Ghost Hunters International’s Barry FitzGerald

Check out the link below for my brand-new interview with Ghost Hunters International’s Barry FitzGerald.

http://scifiandtvtalk.typepad.com/scifiandtvtalk/2011/02/ghost-hunters-internationals-barry-fitzgerald-taking-the-lead.html

Ghost Hunters Returns To Syfy For A Seventh Season

Ghost Hunters' Grant Wilson and Jason Hawes. Photo by Andrei Jackamets and copyright of the Syfy Channel

GHOST Hunters, the Syfy Channel’s hugely successful reality series, has been renewed for a triumphant seventh season. After inspiring two spin-offs, Ghost Hunters International and Ghost Hunters Academy, creating the hottest paranormal franchise in cable, Ghost Hunters has set the standard for paranormal investigating and has cemented its place as a destination for spine-tingling entertainment. Its reign will continue with 25 all-new episodes, slated to premiere on Syfy in 2011. 

Since the series debuted in 2004, viewers have flocked to Syfy on Wednesday nights to catch the latest hair-raising cases from the files of TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society), led by Rhode Island plumbers Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson. Before season seven debuts, viewers can enjoy new episodes from the entire Ghost Hunters franchise all summer and fall. The new class of ghost hunting hopefuls are currently in training under the watchful eyes of Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango on the new season of Ghost Hunters Academy, now airing Wednesday nights @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST. Ghost Hunters International will debut a new slate of episodes on Wednesday, July 14th @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PSt, and the rest of Ghost Hunters‘ sixth season will premiere on Wednesday, August 25th @ 9:00 p.m. 

As noted above, photo by Andrei Jackamets and copyright of the Syfy Channel, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Ghost Hunters Academy Returns To Syfy – 06 – 02 – 10

Ghost Hunters Academy's Steve Gonsalves. Photo by Tommy Garcia and copyright of the Syfy Channel

CABLE’s top paranormal franchise returns with the definitive search for the next great ghost hunter! On all-new episodes of Ghost Hunters Academy, expert instructors Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango will once again train a group of recruits to become the newest team member, but this time, one hopeful will be voted off each week by one of the ultimate judges of paranormal investigating – Ghost Hunters‘ Jason Hawes! 

Ghost Hunters Academy's Dave Tango. Photo by Tommy Garcia and copyright of the Syfy Channel

Jason, Steve and Tango will put the new recruits through the paces with challenging investigations at six of the most daunting and memorable past Ghost Hunters locations: Waverly Hills Sanatorium (Waverly Hills, Kentucky), Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (Weston, West Virginia), Mark Twain House (Hartford, Connecticut), Fort Delaware(Delaware City, Delaware), Mansfield Reformatory – a.k.a. the “Shawshank Prison” (Mansfield, Ohio) and the infamous Stanley Hotel (Estes Park, Colorado). New episodes begin airing tonight, Wednesday, June 2nd @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST on the Syfy Channel. 

Ghost Hunters' Jason Hawes. Photo by Sheryl Nields and copyright of the Syfy Channel

As noted above, photos by Tommy Garcia or Sheryl Nields and copyright of the Syfy Channel, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks! 

The Syfy Channel Expands Its Reality Programming

MARKING a major expansion of its reality programming, the Syfy Channel has announced it is greenlighting three new reality series, Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen, Paranormal Witness and Face Off. This broad-based slate builds upon the success of the channel’s unscripted programming such as the Ghost Hunters franchise and Destination Truth on Wednesday nights, along with Syfy’s new Thursday reality block, which premieres July 15th.

In making the announcement, Mark Stern, Executive Vice President, Original Content for Syfy/Co-head, Original Content for Universal Cable Productions, said, “We couldn’t be more excited to see these shows move forward. Whether it is pushing the scientific boundaries of cooking, immersing us in first-person accounts of paranormal encounters, or exploring the creative artists behind special effects make-up, each of these series underscores the increasing breadth of Syfy’s diverse brand.”

Ghost Hunters, the #1 paranormal investigative series on television, and Destination Truth – whose recently completed third season established series viewing records – rank among the most popular basic cable programs during Wednesday prime.

