It was around 1985, I believe.

One of Chris’ eccentricities in his later years, was his fear of running out of dough.

His best friend had to constantly assure him that–after a life fiscally wisely led!–he was absolutely fine.

But it was terrific of you to do what you did.

Many of Chris’ friends, people he had been absolutely great to–some people whose livelihoods he was basically responsible for, did not answer the clarion call…

But that’s another story.

And I’m fairly well assured that all these years later, Chris would be abslutely delighted that his books are still read, his friends still talk about him, and all those movies he programmed–and so many other memories he was responsible for, as a broadcaster, and writer, and elsewise–still fire the subconcious of so many in the New York area, and elsewhen…

Jim Burns (James H. Burns)

I meant to include an email for me with the above:

shakespeareinthedark@gmail.com

Thanks.

Jim Burns

Chris Steinbrunner was one of those unsung heroes of broadcasting. For years he was responsible for progamming the various movie shows on WOR, Channel 9, and took particular pride in the uniqueness of their Late, Late Show. It would run the gamut from the super-Bs of the ’30s, to horror of the ’70s, to virtual art-house fair. Not particularly noted at the time, Channel 9′s Late, Late Show, by the late ’70s, early ’80s, was almost like having a cool revival theatre, on your TV.

Steinbruner, born around 1933, was a graduate of Fordham, where he continued to do a radio show for some time. He wrote one of the very last episodes of THE SHADOW radio series, while still in high school (I believe), and then went to work amost imediately, at WOR.

One of his first fun memories was writing some jokes for John Zacherly, when Zach moved over to Channel 9… (John, like most who met Steinbrunner, wound up becoming lifelong friends with him.)

(If I remember correctly, Chris also produced Lowel (sp) Thomas’ later series… And, somewhere along the way, there was a special, in the 1960s, on James Bond…)

But Steinbrunner had a dual career, also writing extensively about fantasy, and horror, and, most notably, mystery. His CINEMA OF THE FANTASTIC was one of the VERY FIRST books about fantasy and science fiction movies… He wrote a monthly column for ELLERY QUEEN’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE, and later won an Edgar, for THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MYSTERY AND DETECTION. (Chris was also a regional Vice President for the Mystery Writers of America, and edited their monthly newsletter.)

Behind the scenes, Steinbrunner was also a frequent contributor to Joe Franklin’s shows. (A classy moment by Joe: When he did his last TV show, he ran a long credit roll, thanking folks who had been important to the program. Although Chris had passed away some time ago, Franklin made sure to include his name.)

(One neat memento in Chris’ office at WOR: the Maltese Falcoln… (A copy, of course.) Jack Haley, Jr., a clasmate from Fordham, had sent it as a thankyou, in the ’70s, when Chris had helped consult on one of his documentary projects.)

Anything I could write in a bio wouldn’t really do Chris justice, because his greatest asset was his ENTHUSIASM, and his desire to want to SHARE his knowledge, and help folks out.

Steinbrunner was like an UNCLE to many in the different fields he contributed to.

Chris passed in 1993, but his influence is still felt.

…Whenever asked about WOR’s annual KING KONG Thanksgiving broadcasts, Chris would just wink, and say:

“Who would ever think of such a strange idea…?”

Jim Burns (James H. Burns)

The late, great Chris Steinbrunner didn’t pass away until 1993.

And he lived in a terrific part of Queens!

(For the uninitiated, Queens is another borough of New York City–depending on which part you live in, roughly ten to forty minutes away from Manhattan.)

That horrendous stabbing attack came, because…

Chris would DRIVE to a subway station, and sometimes park on dangerous, secluded side-streets. Coming home late one night, he was walking from the subway stop, to this dark secluded street–a middle-aged, kind of potly guy, with a kind of rambling gait… And that’s when he was attacked. The miracle part of the story is that two GOOD SAMARITANS came driving by, saw Chris laying there, bleeding–

And immediately stopped to take him to the hospital.

One of the fellas became lifelong friends with Chris.

(Coincidentaly, I just wrote a short tribute to Chris, which I’ll post here in moment, to coincide with that VILLAGE VOICE online piece of mine about WOR-TV’s annual KING KONG Thanksgivings… I discovered this lovely article, when Googling if there were any images to include, with the Steinbrunner piece.)

By the way, one error in the above:

“The Creep,” on CREATURE FEATURE, actualy began in late l969, or early l970. Lew Steele was a TV executive… And there’s a terrific photo article on him, from one of the then current issues of THE MONSTER TIMES–that late, lamented, terrific and strange newsstand fantasy film mag, which tried to be a more mature alternative to FAMOUS MONSTERS…

Best,

Jim Burns (James H. Burns)

email Roy for my private contact info…..would love to chat about Chris….

Chris Steinbrunner was a personal friend of mine from 1984 until his death in 1989 of a heart attack, and complications from an earlier stroke. He introduced me to many members of the Mystery Writers of America, and had great parties for his friends. Chris grew up and owned a house in Middle Village, Queens, and I remember him telling me about the knife attack, which happened not too long before we had met. I had my Alfred Bester interview published in Starlog because of his friendship with editor David McDonnell. I have many more stories and if you are interested please send me a private email.

James

you just opened a floodgate of memories for me mentioning the name of the late great Chris Steinbrunner. I met him through Bill Everson and a mutual friend of our editor here Ray Shitizer both now sadly deceased. Chris was one of the most devoted historians I ever had the pleasure of meeting. He lived in a really dangerious part of Manhatten and always had to take the train to work at the time it was the television station. We went to his home on two occasions late at night to watch films like THE BLACK CAMEL which in those days 1985 were impossible to see anywhere. Ray and I came by car having been warned off the subway and the next day we heard that Chris was stabbed on the train going to work a day or so after we were there. I stayed in touch but I still lived on the West Coast so we never got to really hang out as much as I would have liked. Thank you for mentioning him…now there might be a Camp David in the making because of you.

Cheers
David

As a child of the Seventies, I grew up on CHILLER and CREATURE FEATURES and later FRIGHT NIGHT during the ’80s, as well as WPIX’s SCIENCE FICTION THEATER, the horror/sci-fi theme weeks on WABC’s 4:30 MOVIE and WOR’s THRILLER THEATER, SCIENCE FICTION THEATER and CHILLER THRILLER during the ’70s. Wonderful memories!