TYLER, Texas — Harvey's Festival of Fear, a show filmed in Tyler and syndicated nationally, is ending production after 14 years.
Bob Mauldin, executive producer of 31 West Productions, began portraying the character of Harvey in 2010 and within five years later, the show was on the Retro Television Network.
"When were a local show, sponsors were easy to find, but as a national show, that vital funding has been a steep uphill battle. Frankly, our company has better performing brands that are less costly and better funded and we felt it was time to focus on these," Mauldin said.
Festival of Fear was produced at 31 West Studios in Tyler during its whole run. The studios also housed the offices for the travelogue show, Expedition Texas. Maudlin assured the audience that their input has made a lasting impact.
"The only reason we produced 26 completely unfunded episodes in the past year is because of the fans," Mauldin said. "Their cries were heard and we came back thinking we had a winning formula both for the fans and for the potential sponsors. While the fan interaction and the support from the network were great, we kept hitting walls when it came to securing a sponsorship. Without that component, the show doesn't go on."
Reruns of Harvey's Festival of Fear will continue on Retro Television and The Family Channel for the time being. The press release said that production stands ready to resume should sponsors gain interest.
For now, 31 West Productions seeks to grow the show’s YouTube channel by incorporating over 12 years of content for their viewers to enjoy free of charge. The content will be released at regular intervals over the coming months.