Svengoolie

The show airs both low-budget and classic horror and science-fiction movies, with host "Svengoolie" – a telescoping of the words Svengali and ghoul – played by Rich Koz[4] (pronounced "Koze"), who wears thick skull-like makeup around his eyes and cheekbones, a moustache, goatee, and long wig, all black, and a black top hat with a tuxedo jacket over a bright-red, open-collared, pleated tuxedo shirt.

Just before and after commercial breaks, Svengoolie presents sketches, tells corny jokes, and performs song parody spoofs of the film being aired.[1] Some shows were presented in what was later dubbed "Sven-surround" – a pun on "Sensurround", a brand name theater audio system – in which Svengoolie would joke as the film aired sometimes with humorous sound effects.[1] This stunt was discontinued for a short time, then brought back due to viewer request, although as a clip segment aired outside the film.

One relatively recent addition to the show is the simultaneous use of Twitter with the hashtag #svengoolie, allowing those watching to comment on the show.

• Svengoolie[6] – the title character and host of the show, who introduces the film, tells jokes and relates trivia about the movie. The character was originally portrayed by former WCFL personality Jerry G. Bishop, who held the role from 1970 to 1973.[5] When the show returned in 1979, Rich Koz took on the role of "Son of Svengoolie", which he portrayed until the show's cancellation in 1986. In 1995, Koz was set to bring the show back and Bishop told him he was "all grown up" and could drop the "Son of" from his character name. Koz has been playing "Svengoolie" ever since.[7]
• Doug Graves – Svengoolie's accompanist, shown frequently at the piano or keyboard, though equally adept at the trumpet; Graves is played by professional musician and Svengoolie crew member Doug Scharf.[8]
• Zallman T. Tombstone (voiced by Rich Koz) – a smart-mouthed, disembodied skull that often acts as a foil for Svengoolie during comedy skits,[3] with a voice based on Bill Saluga's Ray J. Johnson Jr. character.[9]
• Kerwyn (voiced by Rich Koz) – a smart-aleck rubber chicken puppet who helps Svengoolie review viewer mail and photos.
• Zelda (voiced by Jerry G. Bishop) – a smart-mouthed, disembodied skull (much like her successor, Tombstone) with a voice modeled after Flip Wilson's Geraldine Jones character.
• Anita X. Orcist – saxophone player, appearing infrequently; portrayed by Natalie Scharf, Doug's daughter.
• Durwood the Dummy (voiced by Jerry G. Bishop (1970-1973), Rich Koz (1979-present)) – a wooden ventriloquist's dummy featured on the original series (1970–73), later carried over to the Son of Svengoolie series and retained from then on, though featured infrequently in recent years.[10]
• Boddy Sorrell (voiced by Rich Koz) – the face on Svengoolie's coffin lid.[11] His name is a pun on The Dick Van Dyke Show character Buddy Sorrell, played on that show by Morey Amsterdam. His voice is modeled after Amsterdam's.
• Gwengoolie[12] – Played by Sarah M. Palmer, aka Pinup Palmer[13]. A character added to the cast after the "Spawn of Svengoolie" talent search and member of the "Sven Squad".[14] Making her first on-air appearance towards the end of the September 23rd, 2023 episode of "The Return of the Vampire". Gwengoolie's character is an expertly crafted juxtaposition of other well known horror mistresses, such as Lily Munster, Morticia Addams & Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, with a 1950's pin-up model and over-the-top Las Vegas performer persona. She is a talented singer, with a blend of style somewhere between, Barbara Streisand, Lady Gaga and Judy Garland. The on screen chemistry between Svengoolie and Gwengoolie is uncanny.
• Ignatius Malvolio Prankenstein (iMP)[15] – A character added to the cast after the "Spawn of Svengoolie" talent search and member of the "Sven Squad".[16] Making his first on-air appearance towards the end of the September 30th, 2023 episode of "Trilogy of Terror".
• Nostalgiaferatoo[17] – Also known as "Friend of Sven", "Destroyer of Hopes", "Destroyer of Dreams" & "Bearer of Bad News". Played by Bill Leff, host of MeTV's Toon In with Me. It is a character based on the vampire Nosferatu. He joined the cast after the "Spawn of Svengoolie" talent search and is one part of the "Sven Squad".[18]

Many other incidental characters throughout the show's run have been voiced by Rich Koz and — during his tenure — Jerry G. Bishop, as well as WFLD staff announcer Jim Barton (during the "Son of" years).

Rich Koz did most of the artwork for the show when he revived it as Son of Svengoolie at WFLD.[7] For every episode, Koz researches the film to find interesting facts, then writes each episode, spending about four hours doing so.[5]

The camera shots and audio effects are handled by director Chris Faulkner and Kevin Reisberg, the show's assistant director.[5]

In 2014, the original casket prop used by both Bishop and Koz on camera was retired and donated to the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago.[19] Segments showcasing the original casket continued to be rebroadcast on the MeTV schedule. Rebroadcasts often will use improved prints of the films if they have become available, while keeping the old comedy skits.

