About Night-Frights TV Show
Night-Frights began in 2007 as a weekly TV show hosted by Evelle LeChat. The show is called Night-Frights Classic Horror Movies with Evelle. To learn more about Evelle, please visit our About Evelle LeChat page.
History
Night-Frights shows classic vintage horror movies and occasionally some newer movies by Charles Band and other independent filmmakers. The show began in 2007 and aired on cable TV in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas for many years. When the parent TV company was sold to a religious network, the show was cancelled. Night-Frights was then picked up by some other horror networks where it continues to be shown seasonally near Halloween both in the US and England.
Night-Frights was born when some television producers had the idea to bring classic horror back to Arkansas. There had never been a horror program produced in Arkansas and classic movies had not aired there for decades. The producers had a concept, but knew that without a host, the idea would not come to fruition. They put up a casting notice seeking just the right actor to fill the part. Oddly enough, they originally thought they would hire a blond, just to do something different from the traditional raven-haired horror hosts. They were also seeking someone upbeat and bubbly, also quite a stray from the traditional idea of a horror host.
The actors were told to prepare a review of The Brain that Wouldn’t Die. The auditions progressed with the actors providing a brief recap of the movie. They were all “normal” looking and were wearing regular street attire. Some were wearing considerably less than others, going for the sexy titular approach. Then, one actor showed up. She walked in with hip-length jet-black hair (not a wig), porcelain-white skin, and a dress Morticia would have envied. When she delivered her incredibly detailed review of the movie, complete with unpublished personal trivia about the actors, she did so with a bloody tray around her neck covering her shoulders, mimicking the effect of a severed head. Well, they weren’t looking for a gothic vampiric host, but they instantly knew Evelle was exactly what the show needed.
Night-Frights Fan Base Grows
Night-Frights became an immediate hit. People were gathering in coffee shops, dressed in gothic attire, to watch the show together each Friday and Saturday night and the fan base grew quickly. Evelle had a live “fright line” where fans could call in during and after the show and this proved to be very popular.
Night-Frights Won Awards
Night-Frights won MIDI awards its first and second seasons for excellence in programming by the Mid-America Cable Telecommunications Association.
Night-Frights Fueled Other Horror Events
That same year Evelle teamed up with the producers of the Full Moon Horror convention to bring the very first horror convention and film festival to Arkansas. That event drew celebrities and attendees from all over the country including Elvira, Charles Band, Kane Hodder, Micheal Graves (of the Misfits), Tony Todd, Jeffrey Coombs, Linda Blair, Ari Lehman, Enigma and many others. Coinciding with that event Evelle also graced the cover of Sync magazine and she officiated at an actual wedding marrying two zombies. (Evelle is a licensed minister.)
A few years later Evelle organized the first (and still the largest) zombie walk in Arkansas. Zombies invaded downtown Little Rock with all of the proceeds benefiting a local animal shelter. This event predated The Walking Dead and zombie walks were rare at that time.
Night Frights Grows from a Way of Life to a Business
As soon as Night-Frights began airing on TV, Evelle began traveling to horror conventions to promote the show and meet fans. Unlike other horror hosts, Evelle isn’t a “regular person” portraying a character. She doesn’t wear crazy wigs, makeup or costumes. Evelle truly is a macabre individual and she lives the horror-infused life of a vampire. Evelle’s taste is extremely gothic and she has designed her own clothing and furnishings her entire life. Fans kept wanting to know where she acquired her clothes and decor, so Evelle decided to hire people to reproduce her designs so she can share them with you. Evelle teamed up with a couture clothing designer to bring Vampire Attire™ to life and with many manufacturers to bring Ghoulish Goodies™ to you.
Evelle celebrates you, the true horror fan. Welcome to the Night-Frights‘ family. Please hang (upside down) with us and stay for a bite.