Page 20 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • April 23, 2014 Shirley Jones headlines at Chiller Expo’s spring show by Dennis Seuling April means it’s time for Chiller Expo to set up shop for a three-day celebration of entertainment, horror, sci- ence fiction, and fantasy. This semi-annual show will take place at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel from April 25 to 27. The impressive guest list features Academy Award- winner Shirley Jones celebrating six decades in show business. Jones, who was named for actress Shirley Temple, is the only singer to be put under personal con- tract by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. This led to her starring in the screen versions of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals “Oklahoma!” and “Carou- sel.” She later showcased her dramatic ability in “Elmer Gantry,” for which she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. In 1970, as her movie offers waned, she accepted ABC’s offer to play the widowed mother of a singing pop rock family on “The Partridge Family,” a TV show that achieved enormous popularity and eventually ran in more than 70 countries. Her real-life 20-year-old son, David Cassidy — an unknown at the time — played the eldest Partridge son, Keith, and became the hottest teen idol in the country. Jones had a second series, “Shirley,” that premiered in 1979, but was canceled in the middle of the season due Shirley Jones to poor ratings. In 1986, her star was unveiled on Holly- wood’s Walk of Fame. In recent years, she has appeared in various TV shows and movies. She is currently mar- ried to actor/comedian Marty Ingels. Other guests will include Priscilla Presley, who will be signing her new book, “Shades of Elvis,” Dean Cain (TV’s “Lois & Clark”), Jamie Kennedy (the “Scream” franchise), Walter Koenig (Chekov on the original “Star Trek”), Paul Peterson (“The Donna Reed Show”), Heather Langenkamp (“Nightmare on Elm Street”), Dominic Chianese and Aida Turturro (“The Sopranos”), gymnast Cathy Rigby, and Abe Vigoda (“The Godfa- ther,” “Barney Miller”). There will also be a reunion of the cast of TV’s “WKRP in Cincinnati” — Loni Ander- son, Howard Hesseman, Jan Smithers, and Tim Reid. “WKRP” premiered in September 1978, and racked up 88 episodes in four seasons. Present, as he has been for every Chiller Expo since its inception, will be John Zacherle, the late-night horror movie host known as Roland in Philadelphia and then Zacherley (with a “y” added to his name) when he pre- miered on ABC in New York in 1958. Zacherley went on to host other TV movie anthologies and radio programs. With his deep voice, he was a natural. At the age of 95, Zacherley still works his magic on Baby Boomers -- and younger fans. He is the unofficial mascot of the Chiller shows. Visitors to Chiller Expo can meet their favorite enter- tainers, get an autographed photo, or have a picture taken with a celebrity. Lines can be long, but fans are patient and great camaraderie develops among strangers drawn together by their interest and enjoyment of these shows. Rarely do so many celebrities gather under one roof in New Jersey. Chiller Expo has grown steadily since its modest debut as Horrorthon in Rutherford in 1990, moving to larger and larger venues through the years. The brainchild of horror/fantasy aficionado Kevin Clem- ent, the expo is a smoothly run enterprise that attracts people from across the country. Celebrities may draw the crowds to Chiller Expo, but there are other neat features, including the dealers’ area that occupies huge ballrooms and more intimate spaces. Among the vendors, it’s possible to locate one-of-a-kind masks and monster sculptures, hard-to-find DVDs, col- lectible toys, rare books and magazines, movie stills, autographs, fantasy jewelry, and assorted movie memo- rabilia. A model contest is a regular feature. Those who have the skill and patience to create models of fantasy and horror creatures can enter their works in a competi- tion that is divided into several categories. A cash prize awaits the winner. Chiller Expo will be held on April 25 from 6 to 11 p.m., April 26 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and April 27 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $25 per day. Children age 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. For directions to the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel, check the Chiller website at chillertheatre.com or call (973) 515-2000.