On Thursday, July 15th, Syfy launches the new reality block of Mary Knows Best at 9:00 p.m. EST/PST followed by Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files at 10:00 p.m. EST/PST.

MARCEL’S QUANTUM KITCHEN – Utilizing the science of cooking, Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen stars one of America’s most notorious chefs, molecular gastronomist Marcel Vigneron (Top Chef). In each episode, Marcel and his new catering and event company will be hired by a demanding client to produce an extraordinary celebration or event. Based on the client’s requests Marcel will dream up a theme and cuisine for the event, which range from a fairytale graduation party and a Goth-rock fashion show to a birthday dinner held on a platform suspended in mid-air. He and his team of party planners and chefs will tap the depths of their imagination and culinary talents to create everything from the immersive decor to a delicious menu that emphasizes Marcel’s brand of avant-garde cooking. Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen is a production of Intuitive Entertainment, and executive produced by Kevin Dill and Mechelle Collins.

PARANORMAL WITNESS – From Dimitri Doganis and Bart Layton, the acclaimed creative team behind Locked Up Abroad, this tense, cinematic, high-octane drama-documentary series brings to life the stories of people who have lived through paranormal experiences that defy explanation; from poltergeist to alien encounters. Using the mixture of intimate, firsthand testimony and gritty realistic drama that the producers are known for, Paranormal Witness will take the audience into a world turned upside-down by extraordinary and terrifying events. The series is a production of Raw TV, and executive produced by Dimitri Doganis and Bart Layton.

FACE OFF – This is a competition/elimination series exploring the world of special effects make-up artists and the unlimited imagination which allows them to create amazing works of living art. Not only will the show incorporate effects make-up, it will include a wide range of skill sets including prosthetics, 3-D design, animatronics, sculpting, eye enhancers, puppeteering, casting and molding. Each episode involves incredible reveals of the competitors’ finished work, and the drama of one contestant being sent home by the panel of expert and celebrity judges. It all culminates in one winner and one grand prize that will launch a career! Face Off is a production of Mission Control Media, and executive produced by Michael Agbabian and Dwight Smith.

This Week On Ghost Hunters – 04 – 21 – 10

Ghost Hunters' Jason Hawes. Photo by Sheryl Nields and copyright of the Syfy Channel

THIS week on Ghost Hunters, Grant, Jason and the rest of the TAPS team travel to beautiful Cape Cod, Massachusetts to investigate the haunted history of the Orleans Inn. The inn’s sordid past reaches back to the infamous goings-on inside its walls during its heyday in the Roaring 20’s, and the current owners hope to rid the inn of the reported ghosts of years past. For extra help, the TAPS team calls on Britt Griffith and Ghost Hunters International‘s Joe Chin to explore the plethora of encounters reported. Claims of solicitation, suicide and murder continue to haunt owners and guests alike. Inn of the Dead airs Wednesday, April 21st @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST on The Syfy Channel. 

Ghost Hunters' Grant Wilson. Photo by Sheryl Nields and copyright of the Syfy Channel

Click on the following link for a preview of this episode –http://rcpt.yousendit.com/853729959/fbfb66460293828d1be6c8d1ff6c9796 

As noted above, all photos by Sheryl Nields and copyright of the Syfy Channel, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

The Syfy Channel Sizzles During Summer 2010

THE Syfy Channel goes boldly where it has never gone before in Summer 2010 with its first ever Thursday night reality bloc (Mary Knows Best and Paranormal Investigators); new scripted series (Haven) based on a Stephen King novella; popular returning series (Warehouse 13, Eureka, Ghost Hunters Academy and Ghost Hunters International), and fan favorite Saturday Night Original Movies including Lake Placid 3 and Stonehenge Apocalypse.

The traditional holiday movie marathon runs from Friday, May 28th through Monday, May 31st, including “cold as ice” films (Yeti), horror flicks (premiere of Wrong Turn on Saturday, May 29th @ 9:oo p.m.), “creatures in the water” films (Lake Placid 2) and a festival of Stephen King adaptations (The Stand) on Memorial Day, May 31st.

