As I was going through my routine of checking email and myspace comments-this news is striking me to the core! As I was growing up in the Bay Area(Oakland to be exact) it was Bob Wilkins that provided hope for me that I wasn't the only one that had a taste for science fiction, horror and fantasy through his "Creature Features". His personality and interviews always enlivened even the worst of the bunch of films he would present over the airwaves at K.T.V.U. channel 2. He exposed me to the joys of radioactive monsters from the 50's and Hammer's incredible gothic horror! What more can I say about the fantastic gentleman that gave me nightmares for two straight weeks after merely seeing the trailer for his upcoming showing of "Night Of The Living Dead".
I had the opportunity years later to meet and converse with the man at various conventions and found him to be a true gentleman who always took the time to talk to fans and not belittle their fascination with him. If these are truly his last hours-then I will say a prayer and be comfortable in the knowledge that he will host his show in Heaven!
 

My love for Bob Wilkins, Creature Features, Capt. Cosmo, sci-fi and horror will always live on. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I too am hit hard by this.
 

i am very sorry to hear that. i grew up watching him and loved creature features, he was the best thing on t.v., for me, at that time in my life. i still love the old hammer films and movies that were the staple on creature features back in the day. my thoughts and prayers are definately with him.
 

Although we all knew this was coming, it doesn't ease the hurt we are feeling at this time. Some of the happiest and most memorable times of my life were because of Bob Wilkins. I am very thankful to have known him. Bob will always live on in our minds and in our hearts. Thank you Mr. Wilkins, for all that you have given us. You truly made this world a better place, and we love you for that. God bless you.
 

Wow. This is indeed sad, but inevitable news... Bob means a lot to me, not only as a legendary horror host I grew up with, but as a mentor. Man, Bob Wilkins was our hero -- everyone at school talked about "Creature Features"! It was the greatest thing at the time -- it's hard to explain the impact the show had on Bay Area viewers 37 years ago. Especially the impact the show and its host, had on me.

As a kid, I met Bob in the early '70s, and was invited to be on his show to talk about Godzilla... I was only a kid, but Bob treated me like an adult, which was unlike most adults. In fact, as nervous as I was (my leg was shaking the entire time), Bob asked me to come back to the show, to provide information on Japanese monster movies for "Creature Features." What a thrill, it seems to surreal now. In fact, I think it felt surreal back then, too.

When Bob launched the "Captain Cosmic" show in 1977, he asked me to come on the show to talk about THE SPACE GIANTS, and asked me -- a clueless teenager -- for suggestions for other programs to run on "Cosmic." This was the kind of man that Bob was. After the death of my Mom in 1979 (my Dad was already deceased), Bob became a surrogate Uncle to me, and kept me in his thoughts and called me when he found opportunities for me (he put up the money to launch my "Godzilla Fan Club") and even offered me an intern Cameraman position at KTVU -- I felt so guilty, I turned it down for fear of screwing up and disappointing him.

Now that I look back on it, Bob Wilkins was more than a surrogate Uncle, he was a surrogate Father. He means the world to me, and always will. Not for the shows he did, or being my favorite Horror Host of all time, but for the kind and generous man that he was, and will continue to be in my heart, for as long as I live.

God Bless you, Bob!

August Ragone
Your 1 Fan
 

I'm so sorry to hear this. Nothing gave me greater pleasure than watching him as a teen every weekend, staying up late. I have such good memories. Who needed a boyfriend when you had Bob to keep you intertained? He has such a wit, he was a delight and he made me laugh, laugh, laugh. I love observataional humor.

I have missed him for years. I hope he really is going to a better place, he brought so much joy to others.

Sincerely,

Rhonna Marsden
 

Like so many others I have fond memories growing up watching Creature Features during the 1970s on both Ch2 and Ch40. I was always happiest when it would turn out to be a 'Godzilla' or other kaiju movie but still loved the classic B&W monster movies, groovy '70s movies like 'The Thing With Two Heads', and the Hammer films (even though as a pre-teen I didn't always make it through to the end of those I came to appreciate that style of horror film as I got older) I still remember getting so scared when Bob showed a coming attraction to the movie Stanley (about a Vietnam vet who used his pet snake to kill people) I was afraid for more than one night that there might be snakes under my bed. Then in the later part of the '70s when Captain Cosmic started up couldn't wait to get home from school to see the next episode of Ultraman, Space Giants, Johnny Sokko, Spectreman, Captain Scarlet, etc.

Thoughts and prayers for Bob, the Wilkins family, and CF fans.
 

