Actor, Television Host, Entertainer. He was an advertising director for the Memphis, Tennessee, based Malco Theatre chain in 1963 when he first came up with the character of "Sivad" (Davis spelled backwards). He donned a cape, cane, top hat and false vampire teeth to become the local "Monster of Ceremonies" for the WHBQ-TV weekly horror program "Fantastic Features." The Saturday evening show debuted September 1962 and showed old horror and sci-fi movies to a new generation of kids. The show began with "Sivad" driving a horse-drawn hearse (in a foggy Overton Park near the Brooks Art Gallery in Memphis, Tennessee), pulling a coffin from the back of the hearse and then opening it all to the strains of Leigh Stevens' score from the 1950 sci-fi film "Destination Moon." Savid made many personal appearances around the Mid-South in the 1960s and 1970s drawing an estimated 30,000 fans at an appearance at the Mid-South Fairgrounds in 1963. At these appearances he would play several musical instruments including the "ghoulaphone" and the "coffinola," both instruments Davis concocted. He made several novelty records including "Sivad buries Rock & Roll" which features "Dickey Drakeller" on its flip side. "Fantastic Features" aired from September 1962 until February of 1972 on the local ABC Affiliate, WHBQ-TV, Channel 13 in Memphis, Tennessee.
His birth name was William Watson Davis and his Arkansas birth certificate lists he was born in Cotton Plant, Woodruff County, Arkansas to Richard Watson Davis, who was a barber in Cotton Plant, and Alta Mae Carrick, whose occupation was listed as a clerk.
His birth name was William Watson Davis and his Arkansas birth certificate lists he was born in Cotton Plant, Woodruff County, Arkansas to Richard Watson Davis, who was a barber in Cotton Plant, and Alta Mae Carrick, whose occupation was listed as a clerk.
Actor, Television Host, Entertainer. He was an advertising director for the Memphis, Tennessee, based Malco Theatre chain in 1963 when he first came up with the character of "Sivad" (Davis spelled backwards). He donned a cape, cane, top hat and false vampire teeth to become the local "Monster of Ceremonies" for the WHBQ-TV weekly horror program "Fantastic Features." The Saturday evening show debuted September 1962 and showed old horror and sci-fi movies to a new generation of kids. The show began with "Sivad" driving a horse-drawn hearse (in a foggy Overton Park near the Brooks Art Gallery in Memphis, Tennessee), pulling a coffin from the back of the hearse and then opening it all to the strains of Leigh Stevens' score from the 1950 sci-fi film "Destination Moon." Savid made many personal appearances around the Mid-South in the 1960s and 1970s drawing an estimated 30,000 fans at an appearance at the Mid-South Fairgrounds in 1963. At these appearances he would play several musical instruments including the "ghoulaphone" and the "coffinola," both instruments Davis concocted. He made several novelty records including "Sivad buries Rock & Roll" which features "Dickey Drakeller" on its flip side. "Fantastic Features" aired from September 1962 until February of 1972 on the local ABC Affiliate, WHBQ-TV, Channel 13 in Memphis, Tennessee.
His birth name was William Watson Davis and his Arkansas birth certificate lists he was born in Cotton Plant, Woodruff County, Arkansas to Richard Watson Davis, who was a barber in Cotton Plant, and Alta Mae Carrick, whose occupation was listed as a clerk.
His birth name was William Watson Davis and his Arkansas birth certificate lists he was born in Cotton Plant, Woodruff County, Arkansas to Richard Watson Davis, who was a barber in Cotton Plant, and Alta Mae Carrick, whose occupation was listed as a clerk.
Bio by: Kim Inboden
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