A Decade of Documentary Film Production

“Don't stay up late, it's not worth it," Bob Wilkins warned as he leaned back in his yellow rocking chair and smoked his big cigar. But monster movie fans in Northern California stayed up late every Saturday night. From 1966 until 1981 Bob showed grade-Z horror films. His dry sense of humor and low-key deadpan presentation helped him rise above it all, elevating films like The Navy Vs. The Night Monsters or Horror at Party Beach. Bob was the host of the party that fans never wanted to leave. "Up Late with Bob Wilkins" is a feature-length documentary film about Bob's shows told by those who watched him faithfully every weekend. Viewers recount what the shows meant to them, and in many cases, shaped their lives. The film is packed with rare show clips from Bob Wilkins personal collection. It is the ultimate tribute to Bob Wilkins and the era of the horror host.

From San Francisco, CA, Tom Wyrsch grew up in nearby Sonoma County, developing an avid interest in film and filmmaking. As a youngster, he made short 8mm films, but when he watched George Lucas film ”America Graffiti" in the summer of 1972 he developed a deep-rooted desire to make a feature-length motion picture. A close friendship with Bob Wilkins and John Stanley led to his first feature-length documentary in 2008, "Watch Horror Films, Keep America Strong!" and was the stepping stone to more projects. Currently Tom is the director of the weekly TV series "Creature Features" produced in the San Francisco Bay Area.