Transylvania Twist

Baron Daemon

"Baron Daemon" Mike Price spent nearly his entire career at Channel 9 in Syracuse, NY. He was hired as a staff announcer one week before the station signed on, Sept. 9, 1962. Shortly after, Price met up with the station manager and program director one afternoon in the hallway. The manager was discussing how the station had leased some old horror films, including "Dracula," "Frankenstein," "The Wolfman" and "The Mummy," and wondered how and when they might be aired. Price interrupted them with a suggestion. "I think I could do a fairly decent imitation of the way Bela Lagosi did Count Dracula," Price said. Doing the imitation, Price continued, "I think we could run these movies late on a Saturday night, and I could do some sort of foolish comedic skit during our commercial breaks." The consensus of the manager and program director was that the idea was good and they ought to give it a try. Price wasn't going to be a "count" as his scary character. He came up with the idea of being a "baron." And so Baron Daemon was born. The Baron turned into a promotional gold mine for Channel 9. Price made appearances at businesses, hospitals and schools in a 50-mile radius of Syracuse. In 1963, Price recorded a novelty 45-rpm record that was a huge seller, "The Transylvania Twist," accompanied by a local group, Sam and The Twisters. Price estimates more than 12,000 copies were sold. Fire at the Shoppingtown studio in 1967 destroyed the Baron's set and wardrobe, and the show was discontinued. Price wasn't too saddened by it, as getting into the costume almost seven days a week had grown old. Whether bringing out the good news as the Baron, or many other duties he performed at Channel 9, it was all enjoyable for Price.

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