Jerry G. Bishop as the original Svengoolie

The show's original title was Screaming Yellow Theater.[10] The title was derived from Screaming Yellow Zonkers, a yellow, sugary glazed popcorn snack, first produced in the 1960s. It debuted on September 18, 1970 on WFLD (Channel 32) and ran until September 7, 1973. Svengoolie was played then by Jerry G. Bishop.[1][2] In later seasons, Rich Koz – a fan who sent in sketch ideas – became a show writer. In 1973, Kaiser Broadcasting took over WFLD from Field Communications and Screaming Yellow Theater was cancelled and replaced with The Ghoul from Cleveland.[10] The Ghoul lasted until 1974 when it was taken off the air.[10] Field Communications took WFLD back from Kaiser Broadcasting in 1978, which led Jerry Bishop and Rich Koz to discuss the show's resurrection.[10]

On June 16, 1979, Son of Svengoolie debuted on WFLD, with Koz in the title role.[5][7] The show also aired on Field Communications-controlled stations in Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, and Detroit. The series ran until WFLD, then owned by Metromedia, was sold to Rupert Murdoch's Fox Television Stations Group in 1986 as part of the newly created Fox network.[7] New management canceled the show, deciding that it did not fit the new programming direction.[7] After 334 shows, the final episode aired January 25, 1986. Koz returned to WFLD in various capacities, mainly as the host of Fox Kids Club and The Koz Zone weekday afternoon children's programming, and appearing as an announcer on WFLD's 1988 New Year's Eve broadcast.

Neal Sabin, the executive vice president of Weigel Broadcasting, brought the show back on December 31, 1994 on WCIU[2][7] (Channel 26), using "Svengoolie" as the name;[1] Koz took the role of Svengoolie[2] when Bishop told Koz that he "believed he was grown up enough now to no longer be just the Son."[7] Koz also hosted a weekly Three Stooges Stooge-a-palooza show on WCIU.[7]

The series was aired on Chicago's WWME-CA, Milwaukee stations WBME-CD and WMLW-TV, and occasionally on WMYS-LD in South Bend, Indiana. These stations are owned by Weigel Broadcasting. Beginning on April 2, 2011, Svengoolie's show became available nationally on the MeTV network through the efforts of Neal Sabin.[2]

Starting January 7, 2023, Svengoolie expanded from two hours to two and a half hours, filling out a full three hour block with Sventoonie.[20]

A spin-off of both Svengoolie and MeTV's morning cartoon block Toon In with Me, entitled Sventoonie, premiered on MeTV on March 26, 2022. Sventoonie is hosted by Toon In with Me's Kevin Fleming as his puppet character Toony the Tuna, in character as "Sventoonie". In the series, Sventoonie reviews classic horror films and takes part in comedy sketches with his own cast, including occasional appearances by Svengoolie himself.[21]

On October 1st, 2022, it was announced that a nationwide talent show called "Spawn of Svengoolie" would be accepting auditions for fans to create a character in hopes of joining the production.[22] One year later, a few new characters began to appear in short spots and segments during the broadcast; specifically "The Sven Squad" (Gwengoolie, Ignatius Malvolio Prankenstein & Nostalgiaferatoo); with merchandise[23] and promotional photos added to the official MeTV website's Svengoolie page.

Between 1979 and 1986, Son of Svengoolie won three Chicago Emmys at station WFLD.[5][7] For its 25th anniversary in 2004, Svengoolie was presented with the Silver Circle Award by the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences[7] for "outstanding contributions to Chicago television."

Svengoolie is also a consistent winner of the "Best Horror Host" award from the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards.[24]

Svengoolie appeared as a supporting character in a storyline in the Dick Tracy comic strip that started in April 2017.[25]

A special four-part crossover story in two-page parts featuring Svengoolie with the various DC Comics superheroes ran through the month of October 2019. DC Comics editor Dan Didio said the idea for this was a "fun mash-up" featuring the Justice League alongside elements of the Svengoolie show.[26]

Notes

Bibliography

• Okuda, Ted; Yurkiw, Mark (December 4, 2007). Chicago TV Horror Movie Shows: From Shock Theatre to Svengoolie (illustrated ed.). Chicago, Illinois, USA: Lake Claremont Press. ISBN 9781893121133. OCLC 123378830. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
• Glut, Donald F. (July 24, 2012). Shock Theatre Chicago Style: WBKB-TV's Late Night Horror Showcase, 1957-1959. Jefferson, North Carolina, USA: McFarland & Company. p. 170. ISBN 9780786468058. OCLC 757462047. Retrieved March 16, 2013.

• Official website
• Svengoolie at IMDb
• Svengoolie at HorrorHosts.com
• Svengoolie Nation website