Jeron Criswell King (born Jeron Criswell Konig, August 7, 1907 â€"
October 4, 1982), known by his stage-name The Amazing Criswell
/ˈkrɪzwɛl/, was an American psychic known for wildly inaccurate
predictions. In person, he went by Charles Criswell King, and was
sometimes credited as Jeron King Criswell.Criswell was flamboyant,
with spit curled hair, a stentorian style of speaking, and a sequined
tuxedo. He owned a coffin in which he claimed to sleep. He grew up in
a troubled family in Indiana with relatives who owned a funeral home,
and said that he became comfortable with sleeping in caskets in the
storeroom. He appeared in two of Ed Wood's films.Criswell said he had
once worked as a radio announcer and news broadcaster. He began buying
time on a local Los Angeles television station in the early 1950s to
run infomercials for his Criswell Family Vitamins. To fill the time,
he began his "Criswell Predicts" part of the show. This made him a
minor off-beat celebrity in Los Angeles and around Hollywood, and his
friendship with old show-business people such as Mae West and rising
fringe celebrities such as Korla Pandit made Criswell an entertaining
presence at parties. His fame brought him appearances on The Jack Paar
Show (1957â€"1962) which allowed him to publish his predictions in
three publications of Spaceway Magazine (February 1955, April 1955,
and June 1955), as well as run a weekly syndicated newspaper article
starting on September 6, 1951. He later published three books of
predictions; From Now to the Year 2000, Your Next Ten Years, and
Forbidden Predictions. He also recorded a long playing record, Your
Incredible Future (which was later released on CD), featuring 84
minutes of his predictions in his own voice. Criswell appeared in the
movies of writer and director Ed Wood. After Criswell's death, his
longtime friend Paul Marco released Criswell's song "Someone Walked
Over My Grave" on a 7" record which was recorded by Criswell as a
memorial song that he wanted released posthumously.Criswell's
predictions were nationally syndicated and he appeared on the
television show Criswell Predicts on KLAC Channel 13 (now KCOP-13) in
Los Angeles as well as being recorded for syndication. His announcer
was Bob Shields, who later played the judge on Divorce Court. Criswell
wore heavy makeup in public after his live program was broadcast in
Los Angeles. Only selected people were allowed in the KCOP studio
during his broadcast.
October 4, 1982), known by his stage-name The Amazing Criswell
/ˈkrɪzwɛl/, was an American psychic known for wildly inaccurate
predictions. In person, he went by Charles Criswell King, and was
sometimes credited as Jeron King Criswell.Criswell was flamboyant,
with spit curled hair, a stentorian style of speaking, and a sequined
tuxedo. He owned a coffin in which he claimed to sleep. He grew up in
a troubled family in Indiana with relatives who owned a funeral home,
and said that he became comfortable with sleeping in caskets in the
storeroom. He appeared in two of Ed Wood's films.Criswell said he had
once worked as a radio announcer and news broadcaster. He began buying
time on a local Los Angeles television station in the early 1950s to
run infomercials for his Criswell Family Vitamins. To fill the time,
he began his "Criswell Predicts" part of the show. This made him a
minor off-beat celebrity in Los Angeles and around Hollywood, and his
friendship with old show-business people such as Mae West and rising
fringe celebrities such as Korla Pandit made Criswell an entertaining
presence at parties. His fame brought him appearances on The Jack Paar
Show (1957â€"1962) which allowed him to publish his predictions in
three publications of Spaceway Magazine (February 1955, April 1955,
and June 1955), as well as run a weekly syndicated newspaper article
starting on September 6, 1951. He later published three books of
predictions; From Now to the Year 2000, Your Next Ten Years, and
Forbidden Predictions. He also recorded a long playing record, Your
Incredible Future (which was later released on CD), featuring 84
minutes of his predictions in his own voice. Criswell appeared in the
movies of writer and director Ed Wood. After Criswell's death, his
longtime friend Paul Marco released Criswell's song "Someone Walked
Over My Grave" on a 7" record which was recorded by Criswell as a
memorial song that he wanted released posthumously.Criswell's
predictions were nationally syndicated and he appeared on the
television show Criswell Predicts on KLAC Channel 13 (now KCOP-13) in
Los Angeles as well as being recorded for syndication. His announcer
was Bob Shields, who later played the judge on Divorce Court. Criswell
wore heavy makeup in public after his live program was broadcast in
Los Angeles. Only selected people were allowed in the KCOP studio
during his broadcast.
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