Morgus the Magnificent, TV�s original Nutty Professor, was created by former New Orleans radio disk jockey Sid Noel. From 1959 to 1962, Morgus performed wacky experiments in the breaks between horror flicks on WWL-TV�s House of Shock. After a short stint in New York City, Morgus packed up his laboratory and moved to Detroit, where he hosted a daily five-minute comic weathercast on WJBK-TV, Morgus and the Weather, along with the late night scary movie fest on WXYZ-TV, Morgus Presents.

  The Wacky World of Doctor Morgus, filmed in 1961 on-location in New Orleans, features a younger, less-refined version of Morgus the Magnificent than appeared in 1963 through 1965 on Detroit television. Fresh off the incredible success of his two years of hosting The House of Shock in the Crescent City, this was the first feature-length motion picture starring a 'horror host' and would remain alone in its category until Elvira, Mistress of the Dark followed suit more than 25 years later.

  The movie is considered culturally important, not because of its star or his inventions, but because of the many early-60s locations that are captured on film. Shot in and around the French Quarter, it represents a snapshot of the city's heritage and was placed into the Library of Congress for preservation. The DVD was sourced from a HD transfer of the very same LOC copy, and is presented in widescreen 16x9 format. Special features include a copy of the original trailer and a 4:3 full screen version, both sourced from the 1988 VHS release. Also included is a photo gallery containing nearly all of the various theater lobby cards and several previously unseen color production photos from the producer's private collection. Finally, there's a short 'Where Are They Now?' segment that gives us an update on major cast members 50 years after production!

  Morgus Presents Volume 1 will be much more familiar to Detroit area viewers, as most of the elements that were present in the Detroit version are reprised here. You're mind will drift back to memories of the laboratory and its bubbling beakers; the skylight; the phone on the wall; the secret room;  ERIC, the talking skull who has now been linked to a supercomputer; Morgus' manager, Wiley Faye. Even Mrs. Fetish is there, although she doesn't appear on this volume. It's the Morgus you loved in Detroit, only now in color, and with a new face in place of Armsby. You'll meet Chopsley, the Doctor's loyal assistant and frequent victim of his experiments.

  The four experiments presented on the DVD were taped during a huge Morgus comeback in the mid-to-late 80s. The video transfer was made from copies of the aging master tapes and subjected to a restoration process to improve video quality. The experiments have been restored to their original length, incorporating segments that had been previously cut to accommodate commercials. All four can be viewed in 'sitcom mode', which is simply running the segments of an experiment back-to-back, uninterrupted by a boring old movie. But for the ultimate nostalgic Morgus experience, one of the experiments is also presented in 'classic mode' -- Morgus plus a boring old movie, just like you remembered when you were a kid and couldn't stay awake for the whole thing! Dr. Chuck even threw in one commercial -- and a strange one, at that!  Of particular interest to Detroiters is the inclusion of a Morgus & the Weather show, produced and aired by Detroit's WJBK-TV2, and not seen locally for more than 45 years!