Kolchak: The Night Stalker is a television series that aired on ABC
during the 1974–1975 season. The series followed wire service
reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) who investigates
mysterious crimes with unlikely bizarre causes, particularly those
involving  the supernatural or science fiction, including fantastic
creatures.

The series was preceded by the two television movies, The Night
Stalker (1972) and The Night Strangler (1973). Although the series
lasted only a single season, it rapidly achieved cult status and has
remained very popular in syndication.

Chris Carter cited Kolchak as a “tremendous influence” in creating
his franchise The X-Files. Following that success in 2005, The X-
Files producer Frank Spotnitz resurrected the series with a new cast
and characters, as well as subsequent novels and comic books. The
new series was a ratings bomb and was quietly cancelled after only
six of the ten episodes produced were aired.

Darren McGavin ( William Lyle Richardson)
(May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006)