The Night Stalker TV movie is broadcast on ABC in 1972. Darren McGavin stars as a newspaper reporter investigating a vampire. Written by Richard Matheson, the program is a hit and spawns a sequel a year later called The Night Strangler and two years later a short-lived TV series. The TV movies and series also serve as inspiration to Chris Carter in creating The X-Files 20 years later.
This Day in Halloween: "The Night Stalker" TV movie -- written by Richard Matheson -- is broadcast on ABC in 1972. / Illustration by Dexter Urias