The Paul Lynde Halloween Special
| The Paul Lynde Halloween Special | |
|---|---|
DVD Cover
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| Written by |
Bruce Vilanch Ronny Graham Ron Pearlman Biff Manard Howard Albrecht & Sol Weinstein |
| Directed by | Sidney Smith |
| Starring |
Paul Lynde Margaret Hamilton Billie Hayes Billy Barty Tim Conway Roz "Pinky Tuscadero" Kelly Florence Henderson Betty White KISS Donny Osmond Marie Osmond |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Raymond Katz Sandy Gallin |
| Producer(s) | Bob Booker George Forster Joe Byrne |
| Running time | 51 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Hoysyl Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
The Paul Lynde Halloween Special is a Halloween-themed television special starring Paul Lynde broadcast October 29, 1976 on ABC. It featured guest stars Margaret Hamilton in her first reprisal of her role as the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz. Also guest starring are Billie Hayes as Witchiepoo from H.R. Pufnstuf, Tim Conway, Roz Kelly, Florence Henderson, rock band KISS, Billy Barty as Gallows the Butler, Betty White and, in an unbilled surprise appearance, Donny and Marie Osmond.
Lynde announces to the audience the show is to celebrate a holiday which might be Christmas, Easter or Valentine's Day. His housekeeper Margaret tells him that it is none of those holidays and drops a hint about it being Halloween ("witches, spooks, and strange creatures of the night"). The subsequent musical number has Lynde sing "Kids" (his signature tune) from Bye Bye Birdie with new Halloween-themed lyrics. In order to avoid "pesky kids" the housekeeper takes him to meet her sister, Witchiepoo, who has a pet vulture named Rover guarding her manor's doorway. She also has a short butler named Gallows (Billy Barty). Lynde realizes that Margaret's sister is a witch and Margaret transforms into The Wicked Witch of the West. He is terrified and tries to escape, but Rover confines him to Gloomsbury Manor. The two witches grant three wishes to him. In his first wish he becomes a trucker who competes against a fellow trucker (Tim Conway) for the love of a diner waitress (Roz Kelly). In his second wish he's a sheik trying to woo a kidnapped beauty (Florence Henderson) only to be interrupted by Tim Conway as a Foreign Legion scout sent in to save Henderson from Lynde. In his third wish, Lynde allows the witches to make a choice and they wish to go to a disco. At the disco, Florence Henderson returns to sing a disco version of "That Old Black Magic." Paul is also treated to three performances from KISS, who performs "Detroit Rock City", "Beth" and "King of the Night Time World"—and they engage in a comic exchange with the star after the Wicked Witch of the West introduces the band to Paul.
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