Growing up, I never missed a "Creature Feature"...

Every Halloween, we pause a moment to remember the late, great Dr. Paul Bearer, who was the longest-running horror movie TV host in Florida.

From 1971 until his death after heart surgery in 1995, Dick Bennick played the ghoulish comedic undertaker on WTOG, Channel 44.

His Saturday "Creature Feature" is part of Tampa television history, and several generations remember his catchphrase: "I'll be lurking for you."

Bennick, a radio sales executive, was a good friend who joked that because he had a glass eye he really could "keep an eye out for you."

Go ahead, you can groan in his honor. Puns, good and bad, were his forte. Several times, I was a guest on his show to judge his invisible woman bikini contest ("the best looking woman you never saw").

Dr. Paul introduced "horrible" old horror movies from his "castle" at the WTOG studios, where he had a treasure chest of gag props, including a copy of "The Tampa Tri-Bone."

Halloween was Bennick's favorite time of year. He would fire up his old hearse and make numerous public appearances.

His departure left a void that hasn't been filled and probably won't be. Local horror movie hosts belong to a bygone era in television.

However, thanks to the Internet, Dr. Paul's memory is being kept alive.

You can find Fans of Dr. Paul Bearer on Facebook, where you can chat with Erma Broombeck, the "witch" who sometimes appeared with him.

The crazedfanboy.com site also has a tribute to Dr. Paul as well as a good interview with Bennick.

Another interesting site, www.horrorhostgraveyard.com, also has a good tribute to Dr. Paul.

And several clips of Dr. Paul can be found on YouTube, including one in which he does "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park," and another that is a compilation of his gag products such as "Blisterine," "Mold Duck Wine" "Boo Berry Pie with Ghoul Whip" and takeout from "Red Blobster."