Kolchak: The Night Stalker: The Energy Eater

"The Energy Eater" is the tenth episode of the supernatural mystery series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. It was directed by Alex Grasshoff with a teleplay written by Arthur Rowe and Rudolph Borchert based on a story treatment by Rowe. It first aired on ABC on Friday, December 13th, 1974 at 8:00 pm. In this episode, Carl Kolchak investigates strange deaths at a hospital that relate to an ancient Native American entity. To get to the root of the problem, he enlists the aid of a shaman named Jim Elkhorn, and a nurse named Janis Eisen.

Notes & Trivia

 * Kolchak: The Night Stalker was created by Jeff Rice.


 * "The Energy Eater" and "Kolchak: The Energy Eater" both redirect to this page.


 * This episode is included on disc three of the Classic Television: Kolchak: The Night Stalker DVD collection.


 * This episode was combined with "Firefall" in a compilation movie boasting the title Kolchak: Crackle of Death.


 * Episode director Alexander Grasshoff is credited as Alex Grasshoff in this episode.


 * Actress Ellaraino is credited as Ella Edwards in this episode.


 * This is the third and final episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker directed by Alex Grasshoff. He previously directed "The Zombie" and "Bad Medicine".


 * This is the first episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker written or co-written by Arthur Rowe. He writes two episodes of the series in total. His next episode is "Legacy of Terror".


 * This is the fifth episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker written or co-written by Rudolph Borchert. He previously wrote "They Have Been, They Are, They Will Be...". His next episode is "The Trevi Collection".


 * Stunt performer Paul Baxley has an uncredited role as an electrocuted worker in this episode. This is the third of six episodes of the show that he makes appearances in. He previously played a police officer on a staircase in "Bad Medicine". He appears next in "Primal Scream" as Doctor Jules Copenik.


 * Actress Joyce Jillson was a professional astrologer and worked in an official capacity as such for 20th Century Fox. She made claims to having been the personal astrologer to former First Lady, Nancy Reagan, though the White House always denied these claims.


 * The name of the Native American entity "the energy eater" is actually Matchemonedo.


 * Actor William Smith speaks fluent French in this episode. Smith is actually fluent in French, as well as other languages, which he learned while working as an Intelligence specialist in the United States Air Force.

Allusions

 * Carl Kolchak makes reference to Louis Pasteur in this episode. Louis Pasteur was a French scientist renowned for his work on vaccines. The term pasteurization is named after him. Despite Kolchak's assertion, Louis Pasteur never actually said "Any schmo can invent a rabies vaccine, but when will we find a cure for stupidity?".


 * Tony Vincenzo makes reference to the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company, which was an automobile manufacturer founded in 1901. They ceased operations in 1938. They were known for producing luxury automobiles.

Quotes

 * Carl Kolchak: The city of Chicago sparkles with monuments to man's achievement; his aspirations, his quest for the truth, his respect for the law, now a different sort of monument. There was a theory that dying institutions erect their own mausoleums before they die. This particular monument was to be a hospital and research center, dedicated to extending the life of man, improving the quality of that life. It succeeded instead in introducing a new horror, a new way of death – a mystery.

....
 * Receptionist: Here you are, Mister Kolchak.
 * Carl Kolchak: Thank you very much. Anybody important here today?
 * Receptionist: No, just a bunch of reporters.

....
 * Carl Kolchak: As the great Louis Pasteur once said, "Any schmo can invent a rabies vaccine, but when will we find a cure for stupidity?".

....
 * Carl Kolchak: They were loading unmarked boxes from an unmarked truck, but for me, everything had 'double-cross' written all over it.

....
 * Tony Vincenzo: Your angle on the hospital dedication, Carl. How did you come up with it?
 * Carl Kolchak: Oh, a little, uh, research and, uh, imagination.
 * Tony Vincenzo: Some angle. Two pages condemning the lack of geriatric facilities. What did you promise her this time? Orthopedic glitter shoes?
 * Carl Kolchak: Well, Tony, Tony, there is a vast and growing proportion of our citizens in their autumn years who are living on fixed income, faced with a-a growing inflation, possibly even recession. I mean, they have their rights, their special needs. They're organized.