ABC premieres the first episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, based on Jeff Rice’s novel and the 1972 TV movie The Night Stalker, starring Darren McGavin. Beatrice Colen (Wonder Woman) guest stars. 
A serial killer is on the loose, leaving a trail of mutilated female corpses in his wake. Kolchak has been assigned to handle Miss Emily Fenwick’s letter column after irritating the police. The reporter can’t stay away, however, and is soon witness to a number of occurrences where the press-dubbed Ripper, seemingly immunity to gunfire and possessed of superhuman strength, escapes the police with ease on several occasions. Kolchak soon comes to believe that the murderer is the 19th century Jack the Ripper, gifted with immortality. Going back through the historical accounts, Carl discovers that the Ripper broke off his killings in New York with the invention of the electric chair. From this, he suspects that electricity may be the Ripper’s one weakness. Following up the lead of an elderly writer to the “Dear Emily” letter column, he tracks the Ripper to the abandoned house where he has made his lair.
written by Rudolph Brochert
directed by Allen Baron
music by Gil MilleCast: Darren McGavin (Carl Kolchak), Simon Oakland (Tony Vincenzo), Beatrice Colen (Jane Plumm), Ruth McDevitt (Elderly Woman), Jack Grinnage (Ron Updyke), Ken Lynch (Captain Warren), Marya Small (Masseuse), Donald Mantooth (Policeman), Robert Bryan Berger (Mail Boy), Roberta Collins (Detective Cortazzo), Clint Young (Driver), Mickey Gilbert (The Ripper)
Notes: Ironically, the premiere episode aired on Friday the 13th (9/13/74). Ruth McDevitt plays an elderly woman who writes to the “Dear Emily” letter column. A few episodes later, she plays Miss Emily. In this episode, Emily’s last name is Fenwick.
LogBook entry by Steve Crowe