sawbuck, geek, and mark. Their shows varied in nature presenting everything from giant snakes to the worlds largest rat (really a rodent known as a capi bara)…from the two headed baby to the atomic mystery monster to the horrors of drug abuse to the girl with no head…and lets not forget the freak shows!!! Dr. Frankenstein would stick himself with needles and pins while a blockhead stuck a woman's high heel shoe up his nose as his assistant walked on broken glass…it never stopped…and neither did they…performing night after night, town after town, show after show. Between the Ghostmasters and the Grind show guys there is an assemblage of talent and showmanship that is unequaled anywhere…unequaled because they came up the hard way. Think about the talent these guys have. Imagine what it's like being up there on a stage acting like a barker. Well, I don't have to imagine because I know first hand.

I am the Executioner at the New York Renaissance Faire. I have a 2400 sq. ft. torture dungeon and I'm adding a museum of Medieval Weapons of War. Several years ago we got a hanging guy from Morris (Distortions) and built a large stage and gallows for him. While my executioners are inside giving tours (trying to make customers puke or faint), and Roxy and the girls are out front talking to everyone that goes by, my job is to stand up on that stage and "Hawk" the crowds that pass by the gallows. I am a Renaissance Carnival Barker!!! There is literally nothing like it. When you are up there you are the center of attention, and as such, you better be able to deliver. The first year we did the show we had an executioners song…"we'll cut off you head and you'll be dead here at Chepstow Dungeon…we'll burn you with fire and hang you with wire here at Chepstow Dungeon". You get the idea. Most times however it's just me…up there alone…naked in a sense, armed only with my rap, and my wit. It is then that you first begin to respect this time honored profession (if you can call it that). In time you get good. I am now more at ease up on the stage than I am off it. I can't think of anything that builds one's confidence more than getting up on a stage like that and taking on between 10,000 to 15,000 people a day.

Last year (2001), I wanted to expand my horizons so I decided to devote the winter months to building two different side shows. Since I had an extra dungeon show lying around I decided on the "Dungeon Of Doom" and my second show was called "Terrors of the Unknown". I had the facades expertly painted by Kevin McCurdy and his crew and they were knockouts. Inside terrors I had a devil skull with horns that I said was found in some desert…proof that he walked the earth. I had an alien autopsy scene (Roswell secrets revealed), and a Voodoo scene featuring a real Voodoo mask that I got from a witchcraft store in New York City 22 years ago. Of course I had a two headed baby, a devil embryo, and a corpse that I wrapped in gauze saying it was a mummy (see what lies beneath the bandage). I set up both shows at the local town carnival and did we ever have a blast. 2001 was a great year for me. In one year I was a sideshow carnival barker, a Renaissance Faire executioner and show barker, and of course a haunter. Talk about living your dreams!!! It sure beats doing the Mon - Fri 9-5.

So you're saying…that's great for you Rich, but how does that affect me? Well, the answer is that if you look…it really does affect you. You can learn from what I've done. You are haunters…down to the bone. The problem is, that you only get to use your skills and talents for a few weeks a year in October. By branching out the way I did you get to use your talents AND hone your skills ALL YEAR LONG!!! Not only that…how great a promotional vehicle would it be if you had a show in half a dozen of your local carnivals. People could see a little about what you do, you could hand out flyers and coupons, you could build an e-mail data base, and even recruit actors for October……all while having the time of your life.

As I write this it is nearing the end of February. The Chicago show is only 10 days away. 3 weeks ago I had my first Halloween meeting of the season, and I'm already thinking in terms of what new shows I can do this year and what new things I can add to my older shows to spice them up. That's what I'm doing…and you should be too. Don't just sit around waiting for October to come. Use you knowledge and skills to do shows all year long!!! It will make you a better haunter and more importantly a better showman. Between the Grind Show guys and the Ghostmasters, we have an incredible legacy to live up to and perpetuate. I'm doing my part to honor those that came before us…that set the stage for what we are doing today. How about you?