JUNGLE JAY WQAD TV 8 MOLINE, ILLINOIS

In the dawn of time of WQAD TV 8 Moline, Gene King played favorite kids show host Jungle Jay on the daily Jungle Jay Show, which was in direct competition to Captain Ernie and Grandpa Happy, as well as Dr. Ygor on the weekly horror show Chiller Theater which is the predecessor to Acri's Creature Feature. Gene unfortunately parted ways with Channel 8 over a contractual disagreement and eventually moved to the Denver area. However, the great memories of this time period remain of Jungle Jay and Ygor for Gene's legions of fans in the Quad City area.

No known copies of Jungle Jay or Chiller Theater remain. If you have memories, pictures or film of either of these shows, please email me! It would be terrific to hear from you to help tell the story of Jungle Jay, Dr. Ygor and Gene King!



12/10/2007 ... Now to Chiller Theater/Jungle Jay. Jay and Dr. Igor were both played by Gene Edward King. He went by the name of Gene Edwards. As the story goes, when he got hired by WQAD before they went on the air, he said he'd use his name Gene King. But since Jim Ketz (King) had already been hired and was going to use the King name, Gene had to use something else. So he used his middle name. Besides doing Jungle and Igor, Gene was also the host of The Home Show... news, farm markets, public service stuff (ala Paula Sands), and they even had live music everyday with the Ernie George Trio.

Jungle/Chiller were on for a couple of years. I remember having Dr. Igor sign my cast when I broke my leg in 1964. He may have been let go from the station, as they had money problems at one time and let lots of people go. Gene drove an old Cadillac hearse around town and I'm assuming he owned it, as it was always parked at his house on 27th Street in Moline. Where he went after channel 8 is unknown, but I do know Gene is dead and I believe he died in the early 1990's. As I remember, Jungle Jay was on from 4:00 to 5:00 M-F and Chiller Theater hit the airwaves at 10:30pm.

Think that's about all I can come up with. Jungle Jay was unique for its time in using the jungle pictures. It was actually a pretty good show. Same with Chiller Theater. Both were fairly popular, as they were something new, especially Chiller.

WOC Alumni, historian and author of "Someplace Special...KSTT - Dave Coopman

12/10/2007 ... Do you remember a man from two shows that aired in the early 60s on channel 8? Each day he was I think, Jungle Jim; hosting jungle movies and Saturday night he was Dr. Igor and hosted a scary movie. TV was, what I feel much more entertaining then.

I was 10 when there was an open house in 1963 at the channel 8 studios, they had a meet and greet. Gene King was there as Jungle Jay. And every one that walked through was on TV. Pretty cool back then.

I remember a song Ygor sang to the tune of Walk Right In. It went - "walk right in sit right down Dr. Ygor going to cut you up!" And every one sent Jungle Jay garters for his socks.

I had a quiet day in my office so I was fooling around trying to remember how he looked, I think the Jay is close ... John Hullinger


12/11/2007 ... I love'd your website. I have several questions pertaining to Chiller Theater.

My memory of the show, was that the lead actor was every week, trying to do "experiments". This actor, I believe also portrayed a character named "Jungle Jay" in an after school children's show, which featured Raymar of the Jungle. This actor I believe left the Quad City area, but I don't know where he went next. Could you identify this actor who portrayed Jungle Jay and the lead in Chiller Theater and where he eventually ended up. Thank you for you time, and the web site.

Chip Goodsman

12/12/2007 ... Jungle Jay hosted the station's film adventure series, with the help of his wacky sidekicks Heathcliff the monkey and Zelda the zebra.

Horror fans were terrorized by Chiller Theater, hosted by light-hearted demons ``Dr. Igor,'' ``Vampira'' and ``Plasma.'' The Saturday night show offered old horror movies and newer science fiction.

Source: Kurt Allemeier, Moline Dispatch

12/12/2007 ... Max wrote on the House of Jitters message board;

Hey, I remember that Igor person myself. Seem to recall he had a very scary beginning with a shot from his view of various signs as he walked down the street. Signs like "Go Back" etc. He also was Jungle Jay. I even seem to remember them meeting one time. He had a female named Vampira if I am not mistaken. Would love to see some old footage of them!

12/12/2007 ... Jay Bowman wrote on the House of Jitters message board;

Am I correct in my foggy memory that Dr. Igor (and his alter-ego Jungle Jay) had the first creature feature on Saturday nights and then a "Jungle Show" (i.e., Tarzan, Jungle Jim, etc.) on Sunday mornings on WQAD-TV 8. My mother took me to a Dr. Igor "show" at some theatre in the Quad Cities when I was probably 8 or 9." Does anyone else have memories of this show?

05/08/2007 ... Michael Conner wrote;

One of the other great shows on WQAD was Acri Creature Feature do you remember that? How about Jungle Jay? Jungle Jay showed Tarzan movies during the day and same guy would do Chiller Theater Friday or Sat nights. Those were some fun memories!

01/12/2008 ... For the first time in over 40 years. Presenting the first found picture of JUNGLE JAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

IF YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF GENE EDWARDS AS DR. YGOR ON CHILLER THEATRE OR JUNGLE JAY, PLEASE CLICK HERE TO EMAIL ME!

If you have any memorabilia, pictures or stories of Jungle Jay, Chiller Theater on WQAD or any of the Quad City kids show hosts or any memories, film or pictures from the 1950's, 60's and 70's of Quad Cities live TV, please email me!

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