TV in America for sure in the tri state New York market has been very kind to GODZILLA over the decades. For the most part the series of films from TOHO STUDIOS have been given some good exposure on the tube-GODZILLA-54- the first effort was a stable for WOR-TV-CHANNEL 9 IN THE 60's. In the early 70's another station in New York pick it up WPIX-TV-CHANNEL 11, and showed it often. Years later CHANNEL 9 got the film back again and showed it often again. KING KONG VS GODZILLA-62-was pick up by CHANNEL- 9 and possibly shown for years as often as any film on New York Television. GODZILLA VS THE THING-64- was picked up by WABC-TV- CHANNEL 7 shown a few times. In the 70's WPIX-TV- CHANNEL 11, pick it up and did the same.GHIDRAH THE THREE HEADED MONSTER, got it's New York debut on a Sunday night in the late 60's on WNBC- CHANNEL 4 AT 11.30. pm. It would be shown for years often on other New York stations.- more to come.
GODZILLA VS THE SEA MONSTER-66- Also premiere on a Sunday night in the late 60's on WNBC-TV- CHANNEL 4.It too would be shown often through the years, switching too CHANNEL 9 in the seventies. GODZILLA'S REVENGE-67-premiere on CHANNEL-9-WOR-TV in the early 70's and would be shown on and off on that channel in years to come. DESTROY ALL MONSTERS-68- premiere in the 70's on a SATURDAY NIGHT ON CHANNEL-11'S CHILLER THEATRE in the early 70's and would be shown a lot on that channel throughout the decade. MONSTER ZERO-68- also got a similar exposure premiering ON CHANNEL 11'S CHILLER THEATRE in the early 70's and also shown often on that same channel. More to come.
SON OF GODZILLA-69-Got pickup by CHANNEL 9-WOR-TV AND shown through the years often. In the early 80's WNEW-TV- CHANNEL 5 pick it up, GODZILLA VS THE SMOG MONSTER-72- Got it's New York premiere in the later 70's on WOR-TV- CHANNEL 9.GODZILLA VS MEGALON-74- Actually premiere heavily edited on WNBC, NETWORK TV in the 70's. GODZILLA VS THE COSMIC MONSTER-74- Premiere on CHANNEL-9 IN NEW YORK in the late 70's.GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND-78- Premiere on CHANNEL -5 -WNEW TV in the early 80's.TERROR OF MACHOGODZILLA-78- Premiere on WABC TV- CHANNEL 7- A few years after it was made. There you have it, plenty of TV exposure for the BIG G, on New York Television. Is it any wonder why GODZILLA is a timeless popular monster. The Godzilla films from the 80's and up got a bit different exposure obviously because of the growing cable industry, but they as well have gotten good exposure on the tube.
Wow! You guys in the North East had it really good. Our main source for Godzilla flicks was a local chain of cinemas that would show four flicks for 1.00$ on weekends. I managed to see GODZILLA 54, KING KONG VS. GODZILLA, GHIDRAH THE THREE HEADED MONSTER and DESTROY ALL MONSTERS that way.
Eventually, I got to see a double bill of TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA and WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS in 1976.
The French language network of the CBC would broadcast LES ENVAHISSEURS ATTAQUENT (DESTROY ALL MONSTERS) once every couple of years. And FRANKENSTEIN CONQUIERT LE MONDE was a perrenial favorite on TÉLÉ MÉTROPOLE.
Good times, but it wasn't until the arrival of VHS, DVD's and bluRay's that I managed to see the rest of these flicks.
WABC-TV- CHANNEL-7 in NEW YORK used to have for years a movie show called THE 4.30 MOVIE on Monday thru Friday. It was 90 minutes with commercials , so all the films had plenty of editing. They would often donate a week towards one topic, like PLANET OF THE APES WEEK, TROY DONOHUE WEEK ETC ETC. Well one type of week they had a few times over the years was JAPANESE MONSTER WEEK. Since they had a nice package of films in that genre[matter of fact back then more then any other station[CHANNEL 9 CAME IN SECOND].When they had those weeks, there were usually a couple of Godzilla films in there. The ABC affiliate station got good ratings with that movie show and kept it until their news format change in the early evenings. I heard they really did good during THE DARK SHADOWS ERA when it was preceded by that hit horror soap opera at 4.00 pm.
As I mentioned KING KONG VS GODZILLA was one of the most played film in New York Television history. I remember as a little kid it premiere on WOR-TV CHANNEL 9 on a early Sunday night. It was to go on being shown loads of times the years that followed. there was some warm memories' of that film. I remember when me and my relatives came back after my sister's wedding and watching it on the tube in 73, I remember with a few kids who never saw the film betting our nickels and dimes on who would win the battle. In the late 70's and early 80's WOR-TV, would have on THANKSGIVING DAY and the day after a marathon of KONG. and GODZILLA films.
