KISS' Primetime TV Debut Was On A Bizarre Halloween Show Starring The Wizard Of Oz's Wicked Witch

The truly initiated among us are familiar with "The Paul Lynde Halloween Special" from 1976. The festive variety show was hosted by Lynde and co-starred 74-year-old Margaret Hamilton, reprising her role as The Wicked Witch of the West from "The Wizard of Oz." Hamilton, to her eternal credit, still had the chops and could still cackle with the best of them. She even wore the same green face paint she wore in "The Wizard of Oz." Hamilton, of course, had a long and varied film and TV career that lasted into the 1970s, but for "The Paul Lynde Halloween Special," she was okay returning to her best-known role, which she originated 37 years earlier.

Hamilton, it should be noted, had a recurring role on the 1973 TV series "Sigmund and the Sea Monsters," one of the many psychedelic creations by Sid and Marty Krofft. Her involvement in a Krofft production was a weird connection she had with many of the other participants in the "Halloween Special." It also starred Billy Barty (from "The Bugaloos" and "Sigmund") and Billie Hayes, who reprised her role as Witchiepoo from "H.R. Pufnstuf." Florence Henderson also appears, and she was in "The Brady Bunch Hour," which the Kroffts produced. It may shock the reader to learn that the Kroffts actually had no hand in creating or producing "The Paul Lynde Halloween Special." It was just extrapolated from their network of actors. 

Most surprisingly, "Halloween Special" boasted the network TV debut of 1970s glam rockers KISS. They appeared after being introduced by the Wicked Witch of the West. "They perform such soothing dinner music," she said. They took the stage and performed their hit "Detroit Rock City." It's a bizarre, bizarre thing.

In a Foundation interview, one of the special's writers, the inimitable Bruce Vilanch (who also co-wrote "The Star Wars Holiday Special"), explained how the eccentric special came to be. Paul Lynde had a sweetheart deal with ABC that offered him a few TV shows of his own. Lynde was a Hollywood legend, making a name for himself in various supporting roles on TV in the 1960s. He famously played the hilarious Uncle Arthur on "Bewitched." Perhaps most famously, Lynde was the center square on the hit game show "Hollywood Squares" from 1966 through 1979, filming an impressive 1,083 episodes. He left the show, but later returned when ratings were flagging. "Hollywood Squares" provided so many one-liners. Remember Gilbert Gottfried's stint on the show?

In the 1970s, he had a recurring role on "Donnie & Marie," which is significant, as Donnie and Marie Osmond also appeared in "The Paul Lyde Halloween Special." 

According to Vilanch, ABC's contract allowed Lynde to star in "The Paul Lynde Show" in 1972. Sadly, that show wasn't a hit and was canceled after 26 episodes. In 1973, Lynde was allowed to take over the lead role in the sitcom "Temperatures Rising," set in a hospital. But Lynde, again, only stayed on the show for one year before the series was canceled. It seems that Lynde was better loved as a supporting character or a dispenser of bon mots, not as a lead actor. Vilanch said that ABC, to keep Lynde happy, granted him "The Paul Lynde Halloween Special." 

The premise of the special was that Paul Lynde was the brother of the Wicked Witch and Witchiepoo, and that he was going to their house to visit them for Halloween. Naturally, guest stars came to visit.

It should be noted that "The Paul Lynde Halloween Special" is something that one might be tempted to describe as "bad." It's not terribly funny, and the conceits are strange at best, but one could never say that it's not entertaining, and it's worth watching for the guest stars alone. In addition to Billy Barty, Billie Hayes, Margaret Hamilton, Donnie and Marie Osmond, Florence Henderson, and KISS, the special also featured Betty White as Miss Halloween, Roz Kelly, who reprised her role of Pinky Tuscadero from "Happy Days," and Tim Conway in multiple roles. 

KISS is pretty good. They sing "Detroit Rock City" and "Beth," comedically meet Paul Lynde, and then sing "King of the Night Time World." Gene Simmons spits fire. 

In 2021, Christopher Muther wrote an extensive retrospective of the "Halloween Special" for the Boston Globe and described it, flatteringly, as a train wreck. A choice quote: "It's so absolutely absurd, so gay, and so cringe-worthy that you'll scream, 'What in the name of all that's holy is this mess?' And then you'll throw a bag of popcorn in the microwave and watch it again." It should be noted that the "so gay" comment was not an offensive pejorative, but an allusion to Lynde himself, whose own closeted queerness was a large part of his shtick and a central feature of his appeal as a camp comedian. 

For many years, "The Paul Lynde Halloween Special" was unavailable. KISS fans managed to circulate the special in bootleg form, and their performance of the song "King of the Night Time World" turned up on their DVD "Kissology, Volume One." The entire special wouldn't arrive on DVD until 1997. These days, one can find it easily enough online (albeit in bootlegged form, or through high-quality clips).