Bob shaped my tastes at a very early age. I remember the thrill I felt watching Creature Features. Bob was the consummate host; deadpan and droll - a class act. As a kid born on Halloween, nothing could have appealed to me more than "classic" genre pictures like "Night Of The Living Dead" ( which was originally released the year I was born) and Bob made these late night TV showings into events with his very presence.
When I think of all the Godzilla movies watched on lazy afternoons or racing home from school to catch Ultraman reruns on "Captain Cosmic", I can't help but feel wistful and nostalgic.

Bob Wilkins helped ruin my tastes forever ... and for that he has my eternal gratitude.
 

So sad! I have such wonderful memories of watching Bob on "Creature Features" as a child. I will always treasure that time in my life and smile when thinking about the great Bob Wilkins!
 

This is Very sad news indeed.
Bob Wilkins was the inspiration for me to want to be A Horror Host.
One of my earliest memories in life is of Creature Features being on the TV and of Captain Cosmic.

Growing up we used to be able to get both of Bob's shows
Channel 2 and TV 40 KTXL.
So Saturday nights was always extra special.

Heart Felt Prayers for Bob , His family and all His Fans.

-Doc Zombie
 

when I was in school one of the things I looked forward to the most , was after school creature features. Bob's show is the one and only reason for my love of horror and monster movies. When I got older and moved to Reno I was working at the Nugget in the employees cafeteria I was cooking for a bunch of employees one day and I looked at one of the meal tickets and it had the name Bob Wilkins on it. I was stunned and didn't believe it. But I looked up and staring me in the face was Bob Wilkins in the flesh. At first I just froze, but I managed to ask "Bob Wilkins, Ceature Feature's ?" he just smiled and said "Yes, one in the same." Some people might not think much of it , but that was one truely magical momeny in my life, Meeting one of my Heroes. Iwas so thrilled.
Thanks for everything Bob... Allen A. Hunter
 

Bob Wilkins was an inspiration to me in my teens. Years when I thought I was a total freak for loving sci fi and horror and fantasy and there was Bob, kind of a nerd but always courtly and cool with his rocking chair and big ol' cigar. He gave me my first public recognition as a photographer. One of the prizes for winning a high school photo competiton was having your print shown on his show. Having been a fan, it was like I'd won a Pulitzer. I'll never forget the elation. We lost Forrest J. Ackerman a couple of months ago. I can see them both in that great B movie screening room in the sky, watching The Brain from Planet Arous and having a great old time.
 

yes this is very sad news for me and my co host priscilla, we love watching "Creature Features" every weekend on channel 2 i had BOB, when i was young child. he was very sweet gentleman. as child i remember that i wanted to be just like him when i grew up and i have being a local cable host and throught you years we would see Bob at conventions and we did a wonderful interview with him! our hearts and prayers are with Bob and his family and all the "Creature Features" fans and "Capt Comsic show Bob you will be truly miss by all of us ) who you touch our lives when such a wonderful and bad horror movies that we still watch to this day ) Joe and Priscilla, of the Joe Flynn show
 

The West Coast King Of Horror Show Hosts Is Gone. A great man has left us.
My prayers are with Sally Wilkins, her Son and Daughter and the rest of the Wilkins Family, whose memories can only be that of love. Bob Wilkins has found peace. We will always remember his gracefulness in life and try to adapt it to our own lives. He will be missed, but never forgotten. Long Live The King.

P.E Peirson 01/08/2009
 

Wow.....This is hard news. I give my prayers to Bob's family. I will always remember comming straight home from school to watch captain cosmic and I think the game show was called POW. I will also remember the many nights my family got together and made popcorn to watch Creature Features. I was happy I could see the trailer on Youtube. See You in the future Bob. We Love You!!!!!!
 

Some of the only good memories I have of my father were, as his oldest son him letting me stay up with him to watch creature features. Wow that was a lifetime ago. And I was at the perfect age when he was Captain Cosmic to really get into Ultraman and Goldar, Silvar and I can never remember the kid robot but I still remember the sound when they changed. The original transformers.


Thanks for those memories Bob and my best wishes to the entire Wilkins Family
 

Wow what a punch to the chest, I, just like most people here grew up with Bob, I grew up in San Jose Ca. and watched Creature Feature on KTVU 2, I could not wait for Saturday night, I just hoped I slept long enough that morning to not be too tired that night to stay up late. I remember a friend and myself were really into the Godzilla movies and we made a miniature movie set and Mr. Wilkins put it on his show, it was awesome. Now I am raising a Son who is into the classic Monster films, and he loves them, I gave him my collection of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazines one signed by Forrest J Ackerman, and one signed by Bob Wilkins. I just found the old creature feature stuff on You Tube and showed my son what a great host and great show it was, and he loved it, then I found this my space and read the news.
I felt like I had just been punched in the chest, one of the greatest persons of my youth had passed.
He will be both missed greatly as well as remembered always.
Peace
R/K