The new Thursday night reality bloc premieres Thursday, July 15th @ 9:oo p.m. EST/PST with Mary Knows Best (working title), a docu-soap reality series following Mary Occhino, a successful radio host, psychic intuitive and mother of three, who gives a whole new meaning to the term “mother is always right.” Her children, Jackie, Chris and Carl, are a mismatched group f siblings consisting of a skeptic, a paranormal investigator and a reluctant psychic. In each episode, viewers will meet a humorous and unforgettable cast of family characters including Mary’s outspoken older brother Charles and two adorable grandchildren. The series is produced by Atlas Media Corp.

Following @ 10:00 p.m. EST/PST is Paranormal Investigators, which debunks fact from fiction by uncovering the truth behind supernatural and unexplained occurrences which have been caught on tape. In each episode, the six-person team, led by former FBI Special Agent Ben Hansen, searches for the most intriguing and unusual images, videos and unnatural phenomenon found online and around the world. Selecting the most intriguing images, the team heads into the field attempting to re-create the video, carrying out key experiments and searching for clues and evidence. The team uses all the latest tools CGI (computer-generated imaging) and investigative techniques at its disposal to try to answer the question, “Is it real?” Produced by Base Productions.

The new drama series Haven premieres Friday, July 9th @ 10:00 p.m. EST/PST. Based on the novella The Colorado Kid from renowned author Stephen King, it follows FBI Agent Audrey Parker (Emily Rose), who arrives in the small town of Haven, Maine to solve the murder of a local ex-con. Before long, her natural curiosity lands her in the epicenter of activity in this curious enclave, which turns out to be a longtime refuge for people with a remarkable range of supernatural abilities. Among the townspeople are local cop Nathan Wuornos (Lucas Bryant), who eventually becomes Audrey’s partner, and the mysterious and charming Duke Crocker (Eric Balfour).

Cable’s top paranormal franchise, Ghost Hunters Academy returns with brand-new episodes on Wednesday, June 2nd @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST. Expert instructors Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango will once again train a group of recruits to become the newest team member, but this time, one hopeful will be voted off each week by one of the ultimate judges of paranormal investigating: Ghost Hunters‘ Jason Hawes! Jason, Steve and Tango will put the new recruits through the paces with challenging investigations at six of the most daunting and memorable past Ghost Hunters locations: Waverly Hills Sanatorium (Waverly Hills, KY), Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (Weston, WV), Mark Twain House (Hartford, CT), Fort Delaware (Delaware City, DE), Mansfield Reformatory – a.k.a. “Shawshank Prison” (Mansfield, OH) and the infamous Stanley Hotel (Estes Park, CO).

Season two of Warehouse 13 debuts on Tuesday, July 6th @ 9:oo p.m. EST/PST. The series follows two Secret Service agents who find themselves abruptly transferred to a massive, top-secret storage facility in windswept South Dakota which houses every strange artifact, mysterious relic, fantastical object and supernatural souvenir ever collected by the U.S. government. The Warehouse’s caretaker Artie (Saul Rubinek) charges Pete (Eddie McClintock) and Myka (Joanne Kelly) with chasing down reports of supernatural and paranormal activity in search of new objects to cache at the Warehouse, as well as helping him to control the Warehouse itself. Warehouse 13 also features Allison Scagliotti, along with series guest-star CCH Pounder.

Eureka kicks off its fourth season on Friday, July 9th @ 9:oo p.m. EST/PST with the introduction of new series regular James Callis (Battlestar Galactica) as Dr. Grant, a former resident of the town whose unexpected return is cause for serious alarm and, considering his romantic interest in Allison Blake (Salli Richardson-Whitfield), significant friction with Sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson). New and returning fans won’t want to miss the big changes in store for everyone in the small town of Eureka after a cataclysmic shift turns their lives upside-down. Eureka also stars Joe Morton (Henry Deacon), Erica Cerra (Jo Lupo), Neil Grayston (Douglas Fargo) and Niall Matter (Zane Donovan).

