If you grew up in North Texas during the 1960s, there is a good chance you remember this face from television. But you may not have known that two completely different characters were actually played by the same man.See more…

His name was Bill Camfield, a memorable figure in Fort Worth television. For an entire generation of children, he became a familiar part of their afternoons in front of the television.

Camfield was born in Mineral Wells, Texas, and joined the new KFJZ-TV station in Fort Worth in 1955. He was much more than just a television host.

According to the Handbook of Texas, Camfield worked as head of copywriting, news director, program director, and even handled whatever other job needed to be filled at the station.

In 1957, the station introduced a horror program called Nightmare. Camfield created a character for the show who would become one of his most memorable creations.

He appeared as Gorgon the Gruesome, a mysterious figure dressed in a black cape who introduced horror films. His appearance alone was enough to give young viewers a fright.

But Camfield had another side that was completely different.

On September 10, 1959, he put on a striped suit, horn-rimmed glasses, a tiny cowboy hat, and a wild-looking wig.

That was the birth of Icky Twerp.

Icky Twerp became the host of Slam Bang Theatre, a comedy program that featured Three Stooges shorts mixed with humorous sketches.

The sketches even featured men dressed in ape costumes. Five of the characters had wonderfully strange names: Ajax, Delphinium, Linoleum, Arkadelphia, and Caladium.

For children across North Texas, Slam Bang Theatre was more than just another television program. It became part of their childhood.

And then came the remarkable part of the story.

When Nightmare returned to television in 1962, the same man was playing both characters.

In the afternoon, children knew him as Icky Twerp, the goofy character with the little cowboy hat.

At another time of day, he became Gorgon the Gruesome, the mysterious figure in the black cape introducing horror movies.

Slam Bang Theatre continued for years and eventually celebrated its 5,000th episode in October 1971.

In March 1972, after more than twelve years on television, Icky Twerp finally said goodbye to his audience.

Bill Camfield remained an important part of Fort Worth’s television history. He died in Fort Worth in 1991 at the age of 62.

In 2013, Gorgon the Gruesome was inducted into the Horror Host Hall of Fame, adding another chapter to Camfield’s remarkable legacy.

Today, Bill Camfield may not be a household name across the entire United States like a Hollywood movie star. But for many people who grew up in North Texas, he was something much more personal.

He was part of their childhood. Icky Twerp made them laugh, Gorgon the Gruesome made them scream, and behind both unforgettable characters was the same man — Bill Camfield.