The BBC2 Horror Double Bills were seasons of classic horror movies broadcast annually in the UK on BBC2 television between 1975 and 1983, with a revival in 1993. They provided rare opportunities (in a pre-VHS or DVD era) to see some of these films.
Format and content Each Saturday night during the summer (usually July and August), two horror, science-fiction or fantasy movies would be shown, the majority of which were from Universal and Hammer studios, though lesser known movies were also featured. The first season was broadcast in 1975, under the title "Midnight Movie Fantastic",BBC Genome though the season title would vary throughout the years ("Horror Double Bill," "Monster Double Bill," "Dracula, Frankenstein & Friends"). The third season in 1977 ("Dracula, Frankenstein & Friends"), featured the best known Universal monster titles (paired with each other or a Hammer/AIP title), whilst the final original season in 1981 consisted of titles from Val Lewton's horror cycle made for RKO paired with more obscure modern titles.
After seven years, there was no season in 1982. A final series of Double Bills was broadcast during the summer of 1983, although this season was entirely made up of the classic Universal horrors from the 1930s and 1940s, all of which had been shown before, predominantly in the 1977 season "Dracula, Frankenstein & Friends."
The 1990s
After 1983, the BBC rested the format. However the Double Bills returned in 1993 following the success of an all-night Halloween horror marathon on BBC2 a year earlier. The marathon was introduced and linked by Dr. Walpurgis, played by Guy Henry and created by Kim Newman. The other event of that evening was the broadcast of Ghostwatch on BBC1 starring Michael Parkinson, Mike Smith & Sarah Greene. During this evening, it was intended that Dr. Walpurgis would have the privilege of introducing for the first time on British TV the uncut version of Curse of the Werewolf (Hammer 1960), which the doctor described as having "extra stalk and slash scenes." However, problems led to the showing of the usual cut version of the film. The uncut version aired a few months later.
Dr. Terror's Vault of Horror was broadcast on Fridays on BBC1 between September and December 1993 and featured Guy Henry's character, though he was renamed Dr. Terror. The Double Bills only ran one year, although Dr. Terror would return to introduce individual horrors in 1994 and 1996.
List of films broadcast in the Double Bill
1975 Midnight Movie Fantastic
Date Time Title Detail Saturday, 2 August 1975 22.55 - 00.05 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Decla Productions (1919) 00.05 - 01.20 Quatermass 2 Hammer (1957) Saturday, 9 August 1975 22.45 - 00.00 The Tell Tale Heart Danziger (1960) 00.00 - 01.20 The Premature Burial AIP (1961) Saturday, 16 August 1975 23.15 – 00.20 Noah's Ark (1928) 00.20 – 01.20 Man and His Mate (1940) Saturday, 23 August 1975 22.40 - 00.05 This Island Earth Universal (1955) 00.05 - 01.25 Barbarella Dino de Laurentis/Marianne Productions (1968) Saturday, 30 August 1975 22.55 - 00.05 The Cat and The Canary Paramount (1939) 00.05 - 01.25 The Comedy of Terrors AlP (1963) Saturday, 6 September 1975 22.35 - 00.00 The Beast With Five Fingers Warner Brothers (1947) 00.00 - 01.20 The Maze Allied Artists (1954)
1976 Masters of Terror Date Time Title Detail Saturday, 14 August 1976 22.55 - 00.10 The Phantom of the Opera Universal 1925 00.10 - 01.40 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Paramount 1932 Saturday, 21 August 1976 22.00 - 23.20 Devil Doll MGM 1932 23.20 - 00.50 Frankenstein Created Woman Hammer 1967 Saturday, 28 August 1976 11.00 - 00.05 The Hounds of Zaroff RKO 1932 00.05 - 01.25 Hound of the Baskervilles Twentieth Century Fox 1939 Saturday, 5 September 1976 22.55 - 00.10 The Mad Genius Warner 1931 00.10 - 01.30 The Pit and The Pendulum AlP 1961 Saturday, 14 September 1976 22.50 - 23.55 The Walking Dead Warner 1936 23.55 - 01.20 Dracula Prince of Darkness Hammer 1966