On July 14th, new episodes of Ghost Hunters International premiere @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST. Like their U.S. counterparts, TAPS (The Atlantis Paranormal Society), GHI is a squad made up of everyday ordinary citizens who investigate and attempt to debunk claims of otherworldly activity. In the premiere episode, the team travels to the famous town of Nottingham, England and search for the Sheriff of Nottingham’s Ghost at the Galleries of Justice. Other countries on their global adventures will include Wales, Norway, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia and many more. The team includes Robb Demarest, Barry FitzGerald, Brandy Green, Ashley Goodwin, Paul Bradford, new cast member Scott Tepperman as well as Ghost Hunters Academy winners Susan Slaughter and Karl Pfeiffer.

Saturday Night Original Movies

Lake Placid 3 premieres in June 2010. In this sequel to Lake Placid 2 (most watched Syfy Saturday Original Movie ever), a game warden, his wife and their young son move into their aunt’s cabin on Lake Placid, where the lonely boy starts feeding baby crocodiles he considers to be pets. Three years later, the crocs start looking at him and his family as food. Stars Colin Ferguson (Eureka).

Stonehenge Apocalypse premieres in June 2010. When the giant stones of Stonehenge begin to move and cataclysms occur all over the Earth, only a fringe radio talk show host who’s an expect in UFOology figures out that the ancient monument is really alien technology. Stars Hill Harper (CSI NY).

Jack Hunter And The Lost Treasure of Ugarit premieres in July 2010. Jack Hunter, an adventurous fortune hunter, goes to Syria to find an ancient treasure buried thousands of years ago, which might be cured. Stars Joanne Kelly (Warehouse 13).

Goblin premieres in July 2010. A family vacations in a mountain town haunted by a goblin that steals babies. When their newborn disappears, it’s up to his older half-sister to rescue him.

Mandrake premieres in August 2010. A group of adventurers searching for a Spanish conquistador artifact find that the jungle around them is a single living being – and it’s not happy they’re there.

This Week On Destination Truth – 04 – 14 – 10

Destination Truth host Josh Gates. Photo copyright of the Syfy Channel

THE Destination Truth team makes its way to the beautiful city of Petra, Jordan where they explore sightings of what locals call Djnns – ghosts that are believed to possess humans and live in the dark recesses of ancient burial chambers. 

Josh Gates and the crew attempt to make sense of all the paranormal encounters in the Treasury Tomb that has become a symbol of the mysterious, ancient city. Ghost Hunters‘ Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson are enlisted to help analyze the results, some of the clearest audio evidence the team has captured yet. 

Next, the team heads to Bishopville, South Carolina to investigate a complaint from townspeople that a monster – known as the Lizard Man – is on the loose, terrorizing the town’s residents and their vehicles. Ghosts of Petra/Lizard Man airs Wednesday, April 14th @ 10:00 p.m. EST/PST on The Syfy Channel. 

Click on the following link for a preview of this episode – http://rcpt.yousendit.com/849593589/35a682e4467838bcfdc387efd1dcbe38 

As noted above, photo is courtesy of and copyright of the Syfy Channel, so please n unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

This Week On Ghost Hunters – 04 – 14 – 10

Ghost Hunters' Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson. Photo by Sheryl Nields and copyright of the Syfy Channel

THE TAPS team heads north to Plymouth County, Massachusetts to investigate a private home where, for over 30 years, the family has had multiple paranormal encounters. Claims  of physical violence have terrorized inhabitants, with punching and pushing a familiar occurrence. The team feverishly searches for clues that can help them detect this ghastly stalking. 

Next, Jason, Grant and company head back to New Jersey to take a closer look at a bar and grill that has its own fair share of encounters. A tavern rich in maligned history the spirit of a murdered patron has an encounter for the TAPS record books. Other reports of levitating wine bottles and lingering shadows leaves the proprietors turning to TAPS for answers. Ghosts in the Attic airs Wednesday, April 14th @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST on The Syfy Channel. 

