EDITOR’S NOTE: This episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker was on the CBS Late Movie on May 25, 1979; November 30, 1981; September 25, 1987 and January 1, 1988.

Directed by Don Weis (who did tons of TV work, like 22 episodes of Fantasy Island, 16 episodes of M*A*S*H* and 57 episodes of Ironside) and written by David Chase (The Sopranos) and Bill Stratton, “Vampire” brings Carl Kolchak to Los Angeles to interview a transcendental New Age leader. Still, the real reason he’s left Chicago is that his old friend James “Swede” Brightowsky (Larry Storch) tells him that there’s been a new series of vampire-like murders in Las Vegas.

Catherine Rawlins (Suanne Charny) was once a Las Vegas showgirl before being turned by Janos Skorzeny, the vampire from the original film that started it all, The Night Stalker. As a vampire, she’s learned how to handle even gigantic men and is now hiding out in the Hollywood hills, seeking victims when the night falls.

So, while real estate agent Fay Krueger (Kathleen Nolan) does the interview for Carl, who is in Los Angeles, he starts investigating and drawing the ire of the police, as always. Lt. Mateo (William Daniels, the voice of K.I.T.T.) dislikes Kolchak instantly, as our reporter hero tells him that the killings are all the doings of a vampire.

This episode was originally written to have Kolchak come to New York City when he heard that Skorzeny was still alive. The idea that there could be more of his conquests living in Las Vegas is a much better one, and Charny plays a frightening vampire, defeated by Carl, when he burns a cross in her front yard and stakes her through the heart.

Carl gets arrested, but it doesn’t stick. He explains why: “They booked me for murder just like I thought they would, but then after 12 hours they let me go. They never said they did say why, but while I was sitting in Lt. Matteo’s office waiting for execution. I happen to see a coroner’s report on Catherine Rawlins. I quote the coroner: “The tissue structure of the individual appeared to be that of a female, species human, who had been dead at least three years. This is a medical conundrum for which I have no explanation. Three years!”