"Santo Vs The Vampire Women" released 1962

The only reason I know about this movie is because it was featured in a Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode, where it was riffed by Mike Nelson (who celebrates his birthday today!) and the bots. Santo vs. las Mujeres Vampiro (Santo. vs. the Vampire Women) was released in Mexican theaters October 11, 1962.

The main character Santo was the title of professional wrestler Rodolfo Guzman Huerta, born September 1917.  He appeared in numerous movies portraying El Santo (The Saint).

In this movie, Santo must battle a group of female vampires who have wakened from a 200-year sleep.  The queen vampire must find a successor and has her sights set on a professor's daughter.  The professor employs Santo to keep her safe.

Jonathan Frid first appearance as Barnabas Collins in "Dark Shadows" 1967

Jonathan Frid made his first appearance as vampire Barnabas Collins on Episode #211 of Dark Shadows, which aired April 18, 1967.  He saved the show from the axe and the show became a hit.

Dark Shadows final episode 1971

The unapologetically campy Gothic horror series, Dark Shadows, aired its final episode April 2, 1971, after 5 seasons and 1225 episodes.  The saga of the Collins family, trying to escape its ancient curse, dealt with werewolves, withes, warlocks, time travel and, of course, vampires.  Jonathan Frid played the hugely popular Barnabas Collins.  It remains one of the top cult TV shows ever.

Throughout its run it also starred Joan Bennett, and Louis Edmonds (both of whom appeared in all episodes) Alexandra Isle (Victoria Winters) and Kate Jackson. 

The Law Is My Shepherd by Don Kilcoyne

Imagine my pleasant surprise when I discovered my friend and fellow pirate Don Kilcoyne had written two novels, the first of which is The Law is My Shepherd, a novel of The Overnight. I love his sense of humor so when I read about Detective Angus Wellstone and his partner Knobs working over a local ne’er-do-well for transforming into a vampire “without the requisite paperwork” I was hooked. Then I found out that Cheeky really did need to apply to be turned to keep the number of vampires at the established quota. I loved it.

Welcome to Hawthorne, New Jersey, a Mecca for vampires, werewolves and other shape-shifters. Ten years ago, Wellstone and Knobs subdued a werewolf. Instead of turning him over to the “proper authorities” to sweep under the rug, they paraded their conquest in front of the world, demolishing centuries upon centuries of cover-ups, keeping the existence of such creatures from the public.

Then, after years of war, the creatures of the nights and humans came to an historical agreement, which included a clause that set the number of vampires that could be turned. Violation of this rule had serious consequences, as Cheeky was to find out.

Everyone exists peacefully alongside each other. The desk sergeant is a were-bear. A doctor at the hospital is a vampire (she works the night shift only). The teen wolf/skateboarder has a conscious and scruples. Everyone knows it but nobody cares.

Until now.

A new evil has come to Hawthorne. A reverend is stirring up the humans to Take Back The Night. Wellstone, his wife and several others are attacked. It becomes apparent that someone, something beyond your run-of-the-mill shape-shifter is tryint to rekindle the wars between humans and nocturnals.

In a market already saturated with vampire lore, it’s refreshing to see a different approach to human/nocturnal relations (Thank you, Don!). What makes it even more enjoyable is the fact the author stays within the established rules of vampirism, something other authors tend to snub. (Thank you again, Don!)

I love his quirky and sometimes snarky sense of humor, and it runs throughout the novel, giving it plenty of comic relief. It’s another aspect that sets The Law is My Shepherd apart and above the rest.