Today is Mike Price's birthday. Younger people in the Syracuse area know him, if they know him at all, as the sometimes wacky, always fun features correspondent for channel 9.
But people around my age (old) know that Mike Price's alter-ego, Baron Daemon, was a pop-culture colossus in the mid to late 60s. The Baron was a campy, fun and decidedly un-menacing vampire on channel 9. He hosted late-night movies and an incredibly popular kids' show, Baron and His Buddies, that I was lucky enough to, just once, sit in the audience for. He was about 18 feet tall, as I remember, and in full, glorious color, as opposed to how he looked on our 15" black and white TV at home.
But he might best be remembered for a song in 1963 called "The Transylvania Twist." Far, far superior to the Halloween-themed song and certified hit by Bobby "Boris" Pickett, "The Monster Mash," the Baron's song, meant only to be a promotional record for his shows, instead became a Syracuse NY smash hit. It remains the biggest selling local record in Syracuse music history.
I told you all that to tell you this:
I was at Baskin-Robbins in Shoppingtown (R.I.P.) in the early 80s, getting a cone, when who do I see standing next to me but Mike Price.
"Mike Price!" I said, because that was his name.
"Hello," Mike Price said with a smile.
"I used to watch your show all the time as a little kid! I loved it! You were so funny," I gushed.
"Oh, now you're making me feel old," he said, mock-embarrassedly.
"I don't suppose I could get you to do The Laugh, for old times' sake?" I asked him. His mock-sinister vampire laugh, a BWHAA HA HA HA, was his calling card and something every kid I know tried, poorly, to imitate.
He put on a little face and said, "Oh, no, no I don't do that anymore." I felt like a jerk. The poor guy just wanted some ice cream and here I wanted him to put on a show.
"Oh, that's okay, Mike. Nice to meet you, anyway," and turned my attention back to the matter at hand.
Then, I saw him slink off to the corner of the display, between the cooler and the wall, make a big, exaggerated look left and right as if he wanted to be sure nobody was watching, and then he did the laugh: "BWHAA HA HA HA!"
"Oh, that was so great! Thank you so much, Mike, uh, Baron!" I said.
"Thank you," he said. "It's just nice to be remembered."
I know he genuinely meant it, but if anyone from my childhood is memorable, it's Mike Price.
Happy birthday, Baron.
https://youtu.be/9NlFIi00zyE?si=6K8epptyoBgPM5Ub
Boy does this bring back memories. The song is great! I remember when I was kid going to Shoppingtown and hanging out by where the channel 9 studio was just waiting to see if Baron Daemon would coming walking out into the mall. Thanks for the memory jolt, Dave :)
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Loved reading this article right as we are celebrating Mike Price's 87th Birthday this weekend! Wonderful memory you shared on THE BARON. Mike never disappoints! Grew up loving The Baron since 1962 when he first aired around Halloween. In Feb. of '64, I attended his personal appearance at an Auburn EASY BARGAIN CENTER Grand Opening and received a 'signature-card' directly handed to me from Baron himself! A few decades later in '93, I had a chance to meet and visit with Mike at WIXT-9. Had a wonderful time and caught our whole visit on cassette tape! He was and still is a Syracuse Icon & Legend!
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