1977 Dracula, Frankenstein and Friends Date Time Title Detail Saturday, 2 July 1977 23.05 - 00.25 Dracula Universal 1931 00.25 - 01.35 Frankenstein Universal 1931 Saturday, 9 July 1977 22.50 - 00.00 Bride of Frankenstein Universal 1935 00.00 - 01.25 Brides of Dracula Hammer 1960 Saturday, 16 July 1977 22.45 - 11.55 The Mummy Universal 1932 00.15 - 01.05 The Wolf Man Universal 1940 Saturday, 23 July 1977 22.10 - 23.45 Son of Frankenstein Universal 1938 23.45 - 01.10 Kiss of the Vampire Hammer 1964 Saturday, 30 July 1977 22.35 - 00.05 Dracula's Daughter Universal 1936 00.05 - 01.30 Plague of the Zombies Hammer 1966 Saturday, 6 August 1977 22.50 - 23.55 The Ghost of Frankenstein Universal 1942 22.55 - 01.10 The Premature Burial AlP 1961 Saturday, 13 August 1977 23.05 - 00.05 The Raven Universal 1935 00.05 - 01.10 The Black Cat Universal 1934 Saturday, 20 August 1977 22.00 - 23.15 Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman Universal 1943 00.05 - 01.35 The Raven AlP 1963 Saturday, 27 August 1977 22.20 - 23.10 House of Frankenstein Universal 1944 00.05 - 01.35 The Reptile Hammer 1966 Saturday, 3 September 1977 21.55 - 23-10 Son of Dracula Universal 1943 23.45 - 01.10 Evil of Frankenstein Hammer 1964 Saturday, 10 September 1977 22.05 - 23.15 House of Dracula Universal 1945 23.20 - 00.35 Fall of the House of Usher AlP 1960
1978 Monster Double Bill Date Time Title Detail Saturday, 8 July 1978 22.55 - 23.55 Murders in the Rue Morgue Universal 1933 23.55 - 01.25 The Man Who Could Cheat Death Hammer 1959 Saturday, 15 July 1978 22.40 - 23.55 The Fantastic Disappearing Man Gramercy Pictures 1958 00.00 - 01.15 X: The Man with the X-ray Eyes AlP 1963 Saturday, 22 July 1978 22.00 - 23.20 The Quatermass Xperiment Hammer 1955 23.50 - 01.35 The Crazies Cambist 1973 Saturday, 29 July 1978 23.15 - 00.15 Man Made Monster Universal 1940 00.15 - 01.15 The Mummy's Curse Universal 1945 Saturday, 5 August 1978 22.40 - 23.55 White Zombie Halperin 1932 00.00 - 01.25 House of Wax Warner 1953 Saturday, 12 August 1978 21.40 - 23.10 Them! Universal 1954 23.45 - 01.05 The Incredible Shrinking Man Universal 1957Saturday, 19 August 1978 22.00 - 23.15 Voodoo IslandBel Air 1957 23.20 - 00.45 Phantom of the Rue Morgue Warner 1953 Saturday, 26 August 1978 22.00 - 23.35 King Kong RKO 1933 23.40 - 01.10 Superbeast A & S Productions 1972
1979 Masters of Terror Date Time Title Detail Saturday, 14 July 1979 22.35-23.50 Doctor X Warner 1932 23.55-01.20 The Curse of Frankenstein Hammer 1956 Saturday, 21 July 1979 22.30-23.30 Sherlock Holmes and the Spider Woman 20th Century Fox 1944 00.00-01.30 The Hound of the Baskervilles Hammer 1959 Saturday, 28 July 1979 22.15-23.25 Night Monster Universal 1942 23.30.01.10 The Devil Rides Out Hammer 1968 Saturday, 4 August 1979 23.00.00.05 Black Friday Universal 1940 00.05.01.35 The Mummy Hammer 1959 Saturday, 11 August 1979 22.05.23.25 The Strange Door Universal 1951 23.25-01.00 Blood from the Mummy's Tomb Hammer 1971 Saturday, 18 August 1979 22.35-23.40 The Mummy's Hand Universal 1944 00.10-01.35 The Satanic Rites of Dracula Hammer 1973 Saturday, 25 August 1979 22.00-23.20 It Came From Outer Space Universal 1951 23.25-01.05 Quatermass and the Pit (film) Hammer 1967
1980 Horror Double Bill