Click on the following link for a preview of this episode – http://rcpt.yousendit.com/849593183/eff3e2980fac09af121209276b938025 

As noted above, photo by Sheryl Nields and copyright of The Syfy Channel, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Ghost Hunters 100th Episode – A Celebration In Pictures

AS previously reported on SciFiAndTvTalk, the original Ghost Hunters series celebrated its 100th episode on March 3rd with a two-hour live event in New York that aired in conjunction with an investigation at Alcatraz in San Francisco. Below are some photos from the New York broadcast. Enjoy! 

Pictured (L-R): David Howe, President, Syfy; Bonnie Hammer, President, NBC; Mark Stern, Executive VP, Syfy; Grant Wilson, Jason Hawes, Craig Piligian, Executive Producer, Ghost Hunters; Alan David, Executive Producer, Ghost Hunters. Photo by Heidi Gutman and copyright of the Syfy Channel

Pictured (L-R) - Jason Hawes, David Howe and Grant Wilson. Photo by Heidi Gutman and copyright of the Syfy Channel

Pictured (L-R) - From Ghost Hunters & Ghost Hunters Academy - Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango. Photo by Heidi Gutman and copyright of the Syfy Channel

Pictured (L-R) - Ghost Hunters' Kris Williams, Amy Bruni and Britt Griffith. Photo by Heidi Gutman and copyright of the Syfy Channel

Destination Truth's Josh Gates hosting the 100th Live Ghost Hunters event. Photo by Heidi Gutman and copyright of the Syfy Channel

Pictured (L-R) - Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International's Barry FitzGerald and Dustin Pari. Photo by Heidi Gutman and copyright of the Syfy Channel

Pictured (L-R) - Our original Ghost Hunters - Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson. Photo by Heidi Gutman and copyright of the Syfy Channel

Ghost Hunters Live at Studio 8H in New York. Photo by Heidi Gutman and copyright of the Syfy Channel

Pictured (L-R) - Everyone up on stage! Steve Gonsalves, Dave Tango, Josh Gates, Jason Hawes, Grant Wilson, Kris Williams. Amy Bruni, Britt Griffith, Barry FitzGerald and Dustin Pari. Photo by Heidi Gutman and copyright of the Syfy Channel

As noted above, all photos by Heidi Gutman and copyright of the Syfy Channel, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Ghost Hunters 100th Episode Live Event on Syfy

Grant Wilson and Jason Hawes celebrate their 100th Ghost Hunters episode in March. Photo copyright of the Syfy Channel

ON Wednesday, March 3rd, join Jason Hawes, Grant Wilson and the rest of the TAPS team as the Ghost Hunters celebrate their triumphant 100th episode with a LIVE audience from the legendary Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center. From 9-11 p.m. EST, the team will present their first-ever investigation at Alcatraz as well as take a look back at the most shocking and spine-chilling moments the hit series has caught on tape over the past five seasons. 

Josh Gates (Destination Truth) will host the event, which will feature investigators from all three Ghost Hunters teams gathered together for the very first time. Jason Hawes, Grant Wilson, Steve Gonsalves, Dave Tango, Amy Bruni, Kris Williams (Ghost Hunters), Barry FitzGerald, Robb Demarest, Dustin Pari (Ghost Hunters International), Susan Slaughter and Karl Pfeiffer (Ghost Hunters Academy) will take the stage and get the chance to talk directly with the fans, answering audience questions from in the studio and Syfy.com. 

Throughout the show, Josh will also reveal some surprises coming up in  the Ghost Hunters franchise! As always, Syfy.com will serve as the ultimate Ghost Hunters destination online, linking viewers to all of the action in the studio in real time. the site will host an interactive center helmed by investigator Britt Griffith, where fans can long on throughout the evening to be a part of the broadcast. Viewers will be able to ask questions of all participating TAPS members, leave comments and feedback, participate in polls, read up on Alcatraz history and more! 

Then, at 11pm, the show continues online with an exclusive post-broadcast streaming event, Ghost Hunters Alcatraz Live Extra, also hosted by Josh Gates. This 15-minute extension of the live episode will feature a Q & A panel with Jason, Grant and the rest of the TAPS team answering viewer-submitted questions from Syfy.com. 

As noted above, photo is copyright of the Syfy Channel, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!