Date Time Title Detail Saturday, 28 June 1980 22.30.00.00 Night of the Demon Sabre 1957 00.02-01.35 The Ghoul Tyburn 1975 Saturday, 5 July 1980 10.10-11.35 The Beast with Five Fingers Warner 1947 23.50-01.30 Chamber of Horrors Warner 1966 Saturday, 12 July 1980 22.40-23.45 The Mad Ghoul Universal 1943 23.50-01.30 Dr. Terror's House of Horrors Amicus 1964 Saturday, 19 July 1980 22.35-23.50 The Devil-Doll MGM 1936 23.55-01.25 Daughters of Satan UA 1972 Saturday, 26 July 1980 22.10-23.40 Curse of the Werewolf Hammer 1960 23.55-01.35 From Beyond the Grave Amicus 1974 Saturday, 2 August 1980 22.35-23.50 Paranoiac Hammer 1963 12.00-01.35 Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter Hammer 1973 Saturday, 9 August 1980 22.35-23.55 The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Warner 1953 00.00-01.20 Night of the Lepus MGM/A.C. Lyles 1972 Saturday, 16 August 1980 22.20-23.40 The Bat UA 1959 23.45-01.20 Legend of the Werewolf Tyburn 1974 Saturday, 23 August 1980 22.40.00.00 Tower of London Universal 1939 00.00-01.20 The Skull Amicus 1965 Saturday, 30 August 1980 00.00-01.35 The Beast Must Die Amicus 1974
1981 Horror Double Bill
Date Time Title Detail Saturday, 4 July 1981 22.35-23.10 I Walked with a Zombie RKO 1943 00.10.01.10 Zoltan, Hound of Dracula Crown International 1978 Saturday, 11 July 1981 23.05-00.15 Cat People RKO 1942 00.15-01.35 Mystery of the Wax Museum Warner 1933 Saturday, 18 July 1981 22.55-00.05 The Seventh Victim RKO 1943 00.05-01.35 Race With The Devil Saber 1970 Saturday, 25 July 1981 21.20-22.30 Isle of the Dead RKO 1940 23.40-01.25 The Crazies Cambist 1973 Saturday, 1 August 1981 22.30-23.45 Bedlam RKO 1946 23.45-01.30 Bug Paramount 1975 Saturday, 8 August 1981 22.50-23.55 The Leopard Man RKO 1943 23.55-01.35 The Shuttered Room Warner 1966 Saturday, 15 August 1981 22.35-23.40 The Curse of the Cat People RKO 1943 23.40-01.10 Eye of the Cat Universal 1969 Saturday, 22 August 1981 22.30-23.40 The Body Snatcher RKO 1945 23.40-01.25 Theatre of Blood Harbor Productions/Cineman 1973
1983 Horror Double Bill
Date Time Title Detail Saturday, 9 July 1983 10.00-11.10 Dracula Universal 1931 11.15-12.30 Frankenstein Universal 1931 Saturday, 16 July 1983 11.45- 01.05 The Bride of Frankenstein Universal 1935 Saturday, 23 July 1983 10.05-11.15 Dracula's Daughter Universal 1936 11.20-01.35 Son Of Frankenstein Universal 1939 Saturday, 30 July 1983 10.35-11.45 The Mummy Universal 1932 11.45-01.00 Ghost of Frankenstein Universal 1942 Saturday, 6 August 1983 10.40-11.50 The Wolfman Universal 1941 11.55-01.10 Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman Universal 1943 Saturday, 13 August 1983 10.15-11.35 Son of Dracula Universal 1943 11.40-12.55 House of Frankenstein Universal 1944 Saturday, 20 August 1983 10.05-11.10 The Mummy's Hand Universal 1940 11.15-12.25 House of Dracula Universal 1945 Saturday, 3 September 1983 (titled Horror Triple Bill) 9.45-10.50 The Black Cat Universal 1934 11.30-12.30 Murders In The Rue Morgue Universal 1932 12.30-01.35 The Raven Universal 1935
1992 BBC2 All-Night Halloween Marathon
The Vault of Horror An all-night festival of terror for Hallowe'en, hosted by Dr. Walpurgis (subsequently renamed Dr. Terror). The producers were Mark Deitch and Nick Freand Jones.
Saturday, 31 October 1992
Time Title Detail 11.00 - 11.20 Introduction by Dr. Walpurgis / What's behind the Door, Mummy?Leading figures in horror discuss what it is that scares people. 11.20 - 11.25 Tales from EC A look at the 1950s horror comic 11.25 - 01.25 Creepshow Laurel Entertainment 1982 01.25 - 01.30 The Art of Illusion With special effects and make up artist Tom Savini 01.30 - 01.40 The Unholy Trinity A discussion on horror's leading men – Freddie, Jason & Pinhead 01.40 - 03.10 The Curse of the Werewolf Hammer 1961 03.10 - 03.15 Prime Evil Sam Raimi & Bruce Campbell talk about The Evil Dead 03.15 - 03.20 Terror on the Page Stephen King and other authors open their books. 03.20 - 04.30 The Bride of Frankenstein Universal 1935 04.30 - 04.35 The Horror of Sex Women's role in horror 04.35 - 04.45 Dario's Friends Dario Argento at work on his new film Trauma 04.45 - 06.10 Death Line Harbor Ventures/K-L Productions 1972 06.10 - 07.25 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Universal 1948 07.25 - 07.30 Close by Dr. Walpurgis
Dr. Terror's Vault of Horror, Series 1993-1996
1993 Dr. Terror's Vault of Horror